Veliko Turnovo Bulgaria - Travel Guide, Tours, Hotels, Maps and Photos
Settlements: Veliko Turnovo guide. Information about Veliko Turnovo, Veliko Turnovo hotels, accommodation in Veliko Turnovo, pictures from Veliko Turnovo.
A big boyar settlement north of Tsarevets was studied, too which with its architectural pattern is the prototype of Bulgarian Revival house. A big Slavonic-Bulgarian settlement of the 8th to 10th century was founded on the ruins of this town. A lot of dwellings of boyars were found during excavation works and there was a little family church in nearly each of them. A lot of fighters for spiritual and national liberation were buried in its courtyard during the 19th century. After the town succumbed to Ottoman Rule the Bulgarian Patriarchy and the whole Patriarchal library was moved to it. After Veliko Turnovo fell under Ottoman Rule the town started to expand to the west little by little. All the prosperity and spiritual upsurge was discontinued on 17th July 1393, when after a 3-month siege Veliko Turnovo, and gradually the whole of Bulgaria succumbed under Ottoman Rule... Along with Byzantium it was the first power on the Old Continent. Although Sofia became the capital of Bulgaria after the Liberation, Veliko Turnovo continued to be a sanctuary for all Bulgarians, a bastion of Bulgarian national spirit and self-awareness. Assenova Mahala (quarter), located between the above mentioned hills, by the Yantra River, was inhabited by craftsmen. At the end of the 10th century the hill was already densely populated and in the 12th century it was a fortified town and a significant economic centre. At the railwau station there is a taxi service for Veliko Turnovo passing through the village of Arbanassi. Botev Street, tel.: 062 21545) and Sema Express (airlines ticket bureau, 25, Nikola Gabrovski Blvd., tel.: 062 621586). Botev Street, tel.: 062 22042), Inter-tour (an agent of Balkan Airlines, 13A, Hr. Botev Street, tel.: 062 22130), Rila International Travel Bureau (13A, Hr. Both stations are at they main railway line Rousse - Gorna Oryahovitsa - Stara Zagora - Podkova. Built steeply above the river, it seems as if they have perched one over the other. Centuries were to pass before the town was able to recuperate and experience a new economic, cultural and political upsurge during the Revival period. Cyril and Methodius Veliko Turnovo University rise on the place of the monastery. Dimitur Solunski Church was built in the outskirts of the hill and during its consecration the brothers Assen and Peter proclaimed the Uprising against the Byzantine invaders. During the 13th and 14th centuries the capital of Bulgaria was a big political, economic, trade and cultural centre in Europe. During the 18th century the Turks turned it into a mosque but a part of the valuables contained in it are still preserved. Elena Church (1872), as well as the House with the Monkey (1849, in the centre of the town), taking its name form the sitting monkey placed above the ground floor with an inscribed sign plate under it. From 10th February to 16th April 1879 the Constituent Assembly, which developed the First Bulgarian Constitution - the Turnovo Constitution, one of the most democratic constitutions in Europe for that time, convened here. Gavrail Lesnovski were moved by Tsar Kaloyan to the Holy Apostles Church located on the same hill. Georgi Church is also situated in the eastern outskirts of the hill. Gourko Street with a lot of Revival Period houses in it adds romantic atmosphere to the Old Town. Here on 7th November 1204 Archbishop Vassilii was promoted to the rank of Patriarch of Bulgarian church. Here the Titans of the Medieval Bulgarian spirit - Patriarch Evtimii and Teodosii Turnovski did creative works here. History: Veliko Turnovo is the town with the most glorious historical past in Bulgaria. In 1187 the Uprising of Assen and Peter was successfully completed, the Byzantine Rule was thrown off and Tur-novgrad became the capital (the third capital in the history of Bulgaria) of the restored Bulgarian Kingdom. In 1195 by an order of Tsar Ivan Assen I, the relics of St. It is a symbol
