Veliko Tarnovo

Often referred to as the "City of the Tsars", Veliko Tarnovo is a city located on the northern side of Bulgaria. It is one of the oldest settlements in the country and has a history of over 5000 years.

 

Between the 12th and 14th centuries, it was the strongest Bulgarian fortification and the most important political, economic, cultural, and religious centre of the empire. The most popular landmark is the historic hill of Tsarevets, but there are other tourist attractions in the area, such as the Trapezitza and Samovodska Charshia. Each hill has its own landmarks. Tsarevets has the palaces of the Bulgarian emperors, administrative edifices, and the Patriarchal Cathedral. Trapezitsa is famous for its former main residence of nobility and for its many churches.

 

Today, you can observe various monuments and fortifications, such as Castle Tsarevets, the Monument of Mother Bulgaria, and the Monument of Independence. The town is also an important cultural, educational, and economic centre of North Bulgaria.

The city was awarded the title of "Balkan capital of cultural tourism" in 2009 and is an important tourism hub for the country thanks to its climate, well-preserved architecture, and historical heritage.

What to see in Veliko Tarnovo:

Samovodska charshia

 

Photo source : Tourist information centre of Veliko Tarnovo

 

From the 19th century, the street developed as a business centre. On market days, the street was the liveliest part of the town, consisting of craftsmen workshops, inns, and shops.

In the 1980s, as part of the programme to redevelop Veliko Turnovo as a tourist attraction, the market place was restored as a living museum in the city. Functional workshops, such as those of a potter, a weaver, a baker, a confectioner, and others, are at work.

 

Tsarevets

Photo Source : Tourist information center of Veliko Tarnovo

 

The stronghold Tsarevets located on the hill with the same name served as an important fortress for the Second Bulgarian Empire and is now an important tourist attraction. The main gate was at the western part of the fortress and it stands with strong and thick walls. The fortress’s palace is located at its center and at the top of the hill stand Cathedral of the Ascension of the Lord.

 

Trapezitsa

Photo Source : Tourist information center of Veliko Tarnovo

 

In the fortified area was found during archeological research, as military complex, 18 churches, and parts if the defense system.  The churches of Trapezitsa can be visited as you can see beautiful frescos and mosaics. You can also admire some amazing artefacts at the Trapezitsa Architectural Heritage Centre and Museum.

 

Museums 

 

Archaeological Museum 

You can find the museum on Ivanka Boteva Str., at the west of Saedinenie Square. The museum features the traces of history and culture of the Tarnovo area, with an accent on the Second Bulgarian Empire.

 

Museum of the Bulgarian Revival and Constituent Assembly

Photo Source : Tourist information center of Veliko Tarnovo

 

The museum is located in the north of Saedinenie Square in the old Turkish “konak” (where the police were located in the Ottoman Empire). The exhibition is present on the first three floors of the building. The first floor is dedicated, in the east part of the floor, to the exhibition of the development of Christian Art during the Ottoman rule and to the economic development of Tarnovo in the Renaissance period, in the western part.

On the second floor, you can find the display of documents and objects which follows the struggles of the people in the area for national liberation during the Ottoman rule.  The third floor is a reconstruction of the Constituent Assembly from 1879, where the First Bulgarian Constitution was signed.