Dragalevtsi Monastery

Sofia

LoginSave

This working monastery is probably the oldest of its kind in Bulgaria. It was built around 1345, but abandoned only 40 years later. The monastery contains colourful murals and is revered as one of the hiding places of the ubiquitous anti-Turkish rebel leader Vasil Levski. The location is within the Vitosha National Park, about 1.5km south of the Dragalevtsi suburb of Sofia.

The monastery is reachable by public transport from Sofia by buses 66 or 93; the former runs only on weekends and holidays. Wear comfortable shoes: the monastery lies on a hill and you'll have to hike a bit to get up there.

Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

  • x-default

    Aleksander Nevski Cathedral

    5.61 MILES

    One of the symbols not just of Sofia but of Bulgaria itself, this massive, awe-inspiring church was built between 1882 and 1912 in memory of the 200,000…

  • Sveta Sofia Church

    Sveta Sofia Church

    5.64 MILES

    Sveta Sofia is one of the capital's oldest churches, and gave the city its name. A subterranean museum houses an ancient necropolis, with 56 tombs and the…

  • Bulgaria, Sofia, Boyana Church

    Boyana Church

    2.15 MILES

    Tiny 13th-century Boyana Church is included on Unesco’s World Heritage list and its 90 murals are among the very finest examples of Bulgarian medieval…

  • Columns of the Thracian sanctuary of Starosel - Bulgaria

    Archaeological Museum

    5.54 MILES

    Housed in a former mosque built in 1496, this museum displays a wealth of Thracian, Roman and medieval artefacts. Highlights include a mosaic floor from…

  • Sveti Georgi Rotunda

    Sveti Georgi Rotunda

    5.54 MILES

    Built in the 4th century AD, this tiny red-brick church is Sofia's oldest preserved building. The murals inside were painted between the 10th and 14th…

  • 500px Photo ID: 131432243 -

    Museum of Socialist Art

    4.45 MILES

    If you wondered where all those unwanted statues of Lenin ended up, you'll find some here, along with the red star from atop Sofia's Party House. There's…

  • Sofia History Museum

    Sofia History Museum

    5.71 MILES

    The history of Sofia is presented on two floors of the magnificent former Turkish Mineral Baths, just behind the mosque. Exhibitions are divided…

  • Ancient Serdica Complex

    Ancient Serdica Complex

    5.59 MILES

    This remarkable, partly covered excavation site, situated just above the Serdika metro station, displays the remains of the Roman city, Serdica, that once…

View more attractions

Nearby Sofia attractions

1. Boyana Church

2.15 MILES

Tiny 13th-century Boyana Church is included on Unesco’s World Heritage list and its 90 murals are among the very finest examples of Bulgarian medieval…

2. National Museum of History

2.68 MILES

Housed in the former communist presidential palace, this museum occupies a stunning, if inconvenient, setting; unless a coach party turns up, you may have…

3. Sofia Zoo

3.21 MILES

Lions, tigers, elephants and bears are among the animals at Sofia's small zoo, situated in a park about 2km south of the city centre. There are also play…

4. Yuzhen Park

3.68 MILES

South of the city centre, Yuzhen Park is a vast, wild green sprawl, filled with trees and shady pathways. A sparkling stream bubbles through it, and there…

5. Muzeiko

4.12 MILES

Kid-friendly science and technology museum with plenty of interactive exhibits and gadgetry to delight children from 6 to 16 years of age. There are…

6. Earth & Man Museum

4.36 MILES

This rather old-fashioned museum is dedicated to geology, with two floors of minerals, crystals, ores and the like. There are some big and impressive…

7. Museum of Socialist Art

4.45 MILES

If you wondered where all those unwanted statues of Lenin ended up, you'll find some here, along with the red star from atop Sofia's Party House. There's…

8. National Palace of Culture

4.67 MILES

Sofia's vast concert hall dates from 1981 and houses countless chambers, as well as music clubs and cafes. It watches over an elongated park known as pl…