Aladja Monastery
Description:
The monastery, better known as Aladja, is consecrated in honor of the Holy Trinity. It is one of the few monasteries in Bulgaria carved into the rock. It is located only 14 km from Varna and 2 km from the popular resort "Golden Sands". The date of its foundation is not known, but it is mentioned already in book sources of the X century. It is known for sure that its appearance is associated with the religious current that arose at that time called “hesychasm”. Hesychastic monks went to hard-to-reach places in order to pray in solitude and silence. Gradually, whole monasteries are formed, remote and inaccessible to the laity.
In 1889, a detailed study of the monastery was carried out with the compilation of its map. Later, a museum was opened at the monastery. However, its main secrets have not yet been studied. For example, there is a legend about a lonely monk who gets in the way of any lost visitor to the monastery. The monk asks the traveler for a long time, and then disappears before his eyes.