The historical Rozhen Monastery "Birth of the Holy Virgin" is situated at the distance of 6 km north-east of Melnik. It was founded in 1217 and was repeatedly destroyed by fire and plundered. Today's church dates back to the year 1600, renovated in 1732, from which time period are most of its mural paintings. The Monastery Church has preserved mural paintings from 1597, 1611 and 1715, too. The mural painting of the Rozhen Monastery as well as some iconostasis icons are exceptionally valuable monuments of our pictorial arts. The church of the Monastery endows its visitors with its startlingly picturesque woodcarving of the altar iconostasis and the lectern. Unknown wood-carvers left their hearts in this extraordinary piece of art far before the commencement of the Revival Period - genuine evidence about the mastership of the Debur and Samokov Schools of Painting! There was a calligraphic school with Monastery, too whose representatives - monks created the whimsical work of art "Interpretation of Jov", ornamented with 117 open-worked miniatures. Unfortunately it was taken to Jerusalem in 1647. The great Bulgarian revolutionary Yane Sandanski found shelter here during the last years of his life, too. His grave is nearby - beside the St. Cyril and Methodius Church, erected at his initiative.