Arbanassi Monastery

St. Nikola Monastery in Arbanassi was part of the widespread religious construction under the Asen dynasty, the founders of the Second Bulgarian State. The Monastery of St. Nicolas lies in a small dale at the south-western end of Arbanassi. It is believed to have been founded by the family of the Asens. It was robbed and burnt down in 1393, 1717 and 1729. It was restored in 1630 after some tragic events. The Church and some buildings containing cells were rebuilt with funds provided by a donor, the Boyar Atanassiy, a rich Arbanassi merchant who took part in a plot to dethrone the Sultan and was killed in a battle near Soushitsa (today Karlovo).

The Monastery was burnt down in 1738, and rebuilt by the local population two years later. A new restoration began in 1838 on the initiative of the energetic Father Zotik Preobrazhenski with funds collected from the population of Veliko Turnovo, Gorna Oryahovitsa, Lyaskovets, Arbanassi and the surrounding villages.

The monastery in Arbanasy has a single aisle, a single apse, a high dome and a Chapel of St. Elijah on the north side which was built and consecrated on 15th April 1716. Repairs were made immediately after the Liberation from Ottoman yoke, the mural paintings in the men's and the women's sections were removed and new ones painted over them. Many of the icons were gifts from Russian officers.

The monastery in Arbanasi keeps one of the very few preserved Royal apartments in Bulgaria (all the Orthodox monasteries used to have one but most of them were destroyed and robbed during the Communism) with original belongings of the Royal family.

The Arbanassi monastery St. Nikola is open for visitors every day from 7am to 7pm and overnight accommodation is available.