Gorna banya Monastery, Orthodox monastery in Gorna banya district, Sofia, Bulgaria.
Gorna banya Monastery, also called Lyulin Monastery, is dedicated to Saints Cyril and Methodius. Its church is a single-nave, single-apse building of about 16 by 11 metres, with two five-sided conches and naive Revival-era frescoes in the lunettes above the windows and doors. The complex today consists of the church and an auxiliary building.
Founded in the 13th century as St. Kral Monastery, the complex once housed the remains of Serbian king Stefan Urosh. The site underwent several reconstructions throughout the centuries.
The monastery honors Saints Cyril and Methodius and remains an active place of worship where Bulgarian Orthodox traditions are practiced through regular religious services. Annual celebrations bring together visitors and worshippers to observe long-standing customs.
The monastery lies about 6 km from the centre of Gorna Banya, reachable by a normal car road. By public transport, get off at the "v.z. Lyulin" stop and walk about 10 minutes. Weekend line 103 from Ovcha Kupel bus station makes six runs daily; on weekdays line 803 from Gorna Banya metro station has eleven runs to the stop.
The monastery stands apart from typical Bulgarian Orthodox structures by intentionally omitting a dome from its design. This unusual architectural choice makes it memorable among comparable buildings in the region.
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