The Ministry of finance gave half a million leva for the renovation of the monastery St. Ivan Pusti near Vratsa, announced bTV. The unique monastery is built onto a rock formation and while it is just 6 kilometres away from Vratsa, it is hardly accessible.

Legends say, that the holy place was founded near the remnants of a Thracian sanctuary, and St. Ivan Rilski was there for a short time, giving the name of the monastery. Unfortunatelly, treasure-hunters finished off the work of nature’s elements and dug all around the monastery.

The renovation works include the construction of a road between the monastery and the nearby village Bistrets. Two additional buildings will be constructed – one to host tourists and one to host monks that would like to retreat back to the holy site.