Ivanovo Rock Chapels

Rousse Region, Bulgaria
13th--14th century
Running for more than five kilometers, deep within sheer cliffs along both banks of the river Rousenski Lom, is a medieval monastic complex. The various churches, chapels, monastic cells, and other rooms--hewn out of the rock and featuring elaborate paintings--suggest that the finest Bulgarian artists of the time once worked there in the dominant Eastern Orthodox tradition. Constant seismic activity, ground water penetration, and condensation from high humidity, and air pollution (caused by industry nearby) have accelerated the deterioration of painted surfaces and rock structures. After Watch listing in 1996, the site received a $20,000 Kress Foundation grant and some work was accomplished, removing the most aggressive and harmful threats to the monument. Scaffolding has been bought and readied for assembly. But a recent assessment reveals that restoration efforts--both financial and technical--have stalled. Additional funding is needed to bring the project to completion. The Ivanovo Rock Chapels are on the World Heritage List.

Listed in 1996