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Bulgaria's western outskirts harbour not only beautiful natural views and landscapes, but plenty of Christian shrines as well. Most of them are nestled among thick forests that make them impervious to the vicissitudes of time.

Zemen Monastery, St. John the Theologian

This is a place with fabulous monasteries, churches and chapels. Although many are likely to look down on it has an area bypassed by economic development, the truth is that no other region in the country will give you such a strong sense of a preserved fundamental faith, traditions and culture. One can start from the Zemen Monastery built during the early Middle Ages (XI century) and go all the way to 10 October this year when a Saint George chapel was sanctified in the village of Gabrov Dol.

The frescoes in the Zemen monastery seem to have literally captured the zeitgeist.

The highest number of historic religious sites per head: this statistics sounds somewhat dry, however truthful. But it won't tell you how proud the locals are, with their feet firmly set in the traditions and cultural heritage of the region.

St. Panteleimon monastery in the village of Smirov Dol.

The public initiative for the revival of the Kraishte monasteries is already gathering momentum, as well as the promotion of the sites designed to make the region a hub of cultural tourism.

The Tsarnogorski monastery "St. St. Cosmas and Damian, unmercenaries and miracle workers" is among the region's gems.

St. Demetrius Temple in the town of Peshtera

The main objectives of the project entitled, "the Kraishte monasteries: the new Mount Athos", is to promote this initiative in Bulgaria and around the world, and put the 'new Mount Athos' on Bulgaria's historical and tourist map.

This feature has been abridged. Source: inlife.bg