of Bulgarian statehood and a source of national pride for every Bulgarian. It is difficult to describe Veliko Turnovo, it is worth seeing with one’s own eyes!Accommodation: The Veliko Turnovo Interhotel (2, Alexander Penchev Street). It occupied an area of about 3000 square metres, shaped as an individual fortress in the shape of an irregular polygon. It originated during the reign of Tsar Ivan Assen II (1218-1241).Sveta Gora is the third hill of the Metropolis Turnovgrad. It rises south of Tsarevets and it was a cultural and spiritual centre of the Bulgarian State in Medieval times. It was a royal church up to the year 1230 and Assen, Peter and Kaloyan were crowned in it. It was erected by order of Tsar Ivan Assen II in honour of his great victory over the Byzantines at Klokotnitsa on 22nd March 1230. It was erected in 1612 in the place of a destroyed Medieval Bulgarian church. It was namely here that on 6th September 1885 Stefan Stambolov and Petko Karavelov made the decision to acknowledge the union of the Principality of Bulgaria with Eastern Roumelia. Its prosperity is related to 6th century BC - till 1st century AC. Its traces in the first centuries of the Roman Rule are lost on our lands (at the beginning of the new era). Ivan Rilski were rested in a monastery located on the hill. Landmarks: The Tsarevets Hill Archaeological Reserve - read in the separate article. Magnificent palaces, monasteries, churches, fortifications, bridges, big houses were built here. Momina Krepost Tourist House (Maiden’s Fortress) (in the Ksilofor Area, east of town, near the last stop of town bus lines No. Moreover, the railway station of Gorna Oryahovitsa (the biggest railway junction of Northern Bulgaria) is located at the distance of only several kilometres north-east of Veliko Turnovo. Nikola Church (1836) during whose construction Kolyu Ficheto worked as an apprentice. On 17th April 1879 the first Great National Assembly of liberated Bulgaria convened in Veliko Turnovo to elect a head of state. On 27th July the same year Alexander Battenberg was elected as Bulgaria’s knyaz (first prince). On 7th July 1877 Veliko Turnovo was free again. One of the most valuable Medieval Bulgarian monuments - Forty Holy Martyrs Church is situated at the western foothill of Tsarevets Hill, near the river. One of them is the tavern in the House with the Monkey, working hours: 11.00 a.m. Orbita Hotel (downtown, offers 50 beds, ‘tourist’ category). Peter and Pavel Church rises at the foothill of the northern slope of Tsarevets - the only better preserved church from Medieval Turnovgrad. Peter and Pavel) is called Аssenova Mahala (Assen’s quarter) and constituted the fundamental part of the so-called “external town”. Predominantly Turks settled down along the hills of Tsarevets and Trapezitsa and predominantly Bulgarians settled down in the new quarters. Remnants on Tsarevets Hill date back to the end of the Bronze Era (13th century BC). Slaveikov, of the great actor Konstantin Kissimov, of the writers Emiliyan Stanev and Dimitur Mantov and of a lot of other eminent Bulgarians. Solely the dwellings of the destitute among the non-privileged people remained outside the fortifications at the foothill of the Momina Krepost (Maiden’s Fortress) Hill, in the immediate proximity of the Yantra River. Spas (Ascension) Church (1862-1863) and St. Stam-boliiski Street, tel.: 062 628292), Rila Railway Bureau (13A, Hr. Stambolov’s Inn (was owned by Stefan Stambolov’s family, the rebellious Captain Dyado Nikola worked here, too). The Apostle Levski came here more than once (the last time in 1872, unfortunately enchained). The Bulgarian State reached the heights of its development during this period. The church was almost completely destroyed during the second half of the 19th century. The church was shown mercy after Turnovo fell under Ottoman Rule. The district of foreign merchants (Franks) was to the south-east of the Baldwin Tower. The earliest traces were found on the Trapezitsa Hill (dating back to first half of the 3rd millennium BC). The excavated foundations of residential buildings and churches along the steep slope of