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Having destroyed Chiprovtsi in the wake of the 1688 Uprising, the Ottomans also burned down the nearby Chiprovski Monastery as a token of their disapproval. About 6km east of town just off the Montana road (Montana-Chiprovtsi buses may drop you off here, but seem to have an aversion to picking passengers up), the most recent incarnation of this little-visited foundation dates mostly from the early nineteenth century, a clump of lumpy off-white outbuildings surrounding a dainty monastery church. The healing energies of the place are widely respected: prayers requesting cures for visitors' ailments are incanted daily at 10am, and the iconostasis is littered with votive offerings left by grateful believers - mostly cellophane-wrapped shirts and socks. This atmosphere of holiness extends to the accommodation policy: you can only stay at the monastery if the igumen (abbot) is convinced you have a spiritual need to do so. West of Chiprovtsi, an imposing green-brown ridge known as the Chiprovska planina (Chiprovtsi mountains) marks the border with Serbia. Trails lead out of the village and up the Androvitsa and Ogosta valleys towards the fir-shrouded lower limbs of the ridge, although it's a good 6km before you hit the best of the hiking territory - so you need either a car or an early start to get the most out of the area. There's nothing to stop you exploring the mountains on your own, although bear in mind that hiking trails here are not yet properly marked or mapped, mists descend quickly, and that the summit of the ridge is a still-sensitive border. Expect to be arrested if you stray over to the wrong side. The sensible way to enjoy the region is to hire a local guide for about US$25 a day plus expenses from the Chiprovtsi museum administration office: a typical one-day hike would involve jeep transport to one of the trail heads, followed by a lateral walk along the Bulgarian side of the ridge, with stunning views of Chiprovtsi and Montana laid out below.
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