Arapovo Monastery, Bulgarian Orthodox monastery in Asenovgrad, Bulgaria
Arapovo Monastery is a Bulgarian Orthodox monastery near Asenovgrad featuring a three-naved stone church with three apses. The complex includes residential buildings and a defensive tower in its courtyard that also serves as guest accommodation.
The monastery was founded in 1856 beside a holy spring, with construction continuing until 1863 during Ottoman rule in Bulgaria. This founding period occurred when religious communities had to carry out building projects under foreign control.
The church interior displays more than 150 fresco scenes painted by Georgi Ganchov, reflecting Bulgarian Orthodox traditions. These wall paintings shape how the sacred space appears to visitors today.
The monastery complex stands in an open field and can be explored on foot in roughly 45 minutes. Visitors should bring sturdy footwear as the ground can be uneven.
The monastery occupies an unusual location away from mountains, unlike the mountainous setting typical of other regional monasteries. Its three-story defensive tower with wooden roof construction on the top level is rare in Bulgarian monastery architecture.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
