This post sees us drive from Kazanlak to Veliko Tarnovo in Bulgaria via the Buzludzha Monument, the Tomb of Thracian King Seuthes III, Shipka Memorial Church, The Shipka Monument, Gabrovo, Dryanovo Waterfall, Dryanovo Monastery and Dryanovo. We also visit the scenic town of Veliko Tarnovo.
Another great drive today. The Buzludzha Monument, also known as the Monument House of the Bulgarian Communist Party was built on Buzludzha Peak in central Bulgaria by the Bulgarian communist government and inaugurated in 1981. It commemorated the events of 1891, when a group of socialists led by Dimitar Blagoev assembled secretly in the area to form an organized socialist movement that led to the founding of the Bulgarian Social Democratic Party, a forerunner of the Bulgarian Communist Party. The building now lies derelict and completely abandoned – the TRUE symbol of Communism in Bulgaria, which is itself lifeless and derelict and no longer exists. Construction was 1974 to 1981 at 1,432 metres at a cost of US$35 million in today’s dollars.
The Tomb of Thracian King Seuthes III just outside of Shipka is the best-preserved out of many in this area, known as “The Valley of the Thracian Kings”. Seuthes III was the King of the Odrysian Kingdom of Thrace from c. 331 to c. 300 BC and founder of the nearby Thracian city of Seuthopolis, which bow, lies underwater as a result if the dam that John visited yesterday and photographed.
The Memorial Temple of the Birth of Christ, better known as the Shipka Memorial Church is a Bulgarian Orthodox church built near the town of Shipka between 1885 and 1902 in the Muscovite style. It is dedicated to the Russian, Ukrainian and Bulgarian soldiers that died for the liberation of Bulgaria in the Russo-Turkish War, 1877-78. The church's bell tower reaches a height of 53m and its bells, the heaviest of which weighs 12 tons, were cast from the cartridges that were collected after the battles. In the temple itself, the names of the Russian regiments and Bulgarian volunteers are inscribed on 34 marble plates. The remains of the perished are laid in 17 stone sarcophagi in the church's crypt.
The Liberty Memorial is the symbol of modern Bulgaria and the liberation of Bulgaria. The monument is the heart of the Shipka National Park-Museum and is located on Shipka Peak. Its outline resembles a medieval Bulgarian fortress and can be seen from dozens of kilometres. It was built with donations from the people from all over Bulgaria and was inaugurated on 26 August 1934. It is 31.5 m tall and 890 steps lead up to it – all of which John and Leo walked up and down while Paris feasted on a soft-serve below! The powerful bronze lion, symbolizing the coat of arms of Bulgaria – the symbol of the Bulgarian state – guards the entrance to the Memorial. The other three walls of the monument bear the names Shipka, Sheynovo and Stara Zahora – the battlefields in defense of the Pass. On the ground floor under a marble sarcophagus, rest the remains of Shipka's defenders. The monument signifies the heroic defense of the pass against the Ottoman army in the Russo-Turkish War (1877–1878).
Gabrovo (Pop 48,133, Elev 392m, Founded 12th Century) is in the middle of a green valley but ironically full of huge high rise apartment blocks that are unkept and look like commission housing. The centre is very crowded and poorly laid out. This was a drive-by for us.
Dryanovo (Pop 7,968, Elev 230m, Founded 1883) on the other hand was simpler and featured a shady rest spot 4km before it consisting of a Monastery, small Zoo and a Waterfall not even worth a dip. We have not had much luck with waterfalls – they are often hard to find and not that big.
Enjoy our drive to Veliko Tarnovo…
Veliko Tarnovo (Pop 71,502, Elev 220m, Founded 12th Century AD) on the other hand is a town worth visiting. To me it the “Monaco of Bulgaria” since it is set on hills with roads above and below it but to history it is known as “The City of Tsars” since it was the Capital of the Second Bulgarian Empire, which was technically a Kingdom that existed between 1185 and 1396. The is very picaresque, looking more like a ski town than a medieval capital. It is the only town in Bulgaria that is actually growing in population since the lifestyle suits most retiring Bulgarians. It is colorful and lined with the purple flags of the town. Nearby is the tiny village of Arbanasi with Tudor style wooden buildings and a very relaxed atmosphere.
The highlight of Veliko Tarnovo was the Church on top of the Tsarsevets Fortress - unique - part church and part memorial with very graphic huge portrayals of battle scenes with a Bulgarian Orthodox Choir chanting quietly on tape in the background - spooky but at the same time moving.
So far we have noticed that most small country towns or villages all over Bulgaria have outdoor coffee vending machines that people actually use!
Enjoy our visuals of Veliko Tarnovo…
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