The town of Tryavna (12 226 inhabitants, 440 meters
altitude), famous for its unique Renaissance Art School is situated
in the Northern foots of Tryavna Balkan. Its slopes are the natural
scenery that gives the town the charm of a favorite mountain resort
with health - recovering climate.
The legends tell that during the reign of the Assen
brothers in XII century, the youngest brother Kaloyan built the St.
Archangel Michail church in the Tryvna locality and a settlement appeared
around it whose inhabitants had the obligation to guard the road through
the Balkan to Odrin and Tsarigrad in the years of the yoke.
In XVIII and the beginning of XIX century, the town
is blooming thanks to the fine culture and feeling of beauty of its
citizens. Houses are built, as well as schools and churches, the craftsmen
and the woodcarvers establish their guilds and promote the influence
of the Tryavna art school. The fame of the Tryavna masters spreads throughout
Bulgaria.
Pride and independent, the people of Tryavna actively
participate in the battles for cultural and political independance.
The follower of Vasil Levski, Angel Kunchev, and the poet Pencho Slaveykov
are born here.
The streets of the old town are a slow cobblestone,
silence and cleanness. The houses are in the style of the Renaissance,
a real architectural reserve with about 140 monuments of architecture.
They preserve the masterpieces of the Tryavna School: the ensembles
on the Captain Dyado Nikola Square, P.R. Slaveykov Street, Asenevtsi
Street. The Museum of woodcarving and icon painting is in the Daskalov
house /1804/ (27A-P.R. Slaveikov Str., tel. 0670/ 21 66) Suns shine
from the authentic ceilings of carved wood and tell stories of the noble
competition and mastership of two men - woodcarvers, initiated here
the first art competition.
The museum Tryavna icon-painting school (1 Breza
Str. tel. 0677/ 3753) exhibits over 160 icons - masterpieces of
the icon painting school, as the tools of the former painters.
Among the attractive for tourists places are museums
Slaveykov's house /1830/ and Angel Kanchev; the house of Grandpa
Dobri /1834/; Raykov's house /1846/, and the Popangel's
house is the oldest in town - from XVIII century. The St. Archangel Michail of 1918 is a real
masterpiece.(Kapitan Diado Nikola Sq., tel. 0677/ 34 42) The grandeur
of the iconostasis is a contribution of Vitan Kolev - junior, the amazing
bishop throne is carved by priest Koju Vitanov about 1821, and the cross
above the throne with 12 Bible subjects is a precious relic.
Permanent exhibitions attract the visitors to Shkoloto
/the school/ (7 Kapitan Diado Nikola Sq., tel. 0677/ 25 17) and to the
Totyo Gubenski art gallery in the Kalintshev house (1830). Among
the exhibits are the donations of the world famous artist Dimitar Kazakov. The clock tower (1814) and the Upper Bridge
(1844), (called rather the Hunchbacked Bridge by the Tryavna people)
add to the idea of the aesthetical feeling of the people from the old
days.
The villages of Skortsi and Dobrevtsi are still
keeping their ancient atmosphere and the unique renaissance houses.
A legend village, idyllic and beautiful, is the
Architectural and ethnographic reserve Bozhentsi only a few kilometers
from Tryavna. One can get there walking on a direct pathway.
The town of Plachkovtsi (only 7 km from Tryavna)
is a resort area and is situated in the very foots of the mountain.
It is a starting point for hiking routes toward Krastets Station and
Tryavna Balkan.
A great part of Tryavna municipality is included
in the Bulgarka Natural Park where natural phenomena like Vikana
Rock, Muhnatite (Mossy) Rocks and Stolista can be seen.
In May every year the Slaveykov's days are
held, devoted to poetry and literature.
Every odd year the only international fair of
Wood plastic arts, Bet in Tryavna is held here.
ACCOMMODATION
Hotel complex - THE INN ZOGRAFF ***
The hotel disposes of 39 beds (+
9 extra) in:
2 suites (bedroom and conventible sofa), 2 small suites (bedroom,
kitchen, terrace), 12 double rooms (5 of them with extra bed),
1 triple room and 1 room with 4 beds Coffee bar - 36 seats at
the terrace, 40 seats indoors; Tavern - 120 seats in the open
(summer garden), 70 seats indoors. Conference hall 50 seats.
Facilities: Room service; free laundry service; baby-sitting;
massage in the rooms. Trips to interesting places and landmarks.
Training in wood carving and icon painting for amateurs. All year
- round hotel.
Total capacity 126 beds in 3 suites,
6 single rooms and 57 double rooms (extra bed for child upon request).
Restaurant 130 seats, 45 - seat lobby bar, 60 - seat summer terrace,
BBQ Sezoni hotel will help you to make your stay pleasant with:
outdoors swimming pool - children part attached, sauna, jacuzzi;
Two conference halls: big with 80 seats (up to 130 only seating
places) and small - 30 seats, parking lot. All -year-round hotel.
The hotel offers: 5 double
rooms; 1 single room; 2 suites with two rooms; 1 luxurious suite;
foyer bar and a snack bar; room service; extra beds available;
cable TV, telephone.
Disposes of 50 seats and summer garden
with 60 seats. The restaurant is situated next to Museum of woodcarving
(Daskalova house) in the old part of Tryavna. Bulgarian and European
cuisine. Open all year round.
Sezoni Hotel ***- 126 beds
Tryavna Hotel *** - 105 beds
Ralitsa Hotel *** - 100 beds
Panorama Hotel *** - 100 beds
Zograph INN **- 23 beds
Familia Hotel **- 20 beds
Tigara Family Hotel * - 10 beds
Raj Family Hotel * - 15 beds