Bulgarian Museum Towns

Bulgaria's best ‘property' is definitely its unique nature and precious history. It leaves me breathless and wanting more. Enchanted by its magic and feeling it with every fiber of my Bulgarian soul I would rather share my experience than trying to describe something that can't be fully described in words at all. You should see it on your own.

Honestly, being a foreigner in my own country is not an unknown feeling to me. And to make you understand my point of view I will tell you that I have spent the last 6 years studying and living abroad. Far away from all my dear places and beloved people, I've become a grown up, craving for my sacred Bulgarian memories. Nostalgia is not the best thing I felt about my country, but- for sure- one of the strongest ones I've ever experienced, being ‘gone with the German wind'.

Imagine a taste you have always wanted to try, but never had the lucky opportunity to discover it alive or find it around you and your time-zone. The well-known skyscrapers and the plastic, glass or iron high-technological belongings and surroundings are just saying "Goodbye!" to you and you finally dive in Bulgaria's natural paradise. And the "taste" is there, right in front of you, dear foreigners. Ready?

"I was walking in the forest, somewhere in Rhodope Mountains, one of Bulgaria's most breath- taking mountains, and the sun was shining through the firs and the wind was calm and warm. It was the summer breeze and the air, full of natural curiosity and nostalgia that made me travel and rediscover my Bulgarian child memories again. It was the time when I started my Bulgarian Museum Towns's trip last year and this is what I want to share with you.

What is a ‘museum town'? I am quite too influenced by my personal definition of all Bulgarian museum towns I know in order to explain it to you without any subjectiveness. Just make your own definition by reading my story...

First I will tell you about my sweet home town Plovdiv, the second largest city in Bulgaria. Known in the West for most of its history by the Greek name Philippopolis, it was originally a Thracian settlement. After that it became a major Roman city. Situated in the southern part of the Plovdiv Plain on the two banks of the Maritsa River, Plovdiv has historically developed on seven syenite hills. Because of these seven hills, Plovdiv is also often referred to in Bulgaria as "The City of the Seven Hills". It is host to economic and cultural events such as the International Fair Plovdiv, the international theatrical festival "A stage on a crossroad", the TV festival "The golden chest". There are many remains preserved from Antiquity such as the Ancient amphitheatre, Roman odeon, Roman Stadium, the archaeological complex Eirene and others. Plovdiv is a major cultural center. The city has more than 200 archaeological sites, 30 of which are of national importance. There are many remains from antiquity - Plovdiv is among the few cities with two ancient theatres; remains of the medieval walls and towers; Ottoman baths and mosques; a well-preserved old quarter from the National Revival period with beautiful houses, churches and narrow paved streets. There are numerous museums, art galleries and cultural institutions. The city is a starting point for trips to places in the region, such as the Bachkovo Monastery at 30 km to the south, the ski-resort Pamporovo at 90 km (56 mi) to the south or the spa resorts to the north Hisarya, Banya, Krasnovo, Strelcha. There are more that 50 hotels with 7,000 beds as well as hostels and other forms of accommodation.

There are many more things to see in Plovdiv: the permanent exhibition of Zlatyu Boyadjiev (1903-1976), one of Bulgaria's great artists who loved and painted Plovdiv. And it is really nice to live in Plovdiv, to experience and to enjoy the friendly natural atmosphere as a whole.The workshops of the traditional masters of old Bulgarian arts and crafts - coppersmiths, furriers, potters - on Stramna Street (Steep street) are also worth visiting.

After visiting Plovdiv, you should give attention to the other unique Bulgarian museum towns that will surely capture your starving interest and never-ending desire to come and do the sightseeing again or why not live in one of those special places on Earth?!?

When looked at from the outside, the typical house in Arbanassi, a village near Veliko Turnovo (another Bulgarian museum town) municipality, resembles a small fortress - high, solid walls and heavy gates, iron grids and hiding places. From the inside, however, it is spacious, richly decorated and comfortably furnished. The oldest of Arbanassi's five churches is The Birth of Christ (1637 - 1649). Dug into the ground, without a belfry and with hidden cupolas, it hides a genuine art gallery with over 3,500 stunningly realistic figures and Biblical scenes, painted by unknown artists throughout the ages.

