St. Panteleimon Monastery

A working convent in the pine forest on the road from Smolyan to Pamporovo. It was founded by a Bulgarian Muslim woman who converted to Christianity in 1988 and took the name Hristina; the church was built with donations and consecrated in 1998. The monastery keeps relics of St. Panteleimon and of Sts. Cosmas and Damian, and its feast day is 27 July. The car park in front of the arch is where the trails to Nevyastata Rock and Kaleto Fortress begin.