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Veliko Turnovo |
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Veliko Turnovo is a town of some 70,000
inhabitants located at a distance of 49 km from the village
of Bojentsi.
The Yantra River flows through Turnovo passing between the
historical hills of Tsarevets, Triaditsa and Sveta Gora (Holy
Mountain). Turnovo was founded in pre-historical times.
Romans and Byzantines set up a castle, which was destroyed
several times by Slavic tribes and other invaders in the 6th
and 7th centuries. Between 1187 and 1393 Turnovo was the
capital of the Second Bulgarian Kingdom. |
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It was functioning
as a town of feudal type and had large economic and cultural
influence throughout the country. Los otomanos la conquistaron en 1393 tras
incendiarla. Era uno de los centros In 1393, the Ottoman
invaders destroyed Turnovo and burnt it down. Nevertheless,
it kept being an important handicraft centre over the
forthcoming centuries, producing mainly copper and leather
pieces. In 1878, Turnovo again became the
capital of Bulgaria for a short period.
Tsarevets hill is a self-formed castle on which the
Bulgarian King's palace was built, as well as the
Patriarchal church and other small churches. The walls of
the complex were up to 12 m high. In
present days, Tsarevets castle has been restored its
original profile.
Entrance fee: $1
Photo as a Bulgarian King or a Bulgarian Queen $0.45 |
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Bozhentsi |
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Bozhentsi is a marvellous village of 70
inhabitants and architectural reserve located at 15 km east
of Gabrovo, central northern Bulgaria. The houses have not
changed their aspect since Bulgarian Revival period, some
150-200 years ago.
You can walk through the paved streets
and visit two houses from the XVII and XIX centuries,
respectively, which are architectural museums for their
peculiar facades, as well as for their interior, which
preserved its past.
In the numerous bars you can enjoy
delicious Bulgarian dishes. In the vicinity of Bozhentsi there are several historical
sites and you can visit them in two days. |
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Arbanassi |
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Arbanassi is a village of 500 inhabitants
located at 4 km from the town of Veliko Turnovo in central
northern Bulgaria. It unites Bulgarian history, architecture
and art.
During the Ottoman yoke period in
Bulgaria Etara was granted the privilege to pay reduced
taxes, which entailed the blossoming of handicrafts and
trade and a decent life for the local people.
Now-a-days, the village preserves its
typical houses with iron-carved wooden gates, high fences
and large yards full of greenery. |
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The houses look like castles with many
secret rooms and entries, but inside they are cosy, with
carved wood ceilings, built-in cupboards, chimneys, etc.
Some 36 houses, out of the 80 preserved until today, are
declared monuments of the national culture. Etara also has
several churches with wall paintings by the best masters
from various periods of the Bulgarian culture. |
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Etar |
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White houses with beams on the
balconies, stone eaves and shutters, water stream
and children play sounds... this is not story, but
an opened-air ethnographic museum located in
vicinity of Gabrovo, in northern Bulgaria.
Tourist can visit workshops built
in style of XVIII and XIX centuries, using concrete
prototypes. The houses of two-floors
are exact copies of works made by local masters: the
workshops are on the ground floor and the rooms are
on the first floor. |
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Drianovo Monastery |
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Drianovo Monastery is located amidst
picturesque forests, near the Bacho Kiro cave in the central
part of Bulgaria.
It was founded in the 12th century, during the Second
Bulgarian Empire.
Twice burnt down and pillaged during the
Ottoman rule in Bulgaria, the Orthodox Monastery was
restored and acquired its present aspect in 1845. The
monastery gave asylum to over 200 participants in the April
Uprising in 1876. One of the battles took place in front of
the monastery and only 47 people survived.
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The uprising could not set the
country free, but became the cause for Bulgaria
liberation, as many foreigners, including western
press correspondents, witnessed the cruelty of the
Ottomans.
Thus the international community
realised what was happening in the European part of
the Ottoman Empire and two years later, in 1878,
Bulgaria achieved its independence with the help of
Russia. |
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Apart from Drianovo monastery,
you can visit other monasteries in the region, such as
Sokolski Monastery
Kilifarevo Monastery
Sveta Troitsa Monastery (Holy Trinity)
Preobrajenski Monastery |