site.btaUNESCO World Heritage Ivanovo Rock-Hewn Churches Attract Tourists, Says Ruse History Museum Curator Georgiev

The Ivanovo Rock-Hewn Churches are the most frequently visited site overseen by the Regional History Museum Ruse, museum curator Evgeni Georgiev said on Monday during the presentation of the July issue of LIK magazine.

The event took place at the Bulgarian News Agency’s (BTA) press club in Ruse on Monday, as part of the magazine’s Bulgaria in UNESCO edition launch.

Georgiev reported that last year, the Ivanovo Rock-Hewn Churches received about 29,000 tourists, including 17,000 international visitors.

The Ivanovo Rock-Hewn Churches are situated in Northeastern Bulgaria, approximately 22 km from the city of Ruse, along the Rusenski Lom River. They form the largest rock monastery in Bulgaria, dedicated to Saint Archangel Michael. The complex functioned as a significant literary and spiritual center, maintaining connections with Tarnovo, the former capital of the Second Bulgarian Empire, as well as the Patriarchate and the royal court.

Georgiev added that in 1979, at a UNESCO session in Luxor, Egypt, the Ivanovo Rock-Hewn Churches were inscribed on the World Cultural and Natural Heritage list. This distinction was awarded both for their remarkable murals and for their unique cultural landscape, which fuses the work of people and nature. The site is also designated as a National Archaeological Reserve.

Georgiev noted that the Ivanovo Monastery was founded by Saint Patriarch Joachim I. “He was a prominent Bulgarian spiritual leader who lived at the end of the twelfth and in the first half of the thirteenth century. After returning from Mount Athos, he carved a small chapel into the rocks along the Rusenski Lom River. When Bulgarian Tsar Ivan Asen II learned of his spiritual accomplishments, he visited Joachim early in his reign. This event marked the beginning of their close spiritual connection. The king granted him a significant amount of gold, which Joachim used to establish and build the large monastery, where he became the first abbot. The monastery continued to receive donations from Bulgarian tsars and expanded along both sides of the river,” Georgiev said.

According to Georgiev, Saint Joachim played a significant role in reestablishing the Bulgarian Patriarchate. In 1235, during a church council in Lampsacus, he was elected as the first head of the restored Patriarchate.

Georgiev pointed out that the best-preserved murals are in the Church of the Holy Virgin, which is developed for tourism and accessible to visitors. “The frescoes stand out for the dynamism and tension of their figures. They incorporate numerous Hellenistic elements, abundant detail, and intricate execution. The compositional solutions are highly effective. There are even nude human forms, along with a distinct sense of depth and spatiality—qualities that make this painting one of the great achievements of human creativity,” Georgiev said.

He indicated that one of the most iconic scenes is the Transfiguration, located in the central part of the ceiling, depicting Jesus Christ surrounded by light. “This light from the Transfiguration is significant for the hesychasts, a movement in the Orthodox Church from the fourteenth century, officially recognized by the Bulgarian Orthodox Church. The presence of numerous themes referencing the hermit life shows that hesychasm also had influence here,” Georgiev added.

Next to the main church is a chapel dedicated to Saint Gerasimus of Jordan. “He is well known for his close association with the lion he healed, as shown in the murals. This story of the saint and the animal represents the harmony between humans and nature. For the monastic community along the Rusenski Lom River, the acts of this early Christian saint by the Jordan River—the sacred river—served as a model,” Georgiev explained.

There are approximately 15 churches and chapels within the Ivanovo monastic complex. “Research on the monastery began at the end of the nineteenth century and continues today. New and interesting discoveries are regularly made regarding its architectural layout, murals, and graffiti. The monastery, which is both large and intricately organized, continues to reveal new secrets,” Georgiev said.

Director of the Ruse State Opera Plamen Beykov observed that the Ivanovo Rock-Hewn Churches draw numerous tourists from throughout Europe and beyond, with many arriving via the Danube River and combining their visit with a tour of Ruse. “I remember a time when intangible cultural heritage intersected with the rock-hewn churches, which are part of our tangible heritage. As a vocalist, I spent several days performing Bulgarian church liturgical songs there. It was an unforgettable experience that I believe is possible for anyone who visits,” Beykov said.

Eslitsa Popova, Director of the Ruse Art Gallery, stressed that the Ivanovo Rock-Hewn Churches are appealing not only to tourists but also to artists. “They exert a powerful pull. It seems to me that the murals in these churches are closely connected to the unique quality of painting found in the works of certain Bulgarian artists. This is an important aspect that attracts both emotionally and aesthetically—for both artists and tourists,” Popova said.

Attending the LIK magazine presentation, which was also held at the UNESCO headquarters in Paris and via video link to all national BTA press clubs in Bulgaria and abroad, were Reneta Roshkeva, Deputy Director of the Regional History Museum; Silviya Trifonova, curator at the Regional History Museum; Dido Iliev, PR officer for the Sava Ognyanov Drama Theatre in Ruse; and Tatyana Savova, PR officer for the Lyuben Karavelov Regional Library in Ruse.

The 47th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee runs until July 16 at UNESCO’s headquarters in Paris under the presidency of Bulgaria. As part of the session, Bulgaria will present elements of its cultural and natural heritage. Later Monday, the July issue of LIK magazine – dedicated to Bulgaria and UNESCO – will also be officially presented at UNESCO.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) was founded on November 16, 1945. Bulgaria became a member on May 17, 1956, the same year its National Commission for UNESCO was established. The Commission coordinates activities between Bulgarian institutions and UNESCO.

UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee is one of the two governing bodies responsible for implementing the Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage. It is composed of representatives from 21 countries elected from among the 196 States Parties to the Convention.