"Priest of the Rila Monastery" - Rila Monastery, Bulgaria A priest walks with three men while gazing toward the courtyard of the Rila Monastery. The Rila Monastery sits in a cool wooded valley only a few hours south of Bulgaria's capital Sofia. Its construction spanned the first half of the 19th century, but the monaster'Ys history goes all the way back to its foundation in 927 AD. monastery, Sofia, priest, church, pillar, courtyard < Back to Gallery | More photos from Bulgaria