"St. Konstantin and Elena" monastery near Ladzha quarter, Ivaylovgrad

The monastery of Lazdha or Ivaylovrad monastery "St. Konstantin and Elena" is a Bulgarian monastery located about 2 km south-west of Ladzha quarter in Ivaylovgard, Haskovo Region. It is situated at 105 km south-east of Kardzhali and in the same direction at respectively 119, 191 and 337 km of Haskovo, Plovdiv and the capital Sofia city.

The monastery was founded in XIII century and was subsequently destroyed and rebuilt again in 1846. During the second half of XIX century it was formed as an ensemble of two courtyards - monk - pilgrimage and agricultural. The first comprised monastic cells, a food unit with kitchen, oven and dining area and a large two-storey inn. In the second courtyard stables and hays were built. Around the middle of XX century all the buildings, except for the church, collapsed.

Currently, after some construction work subsequently carried out, the monastery represents a complex of a three-nave church, a modern residential building and an antique fountain of 1846. In the 70's it was surrounded by a large stone wall and its architecture today is radically different from that of other Rhodope monasteries.

The monasthery was declared a monument of culture and is periodically operating.

The visit to the monastery of Ladzha you can combine with a walk to:

• the Roman castle "Armira", built at the end of I century by a prominent Thracian nobleman /1 km away of Ladzha quarter/. "Armira" castle is open for visitors every weekday from 9 till 17 h. all-year-round.

• Lyutitsa fortress, located at about 5 km south-west of the monastery. This is one of the largest and best preserved forts in the country and was declared to be an archaelogical monument of culture.

transport and accomodation

The monastery is reachable via a dirt road if you start from Ladzha quarter in the town of Ivaylovgrad. The monastery does not offer accomodation but you can take advantage of the hotels in Ivaylovgrad.

Sources: http://bg.wikipedia.org, http://www.planinite.info, Mirela
Photos: http://wikimapia.org, http://www.panoramio.com