In English: The Transfiguration monastery is built in an
extremely picturesque place, about 10 km away from the ancient
fortress of Tsarevets. It lies at the foot of vertical rocks on the
left bank of the Yantra river, down on the way from Veliko Turnovo
to Rousse. The yard of the monastery offers a marvellous view to
the defile of the river and the opposite rocky hill, the foot of
which shelters another monastery, the Patriarch’s “Holy
Trinity”.
The Transfiguration monastery was established in the 14th
century and is still functioning at present. Unfortunately, none of
the original buildings are kept to date – the entire
present-day complex was built in the 19th century. The “St
Transfiguration” church also dates back to that time. Its
construction was started by the Dimitar of Sofia master (later
captured and hanged by the Ottomans for his taking part in the
famous Velcho’s plot against the Ottoman Empire) and finished
by a famous architect of that time, Kolcho Fitcheto. The church has
a unique design, which is hardly comparable to any other shrine in
a Bulgarian monastery. The picturesque wall paintings, created by
another renowned artist, Zahari Zograf, is also imposing on
visitors. Over a period of three years, from 1849 to 1851, Zahari
works over some of the masterpieces of the Bulgarian Renaissance
art. His work on the altar, as well as the beautiful fresco on the
outer wall, named “The Cycle of Life”, deserve the
biggest attention. The masterly woodcarving, called The
King’s Gates, made in the 19th century is also of
interest.
Some time ago, there used to be two smaller churches in the
neighbourhood. Regretfully, these were destroyed by the slide of
rocks 25 years ago. The monks’ dwellings with their spacious
verandas, again designed by Kolyo Fitcheto, remind of the classical
style of the Bulgarian Renaissance. At present, 13 monks live
there.
http://bulgarianmonastery.com/transfiguration_monastery.html
In Bulgarian: Preobrazhenskiyat manastir e razpolozhen v
izklyuchitelno zhivopisna mestnost na okolo 10 km. ot antichnata
krepost Tsarevets. Lezhi v podnozhieto na otvesni skali ot lyavata
strana na r. Yantra i patya ot Veliko Tarnovo za Ruse. Mnogo
krasiva gledka se otkriva ot dvora na manastira kym proloma na
rekata i otsreshtnia otvesen skalen rid, v podnozhieto na koyto se
zabelyazva i druga obitel – Patriarsheskiyat manastir
“Sv. Troitsa”.
Preobrazhenskiyat manastir e osnovan prez 14-ti vek i v momenta
e deystvasht. Nyama zapazeni postroyki ot vremeto na sazdavane
– segashnite sgradi sa postroeni prez 19-ti vek. Sabornata
tsarkva “Sveto Preobrazhenie” sashto datira ottogava.
Stroezhat y zapochva maystor Dimitar Sofiyanliyata (vposledstvie
zaloven i obesen ot osmanskite nashestvenitsi zaradi uchastieto mu
vav Velchovata zavera), a e napalno zavarshena ot maystor Kolyo
Ficheto. Tya e s unikalna arhitektura, na koyato trudno mozhe da
bade nameren analog v nyakoy ot drugite balgarski manastiri.
Vpechatlyava i zhivopisnata ukrasa, sazdadena ot vidnia balgarski
zhivopisets Zahari Zograf. V prodalzhenie na tri godini (1849
– 1851) toy raboti varhu nyakoi ot shedyovrite na
vazrozhdenskoto izkustvo. Nay-golyamo vnimanie zasluzhavat truda mu
po oltara na hrama (zhivopis i ikoni), kakto i krasivata stenna
risunka na ime “Koleloto na zhivota” na vanshnata stena
na tsarkvata. Interes budi i maystorskata darvorezba ot 19-ti vek
na ime “Tsarskite dveri”.
Predi vreme v sasedstvo e imalo oshte dve po-malki tsarkvi. Za
sazhalenie gi unishtozhava srutvane na skalni masi predi 25 godini.
V monasheskite sgradi s obshirni chardatsi, sashto delo na Kolyo
Ficheto, otnovo se otkroyava vazrozhdenskia stil. Dnes v tyah se
pomeshtavat 13 monasi.
http://bulgarianmonastery.com/bg/transfiguration_monastery.html