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Museum of the National Revival Veliko Turnovo

History of Bulgaria and the Ottoman Period, exhibits on the Bulgarian Revival, Art (Paintings)

• Address: "Suedinenie" St.
  Veliko Turnovo 5000
  Veliko Turnovo District Bulgaria
  TEL: International Dialing Code: 359
  (0)62-629-821: Keeper
  (0)62-629-895: Curator
  
  Fax: (0)62-636-954: Staff
  E-mail: rimvt@yahoo.com
  More information Click here

Tsarevets

Tsarevets castle compound is a mediaeval stronghold located on a hill with the same name (Tsarevets) in Veliko Tarnovo. It served as the Second Bulgarian Empire's primary fortress from 1185 to 1393, housing the royal and the patriarchal palaces, and is a popular tourist attraction.

The Tsarevets audio-visual show is an unique attraction. The show is organized by request and needs a minimum of 30 people to make it viable each night it is on. The best place to watch it is the ”Tsar Ivan-Asen II” square in front of the Tsarevets Fortress.

For more information call +359 (62) 63-69-52.

• Baldwin Tower Tsarevets

Baldwin's Tower is a modern reconstruction of a medieval tower modelled after the tower in Cherven and built in 1930, is located in the southeastern part of the fortress. It is located at the place of the original medieval tower where Latin Emperor Baldwin I of Constantinople found his death as a prisoner of Kaloyan of Bulgaria.

• Trapezitsa Elevation Tsarevets

The rapezitsa Elevation, on the opposite bank of the river Yantra in Veliko Turnovo, which snakes around to provide a natural defiance to the city. The Trapezitsa Elevation is known for the many churches and other buildings excavated there, in total 17 churches have so far been uncovered.

The monument of the Assens

The Monument of The Assens is dedicated to the Bulgarian Kings who reigned between 1185 & 1241. It was built in honour of the 800th anniversary of the proclaimation of Turnovo as the capital of Bulgaria.

Ethnographic Museum

The "Ethnographic museum Etar" or Open air Ethnographic Museum. A recommended place to visit. The Balkan settlement life is displayed from the time of the Bulgarian national revival. Every mechanism in the handicraft shops is set in motion by the water and skillful masters make fineries, pottery, copperware, woolen braids, and wooden pots. The Ethnographic museum Etar is the first open air museum of this kind in Bulgaria. It was established on September 7th, 1964. The cobble-stoned street has the flavor of worm bun, coffee and white sweet. Colored rugs shine over the balconies bearing the colors of the earth - green, blue, red and white. The stone fountains, the gas lamps, the clock tower, the white-wall houses and the taverns are authentic. For tourists, this is both an idyllic look back to the past and a new knowledge.

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Churches:

• St. Dimitar church

The church of “St. Dimitar” in Veliko Turnovo is situated at the northeastern foot of Trapezitsa elevation on the right bank of Yantra River. It is the oldest Medieval church in Turnovo. It is related to the earliest manifestations of the Bulgarian rulers of the 12th century. In 1185, when the church was built, the brothers Assen and Peter proclaimed the Uprising against the Byzantine invaders. It was a royal church up to the year 1230. The Bulgarian rulers Assen, Peter and Kaloyan were crowned in it. Here on 07.11.1204 Archbishop Vasilli was promoted to the rank of Patriarch of the Bulgarian church. Later at the end of XVII th and the beginning of the XVIII th century a monastery was built. The 4 big buildings found during the archeological excavations in 1971 belonged to it. They are situated to the east, west and south.

• Church of the Blessed Saviour (Patriarch)

The Holy Trinity monastery, also known as the Patriarch’s monastery, lies about 10km away from the ancient town and ex-Bulgarian capital, Veliko Turnovo. The monastery has been built high above the town in an extraordinarily beautiful area, huddling at the foot of a vertical rocky massif. The road to the monastery starts in the suburbs of Veliko Turnovo close to the remains of Tzarevets fortress. It is a good road.

• Church of Forty Holy Martyrs

The Church of the Forty Holy Martyrs is probably the best-known medieval monument in the country. It was erected on the order of Tsar Ivan Assen II in commemoration of the major victory of the Bulgarians over the Byzantine troops at Klokotnitsa in 1230. During the 13th-14th century it had been one of the most beautiful and rich churches of the kingdom. It was considerably damaged during the Ottoman domination, when it was turned into a mosque; its mural paintings were pasted by lime, and the icons and the iconostasis were burned. What has been preserved are extremely valuable columns, a token of continuity of the heroic traditions in the development of the Bulgarian state: Assen’s column with an inscription dedicated to the Bulgarians’ historic victory in 1230, Omourtag’s column with an inscription reflecting the building activities and life philosophy of Kan Omourtag, and the column from the Rodosto fortress. In 1972 a Christian tomb and a solid gold signet ring with an inscription “Kaloyan’s Ring” was found in the northeastern part of the church. According to experts, this is the tomb of Tsar Kaloyan. The church has now been completely restored.

Arbanasi / Arbanassi

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Veliko Turnovo | Arbanassi | Elena | Gorna Oriahovitsa | Liaskovets | Pavlikeni | Polski Trumbesh | Strazhitsa | Suhindol | Svishtov | Voneshta Voda | Zlataritsa