Arbanassi Monastery - Close to Veliko Turnovo the old capital of Bulgaria.

There are two monasteries in the village of Arbanassi 3 km from Veliko Turnovo - St. Nikola and Holy Virgin. Between the 16th century and its tragic devastation two centuries later the village - one of the wealthiest then in Bulgaria, boasted a rich and unusual house architecture, the work of skilled masters from different parts of the country. St. Nikola Monastery was part of the widespread religious construction under the Assen dynasty, the founders of the Second Bulgarian State.

Its artistic and historical value lies above all in the surviving murals in the St. Elija Chapel, probably dating from 1716: a monumental figure of Christ the Great Archangel, 12 scenes from the Holy Akathistos, and 6 scenes from the life of Christ. The effective colouring and rich palette, the confidence in the portrayal of the human figures and the unusually varied architectural decoration reveal the hand of a master from a superior and more erudite school.