ABOUT THE MONASTERY
The Merdanski Monastery of “St. 40 Martyrs” is a part of the Veliko Turnovo eparchy. It is situated in the Turnovo elevations in Central
Stara planina, 14 km southeast of
Veliko Turnovo, at the west part of the village of
Merdania.
The monastery was built in 13 century during the time of the Second Bulgarian Kingdom and was renovated in 19 century. Today the cloister has a statue of functioning temple for nuns. The patronal feast of the monastery is on 08.09.
The “St. 40 Martyrs” Monastery is a complex that includes a church, residential and farm buildings. The church is a basilica with 2 conchas, narthex and a dome. It was built in 1876 due to the financial help of Hadji Kesrii Horzov from
Elena, who later became an abbot of the cloister.
According to a legend the monastery was built on the place, where Joankii II (the Patriarh of Veliko Tarnovo eparchy) met officially the Bulgarian king Ivan Assen II, after he had defeated the Bizantyne Emperor at the village of
Klokotnitza.
The monastery complex is proclaimed a monument of culture.
Description
