When you go to Etara, you must visit the Sokol Monastery – whether by car or on the eco-path, the walk is worthwhile both because of the beauty of nature and the monastery itself, and because of the little history that left behind the monastery walls. The distance between Etara and Sokolski Monastery is 4km, and 12km from Gabrovo to the monastery.
Founded in 1833, the monastery was named after its creator – archimandrite Joseph Sokolski, who initially built a small wooden church and later donated by the inhabitants of the villages of Etara and Nova mahala, created today’s church. In the monastery was also founded a school where Neofit Bozveli taught.
The Sokol Monastery also confirms its name from the falcon fountain in the center of the monastery yard – it was the work of master Kolyu Ficheto from 1865. The fountain has eight spouts – in memory of the eight perished insurgents captured and hanged by the Turks in the monastery itself, over a deep abyss.
Today the monastery keeps the sword of Tsanko Dyustabanov and icons of Zahariy Zograf.