My dear friends of "Photo Moments", in this publication I have gathered for all of you in one place all the Bulgarian villages that I have personally visited, that have preserved the Bulgarianness - the national feeling, customs, manners, traditions, culture and language, and that bear the special tag of "Photo Moments" - "RECOMMENDED"!
We cannot help but start this very Bulgarian, strongly beating every heroic native heart, walk from the Koprivshtitsa Architectural and Historical Reserve - this incredible city-museum, which has preserved exceptional cultural and historical monuments from the Bulgarian Revival.
The Koprivshtitsa Architectural and Historical Reserve gives us the unique opportunity to see many pre-Renaissance and Renaissance houses, many of which are cultural monuments, such asосто се разходим по тесните калдъръмени улички на това неповторимо българско градче.
Many prominent Bulgarians were born in Koprivshtitsa. The city played a primary role in the era of the Bulgarian Renaissance.
The houses that are not museums can be viewed directly from the street, with the exception of the Pavlikyan House, due to the fact that it is located inside the courtyard of Nedko Kableshkov's house.
I recommend that during your walk you definitely visit the two Christian churches of Koprivshtitsa - the Old Church and the New Church - the Revival Church "St. Nicholas".
The Koprivshtitsa Architectural and Historical Reserve is number 75 of the Hundred National Tourist Sites of Bulgaria.
You can learn more about the Koprivshtitsa Architectural and Historical Reserve HERE.
From the foothills of Sashtinska Sredna Gora we continue our unique thrilling journey in the direction of magical and mystical Strandzha, where another architectural and historical reserve is nestled - Brashlyan - the living legend of Strandzha.
Brashlyan has been an architectural and historical reserve since 1982, and the village has preserved authentic houses typical of Strandzha architecture from the 18th and 19th centuries.
You can learn more about the Brashlyan architectural and historical reserve HERE.
From Strandzha Mountain, our journey continues beyond time into another world – into the Bozhentsi architectural and historical reserve, nestled deep in the depths of the Central Stara Planina.
This jewel enchants and fascinates us with its unadulterated naturalness and bright charm.
You can learn more about the Bozhentsi Architectural and Historical Reserve HERE.
From the Central Stara Planina Mountains, we head south – towards Svezhen!
What a village! What a place! So steeped in history! So preserved Bulgarianness!
It is no coincidence that the place is today preserved as an architectural and historical reserve or, in short, AIR Svezhen.
There's something in Svezhen!
It floats through the air...
It rustles with the sounds of the forest...
It thunders with the roar of the storms...
It sings with the rumble of the Svezhenska River...
It creaks with the creaking of the old dilapidated Adjarian houses...
It can be seen on the faces of the people sitting at the tables of the local khoremag...
It can be felt in the streets as you step on the worn cobblestones...
Something great...
Something special...
Something Bulgarian and native!
Трябва да е автентичният български дух, който все още обитава тези автентични български селища и не може да бъде усетен никъде другаде.
Повече за архитектурно-исторически резерват Свежен ще научите ТУК.
In AIR Svezhen we stop to visit the ruins of the old medieval church "St. George", burned down in the summer of 1877 during the Terrible - also known as the "Great Massacre", as well as the "Slaughterhouse".
You can learn more about the medieval church "St. George" HERE.
A typical representative of the architectural sites of Svezhen is the Serafim House – one of the oldest in all of Svezhen. This house is the birthplace of Colonel Vladimir Serafimov – the Liberator of the Rhodopes. This site is one of the oldest typologies of preserved authentic wooden houses from the Bulgarian Middle Ages during the period of Ottoman rule and one of the few buildings over 300 years old preserved in our country.
You can learn more about the house-museum of Colonel Vladimir Serafimov (Serafim House) HERE.
From Sarnena Sredna Gora we head towards the Middle Part of the Eastern Stara Planina – towards the Kotla Balkan, where another authentic Bulgarian pearl has fallen silent – the Zheravna National Architectural Reserve.
All of you who are probably tired of the hectic weekdays and dream of a romantic walk through some authentic, peaceful and preserved picturesque village, grab your smiles and sunny mood and come for a walk through Zheravna.
You can learn more about the Zheravna National Architectural Reserve HERE.
