A legend says that the short-lived
Bulgarian tsar Peter Delyan (Peter II) died in the monastery, which was a temporary capital of
Bulgaria. According to the same legend, the brother of the Bulgarian monarch became the first abbot of the holy cloister. The monastery is more popular with its unofficial name "The Seven Altars" because of its unique church. The legend says that seven
boyars established seven villages in the close proximity of the monastery — Osenovlag,
Ogoya,
Ogradishte,
Bukovets,
Leskovdol,
Zhelen and
Lakatnik. There are seven chapels (altars) in the church and experts claim that there is no other Bulgarian church of this kind. There is evidence that the monastery existed in the 16th century. On the north side of the monastery there are ruins of a fortress, which local people call the "Latin Stronghold". Parts of its stone wall can be seen from the steep pathway starting from the monastery. The monastery's gate was taken from these remains. Another legend says that during the Ottoman Age the monastery was demolished and set on fire. Valchan gathered the
voivodes. They decided to build the monastery. The voivodes were seven: Valchan Voyvoda, Father Martin, Spiros Dimitar, Malenko the
Serb, Emin
Bey, Ali Bey and Petar. The church was built with seven altars in their honour. Valchan's idea was actually to hide the entrance to the fortress. Down in its vault a
Roman treasure was hidden. St
Sophronius of Vratsa, bishop of the Eparchy of
Vratsa, lived and officiated in the monastery, which was part of his diocese at the time. ==Geography==