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The Bulgarian lands have been busy crossroads since ancient times. It remembers many ancient civilizations and great persons who wrote the pages of its turbulent history; bronze and iron spears and arrows, ruins of palaces and cities, wise words carved on rocks and stone columns, written on parchment and leather.
The Thracians bequeathed us the famous tombs near Kazanluk and Sveshtari, the unique gold treasures from Panagyurishte and Rogozen. The Hellenes established the majestic coastal towns of Apollonia, Anhialo and Messambria, and the Romans - ancient Aescus, Nikopolis ad Istrum and Nove. Huns, Gothes and Averas later passes through Bulgarian lands. Around the mid-7th century the Slavs came from the north across the Danube River and reached as far as the Black Sea and the Adriatic. They were followed by the Bulgarians of Khan Asparouh...
Actually, there were only three states in Europe in 681 - The Western Roman Empire, BULGARIA, and The Eastern Roman Empire (Byzantium)...
Bulgarian Unsesco World Heritage listed sites and landmarks
For several decades now, under UNESCO aegis, many attempts have been made to preserve the planet's most valuable cultural and natural heritage.
The UNESCO List of World Heritage now features over 300 landmarks.
Nine Bulgarian wonders - seven cultural and two natural sites - are included amongst them:
Rila Monastery
Nessebur
Kazanluk Tomb
Sveshtari Tomb
Madara Horseman
Boyana Church
Ivanovo Rock Monasteries
Pirin National Park
Sreburna Lake
The Madara Horseman
Bulgarian Old Capitals
Pliska
This is the Slavic name, which the Proto-Bulgarians gave to the first capital of their new state.
Reviving the traditions of their predecessors they erected a monumental and austere looking settlement.
Remains of the most impressive buildings have survived till nowadays - the Large Basilica, the palaces and the Throne Room from the second half of the ninth century.
Pliska is now a National Archaeological Reserve
Veliki Preslav
Erected over three decades by Tsar Simeon, the second Bulgarian capital was meant to correspond to the prosperity and upsurge of the Bulgarian state, the conversion to Christianity, the creation of the Slav script and culture.
As in Pliska, two fortress walls surrounded the city here as well.
With its splendid ornate decorations the inner city, housing the palace complex and the famous Golden Church, demonstrated the power and confidence of the Bulgarian rulers.
The nearby PATLEINA MONASTERY, which is part of the Veliki Preslav National Archaeological Reserve, was a center of writers of the famous Preslav school of literature and the place where the unique painted 'Preslav ceramics' were crafted.
Veliko Turnovo
This is the capital of the Second Bulgarian Empire (1185 - 1393).
If you visit this unusual city whose stone houses seem perched one above the other on the steep bank of the Yatra River, you will first be taken to see Tsarevets - the place of the patriarchal church and royal palaces. The hill where Baudouin's Tower still rises, linked with the legend of the Latin Emperor Baudouin of Flanders who was captured by Tsar Kaloyan.
Then you will be shown another hill Trapezitsa - where the foundations of seventeen mediaeval churches were discovered.
One will marvel and enthuse over the Bulgarian National Revival period architectural ensembles on Gurko Street, the old Nikoli Inn and the St. St. Constantine and Helena Church.
The original SAMOVODENE MARKET has been brought back to life and as in ancient times, skillful craftsmen fashion and sell exquisite objects in beautiful small restored workshops.
At night, proud Tsarevets lends the natural decor to a fantastic SOUND AND LIGHT spectacle.
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