The Rila Monastery was founded in the 10th century by St John of Rila,
a hermit canonized by the Orthodox Church. His ascetic dwelling and
tomb became a holy site and were transformed into a monastic complex
which played an important role in the spiritual and social life of medieval
Bulgaria. Destroyed by fire at the beginning of the 19th century, the
complex was rebuilt between 1834 and 1862. A characteristic example of
the Bulgarian Renaissance (18th–19th centuries), the monument
symbolizes the awareness of a Slavic cultural identity following
centuries of occupation.