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Renaissance Villages

Koprivshtitsa is situated 100 km east of Sofia at 1060 m. altitude. The most beautiful construction art from the Bulgarian Renaissance of ХІХ c. is preserved in the town. The town emerges in the beginning of the Turkish yoke as a shepherd's village. Its name is associated with the historic past of Bulgaria. On 20 Apr 1876 here is announces the April rebellion. The most impressive sights are the houses with their high stone walls, large gates and verandas. The more moderate of them are built by local craftsman and the bigger - by rich tradesmen and craftsmen with rich decoration and wood-carving. The bridges and cauldron streets accomplish the architectural ensemble. Precious wall-paintings and wood-carvings are preserved in the old town church, created by some of the most famous Bulgarian Renaissance painters and wood-carvers.

Since 1971 the town is a architectural-historic reservate with 10 houses museums. It is the birthplace of many imminent Renaissance personalities.
For its beautiful nature and unique architecture the town is developing as a resort and tourist center.

Tryavna is situated in the central part of Bulgaria. The town emerges during the ХII c. During the ХVІІІ – ХІХ c. it becomes an important crafts center. Highly developed are the icon painting and wood-carving. The so called Tryavna School is established which was famous outside Bulgaria too. Tryavna is the birthplace of many of our imminent Renaissance personalities. There are many cultural monuments preserved - the clock tower (1814), the upper bridge (1844), the churches Archangel Mikhail (Michael) ХII c and St. Georgi (George) (1850) and others. The ancient city plaza is preserved with many houses - true monuments of Bulgaria's Renaissance.

Bansko - you can get information from Mountain Resorts

Zheravna is a small village with 800 – 900 inhabitants. It emerges in XII-XIV c. During the Turkish yoke is a crafts and educational center. The village is famous with its picturesque two-floor houses with rich wood-carving and church from 1834, convents, school, reading-room with a rich library. Zheravna is the birthplace of many of our revolutionaries, poets and writers. For its unique architecture the village is announced an architectural and ethnographic reservate museum.

Bozhentsi is an architectural-ethnographic reservate which is near the town of Gabrovo. Legends are that the small village is founded during the ХІV c. from the Boyar woman of Turnovo Bozhana who found a haven for her and her 9 sons in this place after Bulgaria's fall under the Turkish yoke. Every morning her flock went to feed in an unknown direction and in the evening came fed up and quenched. So once Bozhana followed the flock and the traces lead her to a fruitful forest area with pure karst springs. There she decided to settle with her sons and built a house. Her offspring named the emerged later village on her. During the ХVІІІ c. Bozhentsi is in a economic rise. It turns into an important administrative center thanks to the development of trade and crafts. For its wealth and self-confidence if its inhabitants speak the built and preserved until today large houses. Most of them have been restored and some are turned into museums.

Bozhentsi is a miracle village that has preserved the atmosphere of past ages and at the same time it exists in our present reality.

Nesebar - you can get information from Objects Protected by UNESCO

Etarat is a unique architectural-ethnographic park museum in the open on an area of 60 decares right next to the town of Gabrovo. It is open for visitors since 1964. The exposition shows in live the economic, architecture and the old crafts in Bulgaria during the Renaissance. The houses, craft workshops and machines are in deed functioning at present. A typical Renaissance village with a bazaar and shops is formed. Masters craftsmen work with authentic instrument in different workshops: blacksmith's, knives', pottery's, leather's, etc. Home made weave of carpets is shown. A tavern and cafe are working and preserved in the same Renaissance style. Etarat is exceptionally interesting for the Bulgarians and foreign visitors.