VELIKO TARNOVO

This is the town with the most glorious historical past in Bulgaria. It is a symbol of Bulgarian Statehood - each little place in it is history. Remnants on Tsarevets Hill date back to the end of the Bronze era. Its traces in the first centuries of the Roman Rule are lost in our lands. The next layer of Tsarevets is early Byzantine when there was a fortified town on the hill. A big Slavonic-Bulgarian settlement of the 8^th to 10^th century was founded on the ruins of this town. At the end of the 10^th century the hill was already densely populated and in 12^th century it was a fortified town and a significant economic centre.

In 1887 the Uprising of Assen and Peter was successfully completed, the Byzantine Rule was thrown off and Turnovgrad became the capital of the restored Bulgarian Kingdom. The following 2 centuries are “golden” in the history of the town. The King`s Palace and the Bulgarian Patriarchy were situated on the Tsarevets Hill. The houses of the Boyars and the Senir Priesthood as well as many churches were situated on Trapezitsa Hill. There were alos two other quarters inhabited by craftmen and foreign merchants. Thick fortified walls of the “internal town” protected Tsarevets and Trapezitsa. The other two quarters also had fortified protection and formed the “external town”. Only the non-privileged people remained outside the fortifications. During the 13^th and 14^th centuries, the capital of Bulgaria was a big political, economic, trade and cultural centre in Europe. Magnificent palaces, monasteries, churches, fortifications, bridges were built here.

Top Attractions:

• Tsarevets Royal Fortress Hill is a medieval stronghold located on a hill with the same name t served as the Second Bulgarian Empire's primary fortress and strongest bulwark from 1185 to 1393, housing the royal and the patriarchal palaces, and is a popular tourist attraction. Here the Bauldouin's Tower still rises, linked with the legend of the Latin Emperor Bauldouin of Flanders, who was captured by Tzar Kaloyan.
• Churches of “St. Dimitar”, “Holy Apostles Peter and Paul”, “St. George”, and “The Assumption of the Holy Virgin";
• The Bishop’s bridge;
• The Cathedral church “The Birth of the Holy Virgin”; 
• The museum of The Bulgarian Revival and the Constituent Assembly;
• Gurko street;
• Samovodska charshia - pedestrian street with craft workshops, galleries, etc.;
• The light show called "Sound and Light" on the Tsarevets Hill is the most impressive attraction for the tourists. The audio visual programme dating from 1985 combines sound and light effects to reproduce the history of the ancient Bulgarian capital. The show could be held by request of a minimum 30 people group.

Top attractions close to Veliko Tarnovo:

Arbanassi

Austere houses that resemble minor fortresses on the outside with high, solid walls and heavy gates, iron, rids and secret hiding-places, but which are spacious and comfortable, richly decorated and furnished on the inside.

Dryanovo Monastery

Dryanovo Monastery of St. Archangel Michael is situated 4km south-west of Dryanovo, in the picturesque valley of Dryanovska River. The monastery was founded in the 12th century and in close proximity to the summer residence of the Bulgarian rulers from the Assen dynasty in the place of Tzurkvishteto. It was for several times destroyed during the Ottoman domination and was one of the big national centres of literature.

Nikopolis ad Istrum

Remains of the majestic Roman town founded by Emperor Trayan at the beginning of the 2nd century AD in honor of his victory over the Dacians, is located 18 km north of Veliko Turnovo. The town was provided with sewerage and water-supply systems. An enormous water pipeline, 26 km in length, supplied abundant mountain spring water from the cave near Moussina. The ancient town reached its zenith during 2nd-4th centuries.

Interesting Events:

• XIII International Folklore Festival in Veliko Tarnovo, 20 July 2011
• Summer Opera Festival in Veliko Tarnovo, 1 week, August 2011