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Leventis foundation in cooperation with the Bulgarian ICOMOS is restoring the ossuary in the Bachkovo monastery as well as many frescoes from the 11^th century of historical importance. The ossuary or the church tomb is the oldest building of the Bachkovo monastery, which for many centuries has been a spiritual and cultural center in the Rodopy mountain, guardian of the Bulgarian tradition.

Besides the restoring of this important cultural monument, Leventis foundation is financing a luxurious edition of a study of Prof. Elka Bakalova about the history of the monastery and its frescoes, most of them made by the famous painter Zahari Zograf. The foundation is publishing also the study on the restoring of the church “St. Dimitar” from the 15^th century in Boboshievo village in western Bulgaria. The study was made by D-r Hristina Stanowa and her colegues.

Apart from this, restoring of the church “St. Stephan” and its frescoes from the 10^th – 11^th century is also finished. The study on it is already being printed. The church was initially named after the Mother of God and that is why topic of the frescoes is related to her life. In the costal city there are seven more churches from the post Byzantine period. Goal of the foundation is to restore the most significant of them as well as to help for the rehabilitation of the area around the churches.

Director of Leventis foundation Prof. Vassos Karageorgis stated that an important part of the Byzantine and post Byzantine inheritance is located outside the borders of Greece – in Serbia, Bulgaria and other countries and Leventis foundation, whose principle is to restore and present Hellenic culture no matter where it is located is taking care of the church monuments located in various places on the Balkan peninsula.