Regional tourist association Stara Planina 9, Opalchenska Street 5300 Gabrovo, Bulgaria tel./fax: +359 66/ 809 161 tel: +359 66/ 807 137 fax: +359 66/ 806 199 e-mail: office e-mail: info With the financial support of the Swiss government		NATIONAL REVIVAL PERIOD - THE BULGARIAN RENAISSANCE In the beginning, there was a monk and small 'booklet' - Paisiy Hilendarski and his "History of Slavs and Bulgarians". The time was 18th century. The Balkan Mountain became the symbol of new revival for the people and a fortress of Bulgarianhood. Settlements in Stara Planina experienced an economic and cultural growth, evidence of which are the names bearing the word 'Altan' - golden. National Revival spirit lives there even today - in the architectural ensembles, museums, churches, and monasteries. Tryavna - the town of master wood-carvers and icon-painters - still keeps the spirit of the 18th and 19th century. Unique are the architectural ensembles - the central square with the Clock Tower, built in 1814, the authentic Revival houses, the clean cobbled streets, the arched stone Kivgiren Bridge, the churches and the open crafts workshops, in which today's masters show their wonderful works. The Museum of Tryavna Icon - Painting School, the carved ceilings of Daskalov House - Museum of woodcarving, the beautiful architecture of Shkoloto (the School), Kalinchev, Slavejkov and Angel Kunchev Museum - Houses, all tell the story of the genius of Renaissance artists, who have created the unique style in wood-carving, icon-painting and architecture. Tryavna Art School was among the leading ones in Bulgaria. It is also the only one that has been preserved and developed till present days. Dryanovo is the birthplace of the construction and architectural genius from the epoch of National Revival - Master Kolyo Ficheto. The town center, the Clock Tower from 1778, the church of St. Nikola, the bridge over Dryanovska River, Ikonomov and Lafchiev Houses are all samples of this period. The construction of Lafchiev House is especially original, containing not a single nail. It hosts the ethnographic exhibition "Urban Mode of Life and Culture from the 19th and the Beginning of the 20th Century". Magnificent is the exposition of ancient Orthodox icons. In the villages of Dryanovo region, such as Bochukovtsi, Kalomen, Dlagnya and Radovtsi many authentic old revival houses and churches have been preserved. Traditions of the Revival School of building and the masterpieces of Kolyo Ficheto Master - builder are shown in the Museum in the centre of Dryanovo. Gabrovo was the cradle of new Bulgarian education. The Aprilov School (1835) was the first Bulgarian secular school. The monumental building, constructed to resemble the Rishelyov Lyceum in Odessa, is today both a school and a National Museum of Education. The Dechkov House hosts the Museum of Urban Mode of Life from the 18th and 19th century. Impressive samples of National Revival architecture are the Clock Tower (1835), the Baev Bridge, built specially for the visit of Sultan Abdul Medzhid in 1855, the Church of Uspenie Bogorodichno (1865), whose icons and carvings are masterpieces of Renaissance woodcarving school. The Open Air Ethnographic Museum of Etur (8 km from Gabrovo) offers to its visitors a crafts street, magnificent ensemble of houses and workshops with demonstrations of 20 handicrafts from the National Revival Period. Masters - craftsmen create beautiful ornaments on silver bracelets, coloured ceramics, wooden pots, wrought knives, rugs and icons. Simple wooden mechanisms, driven by the waters of the small mountain river of Sivek even today, are a unique technology created by the inventiveness of Balkan people. 12 km. away from Gabrovo is situated a 500 - years old village of Bozhentsi. It is among the most precious architectural and historical reserves in Bulgaria. The village attracts thousands of tourists all over the world with its well-preserved authentic architecture. The beautiful revival houses with heavy gates and roofs, covered with stone plates, wooden terraces full of flowers make the atmosphere in Bozhentsi unique. In Sevlievo, monuments of the National Revival Period are the stone bridge of Rositsa River built by Master Kolyo Ficheto, the Clock Tower (1779) - one of the oldest in Bulgaria, the Churches of Sveta Troitsa (Holy Trinity) and Sveti Prorok Ilia (St. Prophet Elijah), whose altar is pure classic with its carvings and icons. A real magnificence of wood and stone are Dandolov Houses and Hadzhistoyanov School (1846), today the Historical Museum of the town. The Monument of Freedom, dedicated to the memory of hung rebellion leaders in the tragic 1876, stands as the symbol of the town. The museum exposition called "Tabahana" shows