Varna Monastery is a large preserved

early medieval The Early Middle Ages (or early medieval period), sometimes controversially referred to as the Dark Ages, is typically regarded by historians as lasting from the late 5th or early 6th century to the 10th century. They marked the start of the Mi ...

monastery complex, opened near Varna, Bulgaria, with the status of a cultural monument of national importance for Bulgaria since 2015.Проф. д.и.н. Казимир Попконстантинов, Д-р Росина Костова
Доклад относно археологически разкопки на обекти от Средновековието
Visited December 28, 2019; in Bulgarian

History

Varna Monastery, the Royal Monastery of the Holy Mother of God - Varna, dates from the 9th century and probably as the Ravna Monastery was burnt by the

Pechenegs The Pechenegs () or Patzinaks tr, Peçenek(ler), Middle Turkic: , ro, Pecenegi, russian: Печенег(и), uk, Печеніг(и), hu, Besenyő(k), gr, Πατζινάκοι, Πετσενέγοι, Πατζινακίται, ka, პა� ...

during the invasions of the Bulgarian Lands in the 11th century, and according to other sources, it existed until the 18th century or until the beginning of the

Bulgarian Revival The Bulgarian National Revival ( bg, Българско национално възраждане, ''Balgarsko natsionalno vazrazhdane'' or simply: Възраждане, ''Vazrazhdane'', and tr, Bulgar ulus canlanması) sometimes called the Bu ...

.Община Варна получава Средновековния манастирски комплекс в Караач теке от държавата
Bulgarian National Radio; Visited December 28, 2019; in Bulgarian Found by Karel Shkorpil in 1921 on the Franga Plateau just above the city itself. Located in the most appropriate location on the plateau with view and water source. Studied in detail from 1996 until today by students in the specialty "

archeology Archaeology or archeology is the scientific study of human activity through the recovery and analysis of material culture. The archaeological record consists of artifacts, architecture, biofacts or ecofacts, sites, and cultural landscapes ...

" at the Veliko Tarnovo University, as well as from the UK, Russia, Germany and Italy. A

cathedral church A cathedral is a church that contains the ''cathedra'' () of a bishop, thus serving as the central church of a diocese, conference, or episcopate. Churches with the function of "cathedral" are usually specific to those Christian denomination ...

, a chapel tower, a huge

scriptorium Scriptorium (), literally "a place for writing", is commonly used to refer to a room in medieval European monasteries devoted to the writing, copying and illuminating of manuscripts commonly handled by monastic scribes. However, lay scribes and ...

, a library, a school, a monastic dormitory, a holy shrine were found, and among the finds are an altar table, a blacksmith's workshop and coins – Bulgarian, Raška, Venetian,

Byzantine The Byzantine Empire, also referred to as the Eastern Roman Empire or Byzantium, was the continuation of the Roman Empire primarily in its eastern provinces during Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, when its capital city was Constantino ...

, Ottoman. The buildings are filled with a

opus mixtum Example of ''opus mixtum'' in the substruction of France.html"_;"title="Brest_Castle,_France">Brest_Castle,_France_ ''Opus_mixtum''_(Latin:_"mixed_work"),_or_''opus_vagecum''_and_''opus_compositum'',_was_an_Roman_architecture.html" "title="ran ...

, which construction equipment is used mainly for representative buildings, for example, the

Great Basilica, Pliska The Great Basilica of Pliska ( bg, Голяма базилика в Плиска, translit=Golyama bazilika v Pliska) is an architectural complex in Pliska, the first capital of the First Bulgarian Empire, which includes the cathedral, an archbisho ...

. In the area of the monastery was found the seal of

Boris I of Bulgaria Boris I, also known as Boris-Mihail (Michael) and ''Bogoris'' ( cu, Борисъ А҃ / Борисъ-Михаилъ bg, Борис I / Борис-Михаил; died 2 May 907), was the ruler of the First Bulgarian Empire in 852–889. A ...

, two lead seals of

Tsar Tsar ( or ), also spelled ''czar'', ''tzar'', or ''csar'', is a title used by East and South Slavic monarchs. The term is derived from the Latin word '' caesar'', which was intended to mean "emperor" in the European medieval sense of the t ...

Simeon the Great and the seal of Tsar

Peter I of Bulgaria Peter I ( cu, Петръ А҃; bg, Петър I) (died 30 January 970) was emperor (tsar) of Bulgaria from 27 May 927 to 969. His seal reads ΙΠSVΟς·GRECIA·VΟΔΟ. Early reign Peter I was the son of Simeon I of Bulgaria by his second ma ...

. The Varna Monastery and the Ravna Monastery are considered the most significant literary centers of the

Preslav Literary School The Preslav Literary School ( bg, Преславска книжовна школа), also known as the Pliska Literary School or Pliska-Preslav Literary school was the first literary school in the medieval Bulgarian Empire. It was established by ...

outside the capitals

Pliska Pliska ( , cu, Пльсковъ, translit=Plĭskovŭ) was the first capital of the First Bulgarian Empire during the Middle Ages and is now a small town in Shumen Province, on the Ludogorie plateau of the Danubian Plain, 20 km northeast o ...

and

Preslav The modern Veliki Preslav or Great Preslav ( bg, Велики Преслав, ), former Preslav ( bg, link=no, Преслав; until 1993), is a city and the seat of government of the Veliki Preslav Municipality (Great Preslav Municipality, new B ...

. The patron of the monastery is the

Mother of God ''Theotokos'' (Greek: ) is a title of Mary, mother of Jesus, used especially in Eastern Christianity. The usual Latin translations are ''Dei Genitrix'' or '' Deipara'' (approximately "parent (fem.) of God"). Familiar English translations are ...

, who is also the patron saint of the city of Varna.

Gallery

Царски Манастир Варна 01.jpg, The signboard Царски Манастир Варна 13.jpg, Ruins Царски Манастир Варна 38.jpg, Ruins with the 2015 Memorial Cross Царски Манастир Варна 40.jpg, View of Varna Lake Царски Манастир Варна 41.jpg, View of Varna from the bay

References

Bulgarian Orthodox monasteries Preslav Literary School Golden Age of medieval Bulgarian culture Educational institutions established in the 9th century 10th century in education 11th century in education Round churches Culture in Varna, Bulgaria History of Varna, Bulgaria Buildings and structures in Varna, Bulgaria {{Christian-monastery-stub

History

Gallery

See also

References