This monastery is a great example of how old sites need to be conserved. Though much of it was re-built, the well conserved western walls are really a nice view! The courtyard is also pleasant and well taken care of!
Αξηζει να το δεις. Καλοσυντηρημενο καστρο, με καλη θεα απο πανο, γυρο απο αυτο ρεει ποταμι. Προσωπικα θα ηθελα επηπλεον σοκακια μεσα στο καστρο.
The new building has been built up around the remains of the ruin to preserve what is left inside, and is larger than the original church. You can still get some feel for the old building, and can read the history on the boards but it has lost that historic energy that is usually found in places like this. It is not a grand place so expect something small and intimate. In photos it looks nestled in a wooded copse, quite quiet, but it is right below the road out of VT to Arbanassi, making it easily accessible but you would really only get maybe half hour at most from this attraction. There is an entrance fee of 6 leva per person, which at current exchange equates to about £2.50 each. The same fee is payable at Tsaravets fortress 2 minutes walk up the road and that is much more worth a visit.
A igreja é legal, mas depois de tantas reconstruções ela perdeu bastante de seu charme. Só vale a visita se tiver muito tempo sobrando.
I have 2 small apartments in Asenova, close to this recently overhauled church. When I was first in VT [about 11 years ago], this was just a wreck. It is so nice to see it restored to all its former glory, with modern architecture incorporated with the old. The grounds are well kept and a peaceful place to sit a while.
The church there was rebuilt, the inside was a modernistic one, but an inappropriate one. It is not a waste of time to visit it, but not a must. Very little information for the non Bulgarian visitors.
Ενδιαφέρον μνημεό σε πολύ ωραία τοποθεσία ακριβώς κατω από τη γέφυρα.Θα έπρεπε να έχει καλύτερη σήμανση για τη θέση της εισόδου.
I love this church very much for the fact that a huge part of it was preserved since its establishment. The nowadays facade is a result of a relatively recent reconstruction which was very much needed to protect the remaining original walls from falling down. I strongly suggest to all foreign visitors to ask for a guided tour - only this way you will get a thorough understanding about the importance of this church in our history and its important part in our cultural heritage. I will give only a few pieces of information to give you an idea what you will expect. The columns inside are inscribed by the order of some of our greatest rulers of old, most notably perhaps khan Omurtag (814-831 AD), famous for his building and cultural projects from times before Christianity was adopted as an official religion in Bulgaria and the Cyrillic alphabet introduced. The writing on his column is therefore in Greek says:"Kana subigi Omurtag, living in his old home, made a glorious home on the Danube and in the middle between the two most glorious homes, after he measured [the distance], he made a tumulus. From the very centre of the tumulus to my old palace there are 20,000 raztega and to the Danube there are 20,000 raztega. The tumulus itself is most glorious and after they measured the land I made that inscription. Even if a man lives well, he dies and another one comes into existence. Let the one who comes later upon seeing this inscription remember the one who had made it. And the name is Omurtag, Kana subigi. Let God make him live 100 years."The most well-known and often cited part of the writing among Bulgarians is: "Even if a man lives well, he dies and another one comes into existence. Let the one who comes later upon seeing this inscription remember the one who had made it."
I did not find the restoration of this church to be very sympathetic to the original structure. It's worth wondering around and learning the history but it looks like a new building. I went in early morning before it was open. Walking around the outside of the church was enough for me.
Trovarci le tombe (ovviamente ricostruite) di due personaggi basilari della storia bulgara, come Kham Asparuh e Tsar Kaloyan, nonché una colonna con iscrizioni che rimandano a molti secoli addietro, indurrebbe a classificarla come molto bella, ma è un po' troppo evidente la ricostruzione e di affreschi originali è rimasto pochissimo. Qiuindi, anche se un po' a malincuore, devo giudicarla di livello medio. Comunque, una visita la merita.