Author: Todor&luska
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Nature park Rilski manastir
The Nature Park Rila Monastery was established during May of the year 2000.  Its territory is composed of 27,370.7 hectares of forest, meadow and alpine peaks. 13,000 hectares are alpine meadow.  The park was established in order to protect the ecologically valuable plant and animal communities existing here, as well as to preserve the remarkable diversity and beauty of the landscape.  Each of these natural resources is developed for tourism.
The Nature Park Rila Monastery is surrounded by 36 alpine peaks reaching 2,000 meters or better.  The highest of these are:  Golyam Koopen (2,731 meters); Cherna Polyana (2,716 meters); Rilets (2,713 meters); and Popova Kapa (2,704 meters).
During 1986 The Rila Monastery Forest was established on 3,676.5 hectares of forested land around The Rila Monastery.
In terms lithography and geology The Nature Park Rila Monastery is endowed with considerable diversity.  The majority of the park’s bedrock and surface rocks are of the metamorphic type – the oldest rock type found in Bulgaria.  
The flora of The Nature Park Rila Monastery is unique and features a multitude of protected relict and endemic species.  The biological diversity of this flora is great and expressed by many species of the following floral groups:  freshwater aquatics, fungi, lichens, mosses, ferns, gymnospermous and angiospermous plants.
The forest, rivers, lakes, cliffs and alpine meadows of the park are ideal sanctuaries for many different species of animal.
In the turbulent and frothy upper reaches of the park’s rivers and streams one can find Balkan Trout. In the dense and ancient forest of the park there are:  Brown Bear, Wolf, Long-eared Owl, Stock Dove, Picoides major, Black Woopecker, and a multitude of invertebrate faunal species and others.
And in the more open woodlands and forest meadows of the park there are these species:  Badger, Roe Deer, Wild Boar, Song Thrush, Treecreeeper, Nuthatch, Marten, Martes martes, Doormouse, and many others.
The cultural and historical significance of The Nature Park Rila Monastery is extraordinary.  The Rila Monastery, located within the park, is the most important and revered symbol of Bulgarian Culture and of The Bulgarian Faith.  This spiritual center was founded during the 10th century (927-941) by the hermit Ivan from the village of Ckreeno, later renamed Rila.  Between the 10th and 14th centuries the monastery was located about 3 kilometers to the north-east of the present day structure.  This early manifestation of Rila Monastery was constructed around a natural cave, in which Ivan Rilski dwelled.  But during 1300 the feudal lord Hrelyou Dragovola ordered the construction of a new Rila Monastery on the naturally fortified terrace between the Rila and Drooshuovitsa rivers.  The Hrelyouovata Tower (named after this feudal lord), completed in 1340, is the oldest portion of the present-day structure.
Rila Monastery serves as a repository for the collection and preservation of many religiously significant artifacts and relicts, especially the following:  handwritten and antique printed books; historical documents detailing Bulgarian Culture throughout the ages; regal charters; highly venerated icons depicting biblical figures; church collection plates; golden threaded vestments worn during special church celebrations; and a multitude of gifts donated to the monastery by the visiting faithful.  The monastery’s significance as a spiritual center is recognized throughout the entire Eastern-Orthodox Christian community.  The following portions of Rila Monastery are open for visitation:  the primary monastic church “Rodjectvo Bogorodichno;” the historical museum, and the agricultural/industrial museum. During 1983, The Rila Monastery was declared a World Cultural Heritage Site by UNESCO.