Ruen Monastery

Ruen Monastery is a monastery in Kyustendil Province featuring white walls and traditional Bulgarian Orthodox architecture with multiple domes and intricate frescoes throughout. The buildings include various chapels and functional spaces that have been restored and maintained over the centuries.

The monastery was built upon foundations from the medieval period, located near where Saint John of Rila was born. The structure received major restoration work in 1999 to preserve the site for future generations.

The monastery remains an active place of Orthodox worship where regular religious services are held and local traditions connect the community to Saint John of Rila. Visitors can experience how this spiritual figure continues to shape daily religious life here.

The monastery sits roughly 8 kilometers west of the E79 highway connecting Sofia and Kulata with regular opening hours for visitors. A marked hiking path from the site leads to a nearby cave with historical and religious significance.

A marked trail connects the monastery directly to a cave where Saint John of Rila established his first hermitage, allowing visitors to walk between two connected sacred sites. This path links the spiritual journey of the saint with the landscape itself.