It lies in the Chiprovtsi part of the western Balkan Mountains, 1.5 kilometres (0.93 mi) southwest the village of Georgi Damyanovo, Montana Province.

Founded in the Middle Ages but built in its present appearance throughout the 1850s, the Lopushna Monastery, and particularly its complex main church, are one of the most notable works of the Slavine Architectural School and its most prominent figure, Lilo Lazarov.

[1] It lies at around 300 metres (980 ft) above sea level and can be reached through the Petrohan Pass from the capital Sofia, which is 105 kilometres (65 mi) to the south.

[3] The present facilities of the monastery, a monument of culture of national importance,[4][5] were mostly constructed in 1850–1853 by Lilo (Ilia) Lazarov, a Bulgarian architect from Slavine.

Projects by the Slavine School prominently include geometric decorations based on the triangle on apses, domes and external narthexes, as well as sharp-pointed window and door arches.

Before commencing the construction of the Lopushna Monastery church, he made a hazel model of his project in order to receive the approval of the monks and the hegumen.

The cathedral's eastern side apses are adorned by the stone portraits of the moustached architect Lazarov (surrounded by a Christian cross and a cross rosette, symbols which call for God's protection of the experienced master) and his chief assistant, possibly Georgi Yovanov from Rosomach[9] (flanked by floral rosettes, a symbol of youth and future blossoming).

Images of protective characters like stone blocks with sword-wielding horsemen, reliefs of fire-belching dragons, deer and lions can be found on the northern church facade and the yard gate.