The Rock Churches of Ivanovo

Located at 32 km from the village of Koprivets.

The archeological reserve The Rock Churches of Ivanovo is situated 22 km southwest of the town of Rousse, in the valley of the Roussenski Lom River, near the village of Ivanovo.
Medieval hermits and issichasts (monks) inhabited the caves there, up in the cliffs.

The archaeological reserve includes the rock monastery “St. Archangel Michael”, a big religious and literary center in the 12^th - 14^th centuries A.D.

The frescoes of the Holy Virgin's Church are the best preserved.
The portraits of the church donors Tsar (King) Ivan Alexandar (1331 – 1370) and Tsaritsa (Qeen) Teodora are painted on the northwest wall there.

Images, represented the popular scenes from the New Testament (the last days of the life of Jesus), are illustrated on the ceiling.
The monastery, wich contains six churches and chapels, is on the protection program of UNESCO.

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