The monastery on Djanavara Hill was one of the biggest and most impressive Early Christian complexes not only in Varna (ancient Odessos) but on the entire Northeastern Balkan Region. It was situated seven kilometers outside the Ancient city and not far from the renowned Via Pontica – the main road along the western Black Sea Coast connecting the Danube Delta and Constantinople.
The remains of the monastery were discovered in the beginning of the 20th century by one of the founders of the Bulgarian Archaeology and Varna Archaeological Museum - Hermengild Skorpil. He excavated the monastery church which had an unusual floor plan. The church monumental architecture, the colorful mosaics and the beautiful marble decorations were impressive but possibly the most breathtaking discovery was buried under the altar. In an underground crypt, Skorpil discovered human bones – most likely of a person the community believed was a saint – put into an elaborated golden reliquary decorated with semi precious stones. The reliquary itself was placed in a small silver sarcophagus-shaped box, placed in another one made of fine white marble. Known as "relics", these type of physical remains from a spiritual world was commonly used in Byzantine churches to attract visitors and their donations to churches across Christendom.
The monastery is located about 7 km south-west of Varna, about 0,5 km west of Asparuhovo district, in park "Borovets".