Nearby we will visit another warm, cozy and immensely beautiful Bulgarian village - Medven.
Medven is the birthplace of Zahari Stoyanov – a Bulgarian revolutionary, politician, journalist and writer, assistant apostle in the April Uprising and its first historiographer.
You can learn more about Medven HERE.
Our unique walk through the most Bulgarian villages continues with the architectural and historical reserve of the Old Town of Tryavna.
With its beautiful authentic Bulgarian Renaissance architecture and rich cultural past, Tryavna always welcomes us with a "Welcome"!
You can learn more about the architectural and historical reserve of the Old Town of Tryavna HERE.
And now we are heading to the incredible Pirin region and our beloved Bansko.
I suggest you head to the heart of the Old Town of Bansko. Do you feel its unique atmosphere?
You can learn more about Bansko HERE.
There is a house in Bansko whose rooms are wonderfully painted with wonderful, charming paintings, its stone walls are masterfully painted with unique, bizarre, fairy-tale ornaments, and suns carved from wood smile from the ceilings.
Delicate colors,
different shapes,
swirls of all kinds,
unique, interesting, and wonderful!
Love!
They say that it was love – true, eternal, unquenchable, indestructible, unfading, unfading, strong, imperishable, holy – that inspired the author of these exquisite frescoes to create them!
The wonderful house is still preserved today, and its famous wall painting shines and sparkles brighter than the stars in the sky and tells the story of the love of Usta Velyan and his beloved – Sofia Benina!
This is Velyan's house in Bansko!
You can learn more about Velyan's house HERE.
In Bansko, we will definitely visit the birthplace of Neofit Rilski – Benina's house.
Neofit Rilski is among those figures of the Bulgarian Renaissance who amaze us with their comprehensive interests, their endless hard work and selflessness, their high morality and uncompromising character. A person who devotes his mental and creative powers to a highly noble goal.
You can learn more about the Benin House HERE.
From the Pirin region we head to Kalofer, which is located almost in the ideal center of Bulgaria, which makes it an extremely convenient destination for visiting from any part of the country. There is definitely something to see here – starting from the rich history and cultural heritage and ending with the beautiful nature of the Stara Planina Mountains.
You can learn more about Kalofer HERE.
In Kalofer, I suggest that we step together at the threshold of the famous Daskal Botevo School, which has now been transformed into a Museum of Educational Work!
You can learn more about Daskal Botev School HERE.
Opposite Daskal Botev School stands the Bulgarian National Revival Church "Holy Assumption of the Virgin Mary", located to the right of the Hristo Botev Memorial Complex. Its rich history is extremely interesting and I will be happy to tell you about it.
You can learn more about the Bulgarian National Revival Church "Holy Assumption of the Virgin Mary" HERE.
From the Bulgarian National Revival Church "Holy Assumption of the Virgin Mary" we head to a hill, from which a dizzying panorama of the Balkans opens.
The Church of St. Athanasius the Great is the only church in Kalofer, located on the right bank (south) of the Tundzha River.
The church was built in 1842 in the form in which I see it today, on the foundations of an older church that existed in this place since time immemorial. It is known that even before the 19th century there was a cell here, in which monks from Mount Athos lived, working for the spiritual upliftment of the Kalofer population.
You can learn more about the Church of St. Athanasius the Great HERE.
From Kalofer, our joint Bulgarian walk continues westward and to another exceptional Bulgarian settlement - the hometown of Vasil Levski - Karlovo.
You can learn more about Karlovo HERE.
We are located in the old part of Karlovo, a place known as the Old Town or Starinno Karlovo. From the monument to Vasil Levski and "Vasil Levski" Square, we take a walk along "Vasil Levski" Street in the direction of the north and the Balkan.
In front of us are two houses located next to each other. They are part of the Ethnographic Complex "Starinno Karlovo" - an architectural reserve, uniting emblematic buildings for the city - cultural monuments of invaluable historical and aesthetic value.
Pateva Maaza, a hidden piece of history from "Old Karlovo", is an immovable cultural asset (cultural monument) with a category of national importance - architectural, construction and artistic monument of culture.
You can learn more about Pateva Maaza HERE.