the most developed local craft during National Revival Period, tabaklak (raw leather processing). In Bulgarian history the name of Apriltsi is associated with the heroic days of April Uprising in 1876. On May the 1st, 1876 in this region burst out Novo selo Rebellion - the most large - scale rebellion against the Ottoman oppressor in Northern Bulgaria. Nine days of the revolt - nine breaths of freedom were won against atrocious bloodshed and a total ravage of the valley. The memory of these days is kept in the ossuary of Sveta Troitsa (Holy Trinity) Monastery in Apriltsi. Memorials dedicated to the Heroes of the April Rebellion are all over the vicinity. At the foot of the mountain peak Maragidik is the Monument of Tsanko Dyustabanov - one of the bes t- known leaders of April Rebellion in the region. The town of Troyan has kept interesting samples of National Revival architecture. The former Konak (today - part of the Museum of Traditional Crafts), Serekov House, stone sculptures and facade ornaments, carved iconostases with scenes from the Bible call for admiration even today, and not only among the lovers of fine arts. The churches of St. Paraskeva in Troyan and Vsyah Svetih (All Saints) in the village of Golyama Zhelyazna are quite interesting for the studious. The Sveti Nikolay Letni Church in Gumoshtnik village is a part of an architectural complex with cultural, historical and artistic value, with a cell school and museum exposition. In its yard, one could see the exceptional gravestones, including these of local people who lost their lives in the tragedy of Titanic ship. In the center of Troyan, the only in Bulgaria Museum of Traditional Crafts and Applied Arts shows samples of crafts produce, which is still alive in this area. Troyan Art School of ceramics is the pride of the town. The works of present - day masters are well known all over the world. The National Fair - exhibition of Crafts in Oreshak village presents the achievements of modern masters following the tradition of old ones. Among the emblematic buildings in Teteven is the impressive three-nave basilica of Vsyah Svetih (All Saints) with the clock tower. Built in the years of Ottoman rule, it presents a unique exception of a high silhouette. The old houses - Hadzhiivanova, Bobekova and Yorgova - were built in the typical National Revival style of Teteven Balkan architecture. In some of the villages around Teteven, one can find centuries-old houses, all of which have been designated as Monuments of Culture. The exposition of the Historical Museum in Teteven testifies the millennial history of the town and its blossoming forth during the National Revival period. Handicrafts in Teteven have been developed even today. Guests of Teteven are filled with admiration to the authentic, particoloured rugs and to the incredible wooden knotworks of masters - woodcarvers. Near the village of Ribaritsa (Kostina locality) is the place of death of Georgi Benkovski - one of the leaders of the April Revolt in 1876. Every year, on May 25, grateful generations come to honour the heroes, performing demonstrations of these historical events. One of the most beautiful and richest Bulgarian towns from the epoch of National Revival was Lovech - the so-called Altan Lovech. The old part of the town, Varosha, situated on the bank of Ossum River is preserved as an authentic architectural reserve. Over 200 houses built at the end of 19th century form the Architectural Reserve. Integral parts of this revival ensemble are the Museum of Vasil Levski; the Ethnographical complex; the Medieval fortress Hissar; the churches Sveta Nedelya and Uspenie Bogorodichno (Assumption). The town takes pride in the unique Covered wooden bridge over the river of Osam, made by Master Kolyo Ficheto. The distinctive architecture combined with archaeological sites and relics make the Architectural and Historical Reserve Varosha extremely attractive for the tourists. 20 km. South - East from Lovech is situated village of Stefanovo. Its old part is announced as Architectural Reserve. Old Stefanovo village has 96 authentic well-preserved revival houses from 19th century. The Church Rozhdestvo Bogorodichno was built up in 1882 by the famous Master Builder from Tryavna Gencho Kunev. Lovech was one of the centers of the National fight for liberation. The Apostle of Bulgarian freedom, Vasil Levski, chose it to be the headquarters of the Internal Revolutionary Central Committee. 19 km. away from the town on the road to Sevlievo is Kukrina Inn - the place, where on 27 of December 1872 the Turks captured Vasil Levski. The museum's exposition shows the beginning of the immortality of Bulgaria's great son.
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