Cherepish Monastery

The Cherepish monastery, named “The Assumption of Virgin Mary”, is located 29km to the southeast of the Bulgarian town of Vratza, in the defile of the Iskar River, in the foot of the magnificent Balkan Mountain Range. The origin of the Cherepish monastery dates back to the time of the Second Bulgarian State. It was built during the reign of Tsar Ivan Shishman (1371-1393). Later, during the time of Ottoman domination the Cherepish Monastery was one of the fortresses that helped for the preservation of the Bulgarian culture and spirit. During the times of the Bulgarian Renaissance, the monastery grew into a cultural and educational centre. For instance, the great Bulgarian cleric and one of the leading figures of the early Bulgarian National Revival, St Sofroniy of Vratsa, created important works and made copies of others in favor of the Bulgarian people, thus keeping the national Bulgarian spirit from extinction. The Cherepish holy cloister was ruined and set on fire many times during the Ottoman rule.For many years the monastery hosted a monastery school, while books, saints’ biographies and gospels were written and rewritten there.

Cherepish monastery took a part in the battles for the national liberation and church independence. Between 1872 and 1876, the monastery is visited by the Vratza revolutionary committee, plotting against the Turks, and the central revolutionary committee. In addition, the cloister was visited by the famous Bulgarian writer Ivan Vazov in 1889 and 1907, while in 1897 another renowned author, Aleko Konstantinov, dropped by here during his tour of the region. Following his visit to the monastery, Konstantinov publishes one of his popular travel notes, Bulgarian Switzerland.