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Roughly 20km south of Dupnitsa, a road branches east off the main highway towards Rila Monastery , southwestern Bulgaria's most visited tourist destination. Frustratingly for drivers coming from the north, the turn-off isn't signed, so you'll have to keep an eye out for the large statue of a monk which stands some way back from the junction. The road initially forges across the floodplain of the Struma river, passing some distinctive pyramidal sandstone formations outside the village of Stobi before entering RILA VILLAGE , which lies at the foot of the Rila montains some 8km beyond the turn-off. Rila is a sleepy community with a few cafes, a food store and the Orbita hotel (tel 07054/2167; US$18-36), but being 27km short of the monastery that shares its name, it doesn't make a good base for sightseeing. Beyond the village, the road enters the narrowing valley of the foaming River Rilska, fed by innumerable springs from the surrounding pine- and beech-covered mountains. Even today there's a palpable sense of isolation, and it's easy to see why John of Rila ( Ivan Rilski ) chose this valley to escape the savagery of feudal life and the laxity of the established monasteries at the end of the ninth century. To disciples drawn to his hermit's cell, John preached that "he who would be chief among you must be as he that doth serve". What began as a hermitage became an important spiritual centre after his death, and the monastery forged links with others in the Balkans and played a major role in Orthodox Christianity throughout the Middle Ages. As the best known of Bulgaria's monasteries - justly famed for both its architecture and its mountainous setting - Rila Monastery receives a stream of visitors, who now arrive by bus or car rather than on foot or by mule, as did pilgrims in the old days. Although most visitors come on packaged day trips, it is perfectly possible to get here independently, and the abundance of trails leading off into the densely forested hills make an extended stay more than worthwhile. Though the monastery gates are open daily to visitors from dawn till dusk, some of the sights within the complex keep more restricted hours. If you want to see (or take part in) a service , morning prayers start at 7 or 8am, evening prayers at 4 or 5pm. Services are preceded by monks hammering on wooden panels in the monastery courtyard, a ritual designed to remind the congregation of Christ's nailing to the cross. The start of the Saturday evening service is usually announced by a monk ringing a carillon of bells from Hrelyo's tower, while the Thursday morning service is traditionally dedicated to St John himself, and features sacral chanting thought to date from the fifteenth century. Apart from Easter, the two main religious festivals celebrated here are the birthday (August 18) and feast day (October 19) of St John of Rila.
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