Dryanovo Monastery St. Archangel Michael is situated about 4 km away from Dryanovo in the picturesque gorge of Dryanovo River where limestone rocks rise high on all sides of the gorge as inapproachable forest walls.

     It is believed that the first monastery in this place was founded some 2 km to the north of the present-day buildings, in an area called The Little St. Archangel. Its founders were two rebel boyars of the then-capital city of Veliko Tarnovo – the brothers Asen and Petar. In the 14th century, the holy place was one of the main centres of Hesychasm and sheltered many monks. At the beginning of the 15th century, the monastery was destroyed by the invading Ottoman troops. Later on, it was reconstructed on a neighbouring site, known as the Big St. Archangel, but the fate of this monastery was no happier than that of its predecessor. Dryanovo Monastery was restored anew at the end of the 17th century, this time in its present-day place. The main church of that time had a single nave and was half-hidden in the ground. It was standing very near to the present-day church; besides it, there was also a secondary shrine.

     The renovation of the monastery started at the time of father Rafail, during the 40's of 19th century. The current residential buildings rising from the side of the river were built at that time, while the new church was finished in 1845. Gradually, the renovated Dryanovo Monastery became a religious and cultural centre and one of the largest and well-kept cloisters in the region of Veliko Tarnovo.