Bachkovski monastery
The Bachkovski monastery ‘The Assu' is the second biggest monastery after the Rila monastery. It is situated near the village of Bachkovo, near the town of Asenovgrad.
The monastery was found in 1803 by Byzantine military commander Grigorii Bakuriani and his brother Abazii, who are Georgian. (1) Only the two-storey ossuary, which is situated 300 m from the nowadays monastery complex, has remained from the very establishment till the present day. The charnel-house is a unique historical site.
Although the Bachkovski monastery stayed untouched during the first invasion of the Turkish armies, later is was robbed and destroyed. It was rebuilt in the beginning of 17th century; the living-room being reconstructed in 1601 and the cathedral church ‘The Ossu' was finished in 1604. The mural-paintings in the living-room, carved by an unknown hand in 1605, are unique with their artistical value. The church, in turn, also has very beautiful mural paintings but the thing, that attracts visitors the most, is the icon of Jesus' Mother Tenderness (1310), which is believed to be wonder-working.
Besides the main church the complex also includes two smaller chapels - ‘St. Archangels' (from 13th - 14th century), which are situated in the northern yard near the main church, and ‘St. Nikola', built in the period 1834 - 1837. ‘St. Nikola' church, which rises in the southern part of the inner yard, amazes with its mural paintings from 1841, which were made by the famous painter Zahari Zograf. The monastery has its own museum, in which you could see ritual objects and models of goldsmiths' art from different periods.
The Bachkovski monastery is among the hundred national tourist destinations of the Bulgarian tourist union.
The Narechen baths, which are famous for their mineral springs and health resorts, are situated in the Rodopi on the way to Smolyan. The Harechen springs hotel is situated in the area; it has room for 40 people and a restaurant, which offers dishes from the Rodopi region.
Narechenski Izvori Hotel
Narechenski izvori hotel is situated in the Rodopi mountain near the Narechenski baths area.