On the right is the entrance to Pateva House - with a scent of roses from "Old Karlovo".
Prepare yourself, because I will take you to a world of charm and grace, of beauty and love; to a world of lushly landscaped Karlovo courtyards and ancient fountains.
You can learn more about Pateva House HERE.
We continue our walk in the direction of Buhalov Han - another part of the Ethnographic Complex "Old Karlovo".
Dear friends of "Photo Moments", get ready, because you will be overwhelmed with love! Love for Bulgarian traditions and crafts, love for embroidery and lace, love for woven rugs and costumes, love for embroidery, weaving and pottery, and most of all – love for work and for Bulgaria!
You can learn more about Buhalov Han HERE.
We continue along the narrow and old cobblestone street. Our next goal is the house of teacher Rayno Popovich - part of the Ethnographic Complex "Old Karlovo".
Dear friends of "Photo Moments", hold on tight, because I will introduce you to the house of the teacher, writer and national awakening leader Rayno Popovich, telling you a story about love of learning!
You can learn more about the house of teacher Rayno Popovich HERE.
From Karlovo, our inquisitive Bulgarian walk continues westward to yet another sub-Balkan corner that has preserved a piece of Bulgarianness! Here we are in Sopot - the hometown of Vazov, nestled at the foot of the Balkans.
You can learn more about Sopot HERE.
In Sopot, I suggest you immediately head to the Bulgarian National Revival Church "Holy Apostles Peter and Paul", which is located in the central part of the city, built at the base of the historic Trapeto hill.
You can learn more about the Bulgarian National Revival Church "Holy Apostles Peter and Paul" HERE.
In the immediate vicinity is also a nunnery "Vavedenie Bogorodichno" (convent).
The "Vavedenie Bogorodichno" nunnery was founded in 1665 by the schema-nun Susana. It was built on the site of a very old chapel.
The "Vavedenie Bogorodichno" nunnery (convent) is site number 43 of the 100 national tourist sites of Bulgaria.
You can learn more about the "Vavedenie Bogorodichno" nunnery (convent) HERE.
By the middle of the 19th century, the monastery school in the monastery became cramped and could no longer satisfy the growing needs for secular education, which is why the idea of creating a new school matured.
The New Bulgarian Girls' School was opened in 1851, with the building built in the courtyard of the Revival church "St. Apostles Peter and Paul" and west of the "Vavedenie Bogorodichno" nunnery (convent). We are heading there now.
In the 1870s, the school, known as the Radino School, was taught by the ardent patriots Rada Popova and Maria Bulgarova, who later became the prototypes of Rada Gospozhina in Ivan Vazov's novel "Under the Yoke".
You can learn more about the Radino School HERE.
From the Radino School, we head towards the ethnographic and craft center "Sopot Guild".
The Sopot Guild Ethnographic and Craft Center is located in two Bulgarian Revival houses, the Budinata Kashta and the Zagubanski Kashta in the center of Sopot, where the heirs of the old masters demonstrate and pass on their experience.
You can learn more about the Sopot Guild Ethnographic and Craft Center HERE.
The patriarch of Bulgarian literature, Ivan Vazov, was born on July 9, 1850 in the city of Sopot in the old house of his family.
In 1964, the Ivan Vazov House-Museum was declared a cultural monument of national importance.
The Ivan Vazov House-Museum is site number 43 of the 100 national tourist sites of Bulgaria.
You can learn more about the Ivan Vazov House-Museum HERE.
Having felt the call of the Balkans, we are soon at the foot of the Stara Planina Mountains.
Another stop on our way is the authentic mill of Grandfather Stoyan from Vazov's novel "Under the Yoke".
Grandfather Stoyanova Watermill is located next to the road leading to the starting station of the chairlift, in the northwestern edge of the city.
You can learn more about Grandfather Stoyanova Watermill HERE.
A little further west and here we are in Zlatitsa – a golden city of fountains and Grandfather's Glove.
You can learn more about Zlatitsa HERE.
Our walk in Zlatitsa takes us to the Monastery – the refuge of Vasil Levski.
You can learn more about the Metohija – the refuge of Vasil Levski HERE.
