Monastery of Saint John the Baptist

The complex on the right bank of the Arda includes successive churches and monastic structures. Remains were noticed in the 1930s, while later discoveries and excavations gradually clarified its scale. Tombs and richly decorated ecclesiastical garments support its interpretation as an important religious centre in the medieval Rhodopes. The church was restored during work at the end of the twentieth century. Visitors therefore encounter both archaeological remains and restored architecture. Public descriptions disagree on the earliest chronology, so no unsupported precise foundation year is presented here.