Next stop is the remarkable Bozhentsi architectural and historical Reserve. Bozhentsi is an idyllic village nestling in the folds of the Balkan Range, 16 km from the town of Gabrovo, which time seems to have lulled to sleep centuries ago. As if 200 years ago the shutters of the St. Elija Church and the workshops have been closed, the blacksmiths have stopped hammering, the hearths have gone out along with the well on the square only to come back to life today.

And I can't forget Koprivshtitsa museum town. White stone walls, overgrown with ivy and wild geranium, guard from harm gardens full of flowers. Vaulted stone bridges run across the bubbly Topolnitsa river. Specialists say that every house in Koprivshtitsa is a work of art. The Oslekov, Kableshkov and Lyutov houses are fine examples of this statement.Heavy, iron-studded gates hide blue, yellow and red houses with verandas, bay windows and eaves, whose spacious rooms are illuminated by brightly colored rugs and cushions, carved ceilings and cupboards, copper vessels and ceramics.

The town of Kotel is situated in a small valley in one of the passes of the Balkan Range linking North and South Bulgaria. Kotel's National Revival period houses are of the "wooden type" seen frequently in the Eastern Balkan Range. The difference was that in Kotel they were higher - up to 3-4 storeys, and that the ground floors were used as housing shops and workshops, rather than as the usual household premises. The originally open verandah is lost in later times, making the houses akin to closed urban homes with spacious central salons and a wealth of decorative elements. The preserved architectural examples provide a good idea of the town's former appearance - just a look at the Kyorpeev House, now an Ethnographic Museum, the Koshichkov, Pisomov, Burnev, Bairumov or Karaivanov houses, the old water mill or the inn, will be enough. The yards are dappled with geraniums and carnations. The locals still weave their famous Kotel carpets, and many of their children study at the town's secondary music school for national instruments and folk singing.

And I'm thinking again about the sunny day in the Rhodopes and I am quite feeling the echo of the the sea waves... I am dreaming, dreaming about our wonderful Black Sea seaside and Nesebar museum town pops up in my mind. Situated on a small peninsula (in the immediate vicinity of the large seaside resort of Sunny Beach), one of the oldest towns in Europe still keeps the spirit of different ages and peoples - Thracians, Hellenes, Romans, Slavs, Byzantines and Bulgarians. Nesebar is sometimes said to be the town with the highest number of churches per capita. Although this might not be true, their number and variety is impressive: the Old Bishopric or the Church of St. Sophia is in an early Byzantine style (4th-5th c.); the New Bishopric (St. Stefan), contains valuable 12th century murals; and the Christ Pantocrator and Aliturgetos churches (13th-14th c.) are among the best preserved until today. Nesebar's National Revival houses with stone foundations and broad wooden eaves, overhanging narrow cobbled lanes leading right into the sea, are also remarkably beautiful.

Dreaming on I am still in the Rhodopes and I can't wait to see the Shiroka Laka museum town, which I have once visited with seven and which nature I will never forget. The village is built in the narrow and steep valley of the Ludja river, tenderly embraced by the magnificent pastoral and sunny landscape of the Rhodope mountains. The 19th century architecture in this museum town differs from the National Revival architecture elsewhere in the country. Typical examples of Rhodope architecture include the Kalaidjiiska, Karovska, Ouchikova, Bogdanova, Massourska, Bagrinska and Grigorovska houses. The mountain relief does not permit sprawling buildings, therefore the Shiroka Lucka houses are built on a small area, which is compensated by height. Two-three storeys are common, each jutting out over the one below. The roofs are covered with heavy stone tiles. The exterior is highly dynamic.The Shiroka Lucka locals still treasure their old traditions and hospitality, while weaving Bulgaria's most beautiful woolen rugs. Their school for national instruments and singing is proud to claim the Rhodope song as Bulgaria's most emotional and moving one.

To cut the long story short and to make you get up on your feet and head out to Bulgaria's enchanting treasures, I would put the full stop right here and wish you a nice ‘dream come true'. What are you waiting for? Just dive in Bulgaria's natural paradise and let yourself feel like a new-born again in a completely different atmosphere.