Gorna Banya Monastery "St. St. Cyril and Methodius"

Gorna Banya Monastery "St. St. Cyril and Methodius" is located a few kilometers west of Gorna Banya - in a wooded area on the eastern slopes of Lyulin Mountain. During the Ottoman rule the relics of St. King Stephen Milutin were transferred from Sofia to the monastery, and were kept there from 1797 to 1804. Although the relics were then returned to the city, the monastery is permanently associated with the name of the saint. The story of King Stefan Uros II Milutin can be read in the temple, and fragments of frescoes can still be seen behind the altar. Today, the relics of the saint are placed for worship in the Sofia temple "St. Sunday".

The Gorna Banya Monastery was repeatedly demolished and later rebuilt. The monastery's temple was renovated and consecrated in 1876 with dedication to the holy brothers Cyril and Methodius - and painted by a naïvist painter Kostadin Gerov in 1877. It suffered from a fire in 1972, which destroyed the monastery buildings, the temple was restored, though not in its original form (there is no dome).

Vehicle accessibility is provided. There is a Web page.