Kapinovo Monastery of Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker is nestled at the foothill of the Fore-Balkan Massif, near the banks of the Veselina River. Built in the distant 1272, this holy place is part of the complex known as Tsars’ Monasteries, located in close proximity to the old capital of the Second Bulgarian Empire – the city of Veliko Tarnovo.
The monastery church dates back to the end of the 17th and the beginning of the 18th century, and houses a unique scene of the Last Judgement, a fine example of Bulgarian Revival painting. The icons and the wooden iconostasis with carved elements, made by painters and woodcarvers from the famous Tryavna School, are also emblematic achievements of medieval art. The dormitory, built with donations from the brothers and future monks Theodosius and Kessarius Horozovski, will strike you with its unique architectural beauty. The monastery was used as refuge by many participants and leaders of the Bulgarian struggles against the Turkish invaders, and still keeps the memory of the patriotic spirit of the time.
References:The church of the former Franciscan monastery was built probably between 1515 and 1520. It is located in the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Old Rauma. The church stands by the small stream of Raumanjoki (Rauma river).
The exact age of the Church of the Holy Cross is unknown, but it was built to serve as the monastery church of the Rauma Franciscan Friary. The monastery had been established in the early 15th century and a wooden church was built on this location around the year 1420.
The Church of the Holy Cross served the monastery until 1538, when it was abandoned for a hundred years as the Franciscan friary was disbanded in the Swedish Reformation. The church was re-established as a Lutheran church in 1640, when the nearby Church of the Holy Trinity was destroyed by fire.
The choir of the two-aisle grey granite church features medieval murals and frescoes. The white steeple of the church was built in 1816 and has served as a landmark for seafarers.