A Tree Falling: Bulgaria

Sunday, July 26, 2026

Eastern Europe 2026: Rock-Hewn Churches of Ivanovo

Our final afternoon in Bulgaria we took a short drive about 10 miles outside of Ruse to visit a UNESCO World Heritage Site: the Rock-Hewn Churches of Ivanovo.

Monks and hermits cut churches and cells into the rock alongside the Rusenski Lom river during the 12th century. It takes a short but steep walk to reach them.

The site is especially prized for its excellently preserved murals, originally painted in the 14th century.

According to the UNESCO World Heritage web site, "the frescoes represent a departure from the canons of Byzantine iconography. They show close ties with expressive Hellenistic art and a clear preference for the nude, the landscape, an architectural background in a composition, drama, an emotional atmosphere -- qualities which combine to make an exceptional masterpiece of the Tarnovo school of painting and monumental art."

I'm not enough of an art historian to appreciate the insight provided by the good folks with UNESCO. But I am always impressed by the lengths people go to demonstrate their devotion to God.

The group of mountains where the churches are located has "serious stability problems." A partial collapse in the early 20th century buried one of the churches, and the murals inside had to be rescued and moved.

At its peak, the monastery complex is believed to have had around 40 churches. Frescoes like these have been preserved in only five.

The isolated location does seem like a perfect place to seek stillness through uninterrupted prayer, a monastic tradition known as hesychasm.

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Sunday, July 19, 2026

Eastern Europe 2026: Vidin and Ruse

Our Lower Danube River cruise made two stops in Bulgaria -- Vidin and Ruse.

We spent most of our time in Vidin visiting the house of a husband and wife to learn how to make a traditional Bulgarian pastry -- Banitsa. They had a lovely property where they grew crops like pears.

This wheelbarrow had clearly seen a lot of use, but still seemed to have some fight left in it.

As we left the dog across the street let us know it was not unhappy to see us go.

Memorial of Victims in Serbo-Bulgarian War, Vidin, Bulgaria

Returning to the city, we strolled through town taking in monuments like this one to the victims of the 1885 Serbo-Bulgarian War.

The road to Constantinople passed through the Stambol Gate of the fortress near the city's central square.

The water where we docked at Port Vidin was perfectly calm, reflecting the puffy clouds floating peacefully by.

The next day saw us in Ruse, known as "Little Vienna" for its Neo-Baroque architecture like the State Opera House.

If I lived in a city, I'd like to think that I, too, would bike around a lot. Not even to get specific places, just because biking is relaxing.

Ruse's Liberty Square is the city's civic hub, surrounded by picturesque buildings, filled with statues and gardens, and anchored by the Monument of Liberty.

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