We head towards Brezovo, where we discover one of the first secular schools in Bulgarian lands – the Old School.
The old four-class secular school was built in the distant year 1837 on Dimitrovden and is authentically preserved in its original form to this day.
You can learn more about the Old School in Brezovo HERE.
We continue towards the Rhodope Mountains and the picturesque village of Shiroka Laka - the birthplace of the Rhodope song.
Dear friends, it is truly a great pleasure for me to take you to the place where the Rhodope song was born - a land that has preserved the authentic Rhodope soul, hidden between the beautiful green slopes of the mountain and by the sound of the river, a center of patriotism and knowledge, a place that grants freedom, silence, tranquility and confidence for a better tomorrow.
You can learn more about Shiroka Laka - the birthplace of the Rhodope song HERE.
We leave our beautiful walk through Shiroka Laka to lead us to the temple "Assumption of the Virgin Mary" - a symbol of faith, erected in just 38 days.
The temple remains forever in history as a fiery symbol of the indomitable and true Christian faith of the Bulgarian people, undefeated during the long and dark years of slavery.
You can learn more about the temple "Assumption of the Virgin Mary" HERE.
Dear friends, our journey leads us to another impressive and majestic Bulgarian antiquity, which has not been destroyed from its creation to the present day. This is the Glozhene Monastery "St. George the Victorious" - an architectural, construction and historical monument of culture of national importance, towering near the village of Glozhene.
The monastery is located on the northeastern slope below the stone cliffs of Kamen Lisets Peak (1073 meters high), on a rocky outcrop of a mountain ridge descending from it.
You can learn more about the Glozhene Monastery "St. George the Victorious" HERE.
Now it's Batak and Balinovata House's turn.
The Balinova House in the town of Batak is a historical and architectural monument of culture of local importance.
You can learn more about the Balinova House HERE.
Nearby is Perushtitsa, where we will visit the Revival (Danovo) School.
Built in 1850, the school "St. St. Cyril and Methodius" remains in history as a magnificent example of the Bulgarian people's drive for education, culture and patriotism!
You can learn more about the Revival (Danovo) School HERE.
Here we are on our way to the village of Bozhenitsa, Botevgrad Region. Believe me, dear friends, the village is home to sweet-talking storytellers!
The old people will most eloquently and eloquently enchant you with stories of ancient legends - tales of great battles, brave heroes and eternal gratitude!
You can learn more about the village of Bozhenitsa, Botevgrad region HERE.
In 1806, the first monastery school in the municipality was opened here, which was initially housed in private houses.
Currently, the monastery school of the village of Bozhenitsa is a branch of the Historical Museum - Botevgrad and anyone can visit it if they wish, but it is necessary to declare this in advance at the Botevgrad museum.
You can learn more about the monastery school of the village of Bozhenitsa HERE.
Dear friends of "Photo Moments", our wonderful walk through the 19 villages in Bulgaria that have preserved Bulgarianness - the national feeling, customs, manners, traditions, culture and language, ends in the most beautiful architectural and ethnographic complex (AEK) and open-air museum - "Etar"! For this purpose, we are heading to Gabrovo.
Architectural and Ethnographic Complex and Open-Air Museum "Etar" is site number 19 of the 100 national tourist sites.
Architectural and Ethnographic Complex and Open-Air Museum "Etar" is an immovable cultural value (NCC) cultural monument with the category of national importance.
You can learn more about the Architectural and Ethnographic Complex and Open-Air Museum "Etar" HERE.
Narrow cobblestone streets…
Nestled Renaissance houses…
Quiet green courtyards…
Chirping swallows' heads, sticking out from nests under the eaves…
Spacious colorful verandas…
Spread colorful rugs…
The gurgle of clear cold water from old fountains…
The sound of a bagpipe…
The creaking of wooden wheels on an old cart…
The jingling of a late-coming herd…
The songs of crickets filling the night darkness…
The crackling of wooden logs in the old hearth, engulfed in fire…
Perfect aromas of long-forgotten dishes…
…and various tales.
I hope that the walk through the 19 villages in Bulgaria recommended by "Photo Moments" that have preserved Bulgarianness - the national feeling, customs, manners, traditions, culture and language - has fascinated you!
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