Tsarevets, east and south of the Patriarchy, forming a little quarter of the Medieval town are of a special interest. The following travel agencies are located there, too: Group (for bus tickets in the country and abroad, 1, Al. The following two centuries are “golden” in the history of the town. The house of Kokona (Grand Lady) Anastassia (of the end of the 18th century. The Inn of Hadzhi Nikola (1858), one of the most interesting architectural monuments of the Revival period. The last Bulgarian Patriarch - Evtimii served in this church for about two years before being sent in exile. The Lord’s Ascension Patriarchal Church with a belfry tower - a phenomenon scarcely met in the ecclesiastical architecture on the Balkans rose in the centre of the yard. The monument to Velcho Conspiracy in the square of the same name. The most interesting things in it are the mural paintings whose unknown author had shown himself as a follower of the best traditions of Turnovo School of Painting. The Museum of the Second Bulgarian State is located near the Konak. The other two quarter also had fortified protection and formed the “external town”. The Patriarchal complex rose at the highest place, above the Tsar’s Palace. The prison-museum (1862) where a lot of freedom-loving Bulgarians were sent, among them Levski, Philip Totyu, Stefan Karadzha, Bacho Kiro. The quarter on the two sides of the river between Tsarevets and TrapezitsaHills where the 4 valuable historical churches are located (St. The second largest architectural complex of Tsarevets is Bulgarian Patriarchy. The self-educated Bulgarian architect and builder Master Kolyu Ficheto greatly contributed in this respect. The Sveta Gora Motel (in the south-eastern end of the Sveta Gora Park). The town has a regular town bus and trolley-bus transport. The Trapezitsa Hill is related to the earliest manifestations of the Bulgarian rulers in the 12th century. The Tsar’s Palace and the Bulgarian Patriarchy were situated on the Tsarevets Hill and the houses of the boyars and the senior priesthood as well as a lot of churches were situated on Trapezitsa Hill. The Turnovo Literary School and the Turnovo School of Painting developed a versatile and vivacious activity in the biggest of the monasteries - Holy Virgin Odigitriya. The Turnovo School of Painting and the Turnovo Literary School, whose founders, organisers and most prominent representatives are Patriarch Evtimii and Teodosii Turnovski (of Turnovo), developed and carried out their versatile activities here. The Yantra Hotel (3-star, 2, Opulchenska Street). Then Bacho Kiro, Tsanko Dyustabanov and a lot of other fighters for freedom were hanged under the gallows erected in the town square. There are a lot of other interesting old houses, public buildings, squares, dozens of monuments, too. There are cosy and typical Bulgarain public catering and entertainment establishments offering traditional Bulgarian cuisine in Veliko Turnovo. There is another railway station - Trapezitsa, north-west under the hill of the same name. There were a lot of churches and monasteries here. Thick fortified walls of the “internal town” protected Tsarevets and Trapezitsa. This oldest settlement was inhabited by Thracians (the tribes of uzdicenses and crobises) and existed by the end of the Iron Era. Thus, for instance, the three preserved stone columns - Assen’s, Omourtag’s and the one from the Rodosto Fortress are of an exceptional importance to historical science and prove the succession in the Bulgarian statehood. Tourist information: at the Tourist InformationCentre – 5000 Veliko Turnovo (13A, Hristo Botev Str., tel.: 062(P. Transport: The town of the old Metropolis is connected with bus and a railway transport. Trapezitsa Tourist House (in the centre of the town, 79, Stambolov Street, it has 73 beds in 2 suites and in 2-, 3- and 4-bed rooms. Tsar Kaloyan’s grave and his golden 61-gram ring-seal were found during excavation works in the 1970-ies. Tsarevets Hill finishes in its north-eastern end with a strongly protruding over the Yantra River Lobna Skala (Rock at the place of death) from which traitors were thrown down.