The Lozen Monastery Saint Spas

The Monastery Saint Spas (also called "Dolnolozenski monastery") is located 5 km southeast of the village of Dolni Lozen (Sofia Municipality). It is situated among a dense oak forest, at the foot of the Lozen mountain, just below the Polovrak Peak (1182 m). In its vicinity there are several springs with cold mountain water, which is believed to be sacred. It is assumed the monastery was founded during the second Bulgarian Kingdom and is part of the spectacular monastery complex Mala Sofia Sveta Gora.

The monastery was destroyed at the end of the XIV century by the Otomancite in their conquest of the Urvičkata fortress and Sofia (1382). In the next two centuries the monastery was totaly deserted, but was rebuild again in the XVII-th century. There are evidents it was housed a monastery school and an literary and calligraphic school.

In the XVIIIth-century the monks fomr this monastery are actively involved in the revolt of the arhiereite of Sofia and Samokov (1737). The revolt was suppressed and lots of people from neighbouring villages and monks are killed. Тhe monastery "Sveti spas" is ruined again.

In 1821 the monastery was rebuild again at same place. There was built a 3-nave church with dimensions of 7 x 14 m named "Holy Ascension". The church decoration was mad in 1869 by the painter Nikola Ivanov Obrazopisov from Samokov and his aides Hristaki Zahariev Zograf and Dimitar Hristov Dupnichanina. The frescoes are still well preserved. Depicted are scenes of the Gospel and Bulgarian Saints (the Holy brothers Cyril and Methodius, Mikhail Warrior, Bishop Marko, Ivan Rilski, Evtimiy of Tarnovo, Onufriy Gabrovski, Konstantin Sofiyski and others). Interest are also the extremely realistic ktitor`s portrait of Abbot Kiriyak from 1868 and the icon of St. martyr John of Vladimir Duklyanski (Serbian Prince, married to the daughter of Tsar Samuil - Kosara).

Till 1900 the monastery was male, then converted into a nunnery. Today it is constantly active, but the number of nuns is very small. There were done some restorations of the monastic cells, the two-storey guesthouse, the murals and icons.

"Dolnolozenski monastery Sveti spas" was declared a monument of culture.