Osmar rock monasteries
Photo: tourism-shumen.com
Type: Monastery, Archaeological site
Location: Village Osmar »
In Bulgarian: Осмарски скални манастири »
The Osmar rock monasteries are remarkable religious, cultural and educational monuments from the Second Bulgarian Kingdom. They are located on the steep southern and south-eastern slopes in the area of "Osmar Boaz" of the Shumen plateau, north of the village of Osmar and south-western of the town of Shumen. It is a complex of scattered medieval rock monasteries, churches and monastic cells that were occupied during the XII-XIV century by monks Hesychasts *.
The monasteries were built in the soft limestone rocks and it is suggested the monks have reached them by rope ladders. Unfortunately limestone walls are susceptible to degradation during the times and this is the reason the cave murals are almost no preserved today.
Monasteries and Churches
- Osmar monasteries - located about 3km. north of the village of Osmar. Monasteries are easy to access and are one of the most famous and visited by tourists.
- Kostadinov Monastery - The largest and best preserved of Osmar monasteries. Carved in cliff height of about 8 to 10 meters. There can still be seen altar and fragments of frescoes. It consists of two compartments. The eastern church represents almost square. The western one has an irregular shape and there are many niches and recesses, a monastic tomb and cut into the rock pomegranates.
There is an interesting natural formation called "The Eye" or "Ring" at the top of cliff of Kostadinov monastery. - Direkliyata - located about 100m. southeast of Kostadinov monastery. The church is 10 meters from the ground and is inaccessible without facilities.
- Monastery in the "Osmar colonies" - there are partially preserved murals.
* Hesychasm - Greek: ἡσυχασμός, from ἡσυχία, peace, quiet, solitude - mystical movement in Orthodox Christianity, according to which in intense prayer and reflection, the believer can attain union with God.
