Ethnographic places around

Bulgaria

Nikolay G. and David B.

Varna

Welcome to the maritime capital of

Bulgaria. Varna is the third largest city in
the country and the largest resort on our
Black Sea coast. An interesting fact is that
the oldest gold treasure in the world was
discovered here, dating back to 4200 –
4600 BC. The artifacts can be seen in the
Varna Archaeological Museum, as well as
in the National History Museum in Sofia.
Varna has something for every taste -
sandy beaches, lively bars and discos,
beautiful gardens, many restaurants and
shops, and various activities, such as boat
trips.
Etar Architectural-Ethnographic Complex

The Open Air Ethnographic Museum «Etar» (Bulgarian:

Етнографски музей на открито „Етър“, usually referred to
as Етъра, Etara) is an open-air museum and a
neighbourhood of Gabrovo (8 km south of its center) in
northern Bulgaria. It is on the northern edge of the Bulgarka
Nature Park, between the park and the city of Gabrovo.

It presents the Bulgarian customs, culture and

craftsmanship. It spans over an area of 7 ha and contains a
total of 50 objects, including water installations and houses
with craftsmen's workshops attached. As a whole, the
complex's goal is to illustrate the architecture, way of life
and economy of Gabrovo and the region during the
Bulgarian National Revival.
Roman theatre of Philippopolis

The Roman theatre of Philippopolis (Latin:

Theatrum Trimontense; Bulgarian:
Пловдивски античен театър, Plovdivski
antichen teatar) is one of the world's best-
preserved ancient Roman theatres, located in
the city center of modern Plovdiv, Bulgaria,
once the ancient city of Philippopolis. It was
constructed in the 1st century AD, probably
during the reign of Domitian. The theatre can
host between 5,000 and 7,000 spectators and
it is currently in use.
Kazanlak

There are several things that distinguish Kazanlak

from other cities in Bulgaria. First of all, here you
will find the largest and best-preserved Thracian
tomb in the country, which is also included in the
UNESCO list. Kazanlak can also boast of being the
capital of the Rose Valley. Here is the one-of-a-kind
Museum of the Rose, as well as the historical-
ethnographic complex "The Tower", where visitors
have the opportunity to observe primitive rose-
making and test products with the oil-bearing rose.
The Rose Festival is held here every year,
gathering visitors from near and far.
Rila Monastery

The Monastery of Saint John of Rila, also known as Rila

Monastery "Sveti Ivan Rilski" (Bulgarian: Рилски манастир
„Свети Иван Рилски“), is the largest and most famous
Eastern Orthodox monastery in Bulgaria. It is situated in the
southwestern Rila Mountains, 117 km (73 mi) south of the
capital Sofia in the deep valley of the Rilska River ("Rila
River") at an elevation of 1,147 m (3,763 ft) above sea level,
inside of Rila Monastery Nature Park. The monastery is
named after its founder, the hermit Ivan of Rila (876 - 946
AD), and houses around 60 monks. Founded in the 10th
century, the Rila Monastery is regarded as one of Bulgaria's
most important cultural, historical and architectural
monuments and is a key tourist attraction for both Bulgaria
and Southern Europe. In 2008 alone, it attracted 900,000
visitors. The monastery is depicted on the reverse of the 1
lev banknote, issued in 1999.
Map