German Monastery, Religious complex near German village, Sofia, Bulgaria

The German Monastery is a religious complex located in the Lozen Mountains about five kilometers from Sofia's Circle Road, comprising a church building and residential quarters. The entire complex sits on mountainous terrain and is accessible by an asphalt road.

Local people built a small single-nave church sunk into the ground here in 1818. The monastery was fully restored only in 1885, when a new church replaced that modest building. In 1928 the future Bulgarian exarch Stefan donated it to the Zograf benefice, and it became a metochion of the Zograf Monastery of St. George the Victorious, where monks were prepared for service on Mount Athos.

The iconostasis inside the church features paintings created by the Dospevski brothers from Samokov and represents Bulgarian religious artistic traditions of the 1800s. Visitors can observe these handcrafted details and artworks that shape the interior of the church.

Visitors can drive to the complex via the asphalt road from Sofia, and advance booking is recommended for guided tours. The site sits in the mountains, so expect varying weather conditions when planning a visit.

Sequoia trees grow at the entrance and were planted by Prince Ferdinand and Princess Maria Louise in the late 1800s. These trees still stand today and mark the visit of the royal couple.