Gigintsi Monastery

Gigintsi Monastery is a complex housing the Church of Saints Cosmas and Damian alongside residential quarters, a bell tower, and service buildings positioned at roughly 1000 meters elevation. The structures are arranged around a central courtyard, following the traditional layout of an Eastern Orthodox monastic settlement.

Founded in the 11th century at the Kitka site, the monastery was forced to relocate in 1737 following Turkish raids to its present location. The move positioned it near a natural spring valued for its healing properties.

The monastery has served as a spiritual gathering place where villagers came together for worship and learning over many centuries. Visitors today can experience this community role by observing how the different spaces were designed to bring people together.

You can drive to the monastery with parking available, or take a bus from Pernik to Gigintsi village and continue on foot. The mountain location means sturdy shoes are helpful and weather can change quickly, so plan accordingly.

A healing spring well and pool within the monastery grounds remain active today, continuing to draw people who believe in the water's therapeutic effects. This same source motivated the monastery's relocation centuries ago.