Veliko Tarnovo

General info

Veliko Tarnovo (Bulgarian: Велико Търново) is a city in north central Bulgaria. Often referred to as the "City of the Tsars", Veliko Tarnovo is located on the Yantra River and is famous as the historical capital of the Second Bulgarian Empire, attracting many tourists with its unique architecture.
The old city is situated on three hills, Tsarevets, Trapezitsa and Sveta Gora raising amidst the meanders of the Yantra. Tsarevets housed the palaces of the Bulgarian Emperors and the Patriarchate, as well as a number of administrative and residential edifices surrounded by thick walls. Trapezitsa was known for its many churches and as the main residence of the nobility. In the Middle Ages it was among the main European centres of culture and gave its name to the Tarnovo Artistic School of architecture, painting and literature.
Veliko Tarnovo is an important administrative, economic, educational and cultural centre of Northern Bulgaria.
In the present day, the population of Veliko Tarnovo has been growing quickly, especially in the past 5-6 years. Today the population is around 105000 inhabitants, though this does not include the metropolitan area which it is believed to contain more than 250000 inhabitants.

History of Veliko Tarnovo

Veliko Tarnovo is one of the oldest settlements in Bulgaria, having a history of more than 5 millennia, as the first traces of human presence dating from the 3rd millennium BC are on Trapezitsa Hill
Veliko Tarnovo grew quickly to become the strongest Bulgarian fortification of the Middle Ages between the 12th and 14th century and the most important political, economic, cultural and religious centre of the empire. As the capital of the Second Bulgarian Empire, Tarnovo was a quasi-cosmopolitan city, with many foreign merchants and envoys.
The city flourished and grew for 200 years. Тhe political upsurge and spiritual development were discontinued in 1393 on 17 July, when after vigorous resistance to a 3-month siege Veliko Tarnovo was seized and the whole Bulgarian Empire was destroyed by the invader — the Ottoman Empire.  During the Ottoman rule Veliko Tarnovo was the location of two uprisings, both failed.
On 7 July 1877, Russian general Joseph Vladimirovich Gourko liberated Veliko Tarnovo, ending the 480-year-rule of the Ottoman Empire. In 1878, the Treaty of Berlin created a Principality of Bulgaria between the Danube and the Stara Planina range, with its seat at the old Bulgarian capital of Veliko Tarnovo. On 17 April 1879, the first National Assembly convened in Veliko Tarnovo to ratify the state's first constitution, known as the Tarnovo Constitution, the key result of which resulted in the transfer of Parliament from Tarnovgrad to Sofia, which today remains the Bulgarian capital.
In 1965, the city, then officially known as Tarnovo, was renamed to Veliko Tarnovo (Great Tarnovo) to commemorate its rich history and importance.

Sightseeing

Samovodska Charshia: The Samovodska charshia is the old market in the old capital of Bulgaria – Veliko Tarnovo. In the early 19 th century, when the town was rapidly developing, there emerged a shopping centre with lots of workshops, bakeries and cafes. The nowadays existing workshops recreate the Renaissance atmosphere. There are cutlery, tannery, pottery, a carpenter’s shops and a weaving workshop, where the artisans follow authentic technologies of work. During the 19 th century the important Tarnovian inns were located there. The most popular among them was the Hadji Nikoli Inn, which has now been restored.

Tzarevetz Fortress: Tarnovo was the capital of the Medieval Bulgarian kingdom for more than two centuries (from the end of XII to the XIV c.) It was a center of political, administrative, religious and cultural life of the kingdom. Contemporaries have described it as “God’s preserved town”, “The Great Tarnov”, “The queen of the towns”, ”the second town in words and acts after Constantinople”. The inaccessible hill of Tsarevets was the best place where the supreme power of the Bulgarian tsars could be established. The sophisticated fortress system ensured safety of the citizens. The main entrance of the fortress was the west one. It was fortified by four consecutive gates and turrets above them. There was a wooden draw-bridge in front of the first gate. The king’s palace and the Patriarchal complex were the most impressive ensembles on the hill. The Medieval Bulgarian rulers and their entourage resided at the palace. The complex was reconstructed several times in the period XII-XIV c. It was surrounded by high fortress wall with turrets. Richly decorated buildings were facing an inner yard. The throne room and king’s chambers had marvelous interior. The building of king’s administrators and a lot of service buildings were housed inside the complex.

Sound and light show: The Sound and Light Show is a unique attraction in Europe. Shows of its kind can only be seen in few other countries in the world. Through of music and spectacular illumination, this programme recreates the history of the Second Bulgarian Kingdom (1185 – 1393), the fall under the Turkish and the Liberation of Bulgaria in 1878. The music was composed especially for the show, which was first displayed in 1985.