Bulgaria is a country in Southeastern Europe and is situated on the Balkan Peninsula. To the north the country borders Rumania, to the east – the Black Sea, to the south – Turkey and Greece, and to the west – Yugoslavia and Macedonia. Bulgaria is a parliamentary republic with a National Assembly (One House Parliament) of 240 national representatives. The President is Head of State.

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Bulgarian Cities
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Detailed information about Bulgaria

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Tours in Bulgaria
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Information about the Bulgarian Cities

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Information about the Bulgarian Seaside Cities

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Information about the Bulgarian Ski Resorts

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Detailed information about Bulgaria

Geography
Hazard and Safety
Visas
Food
Climate
Economy
Culture
Religion
Parks and Reserves
UNESCO sites
History

Geography

The Republic of Bulgaria covers a territory of 110 993 square kilometres. The average altitude of the country is 470 metres above sea level.

The Stara Planina Mountain occupies central position and serves as a natural dividing line from the west to the east. It is a 750 km long mountain range stretching from the Vrushka Chuka Pass to Cape Emine and is part of the Alpine-Himalayan mountain range. It reaches the Black Sea to the east and turns to the north along the Bulgarian-Yugoslavian border.

A natural boundary with Romania is the Danube River, which is navigable all along for cargo and passenger vessels.

The Black Sea is the natural eastern border of Bulgaria and its coastline is 378 km long. There are clearly cut bays, the biggest two being those of Varna and Bourgas. About 25% of the coastline are covered with sand and hosts our seaside resorts.

The southern part of Bulgaria is mainly mountainous. The highest mountain is Rila with Mt. Moussala being the highest peak on the Balkan Peninsula (2925 m). The second highest and the mountain of most alpine character in Bulgaria is Pirin with its highest Mt. Vihren (2914 m), followed by the Rhodope Mountains and Vitosha.

The plains and the lowlands in the country cover large areas to the north and the south of the Stara Planina Mountain. The Danube Plain is the biggest, bordering Yugoslavia to the west, the Dobroudzha region and the Black Sea to the east, the river Danube to the north and the Balkan Mountains to the south. Its relief is noted for the numerous plateaus, hills and river valleys cutting through the mountain.

Dobroudzha is a hilly plain, situated in the north-eastern corner of Bulgaria. It is also referred to as “ the granary of Bulgaria”.

The Rose Valley is located to the north between Stara Planina and the long and low mountain chain of Sredna Gora Mountain. Besides the widespread crops, the valley is typical for the oil-yielding rose grown there. It is one of the patents of the unique climate of Bulgaria. Another is the world-famous Bulgarian yogourt, made with the help of the yeast-type “bacillus Bulgaricum” (Lactobacterium Bulgaricum Grigoroff).

The Thracian Lowland is the second biggest in the country, starting from the mountains that surround Sofia to the west and reaching the Black Sea to the east. It stretches between the Sredna Gora to the north and Rila, the Rhodope Mountains and Strandzha to the south. Crops typical for the southern longitudes are grown there and sometimes two harvests are gathered.

Many European travellers claim that Bulgaria is Eden on Earth. It has everything: a sea; rivers and lakes, high mountains, virgin forests, plateaus and plains, hot and cold mineral springs.

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Hazard and Safety

One can hardly foresee all hazards and risks, which a tourist could face in a foreign country. The Republic of Bulgaria is increasingly meeting the EC criteria for ensuring security and preventive guard to its citizens and guests. Nevertheless, there are some hazards, which could be kept in mind and prevented by Bulgarians as well as by tourists travelling round the country.

Here we offer nine “golden” rules, which can help to a risk-free stay:

• Every visitor changes money upon entering the country. Sometimes in front of the change bureau there are people offering a higher exchange rate than the official one. Avoid such gains on the cheap, if you don’t want to be the victim of a street swindle.
• When parking your car don’t forget to check whether all doors and the boot are well locked. Leave no documents, bags and valuable articles exposed inside the car. Leave your car at paid parking lots, which provide security to your car and belongings.
• Thefts happen worldwide, so you must know where the most risky places are. Above all these are the markets, then the town transport, or evenings in the suburbs or the narrow streets in the centre of bigger towns, the railway stations, bus stations and airports. Do not leave your luggage unattended, nor trust any unknown persons to keep it. Carry only limited cash, and keep your documents in a safe place.
• Leave on deposit in the hotel safes, if you don’t need them for the day, any valuables like golden jewellery and ornaments, laptop computers, video-cameras and expensive photo-cameras. Don’t leave them behind in your hotel rooms or lodgings, nor entrust them to new acquaintances.
• The local guides of Asia, Africa or Latin America offering cheap services (a sight familiar to globe-trotters) are not typical of Bulgaria. If you are offered guide services without having asked for, refuse without getting involved, because the prospective guide may be up to something unpleasant.
• Still persisting is the risk of meeting people involved in criminal business, narcotics trading, and traffic of women abroad. People of this kind can be most frequently encountered at motorways and in roadside motels, night clubs, bingo halls, fitness centres, and in the expensive resorts and restaurants. Avoid any contacts or quarrel with them.
• Avoid buying and drinking liquor, purchased from cheap little shops. Check whether the excise bands are firmly affixed to the bottle in factory conditions.
• When on vacation at the seaside, use mainly the beaches supervised by life-guards, and strictly observe the rules of safe bathing in the sea. Do not risk swimming in unknown and risky places, don’t dive or ride a jet or motorboat near the shore. Prefer places with more people, which ensures that the sea is safe there; stay near some people for eventual assistance in case of need.
• When hiking in the mountains, always follow the marked tracks. Carry warm clothes, comfortable footwear, a torch lights, two pairs of socks, pocket-knife, matches and rain-protecting wear. Have at hand food for at least one day, warming drink and a litre of water. Do not risk venturing out alone along unknown paths and risky venues. In winter give up hiking out in the mountain in poor visibility conditions, or without reliable equipment. If you are a mountaineer, snowboarder or ordinary skier, use only well-tried tours and frequented ski-runs. Best of all keep in group, next to people who are familiar with the tracks, ski-runs and the tours. Hire a good local guide, preferably a professional mountain guide. This would save you long inquiries, much effort and unpleasant experience, and will guarantee your health and life. Guides can be hired from licensed agencies and societies specialised in tourism, mountaineering and skiing.

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Visas

The Republic of Bulgaria requires no visas for the citizens of a number of countries in the world, but every tourist is advised to obtain preliminary information in this respect because some kinds of visas require longer time for processing and issuing. Bulgarian citizens are not required visas for travelling in the European Community countries and in most of the remaining European countries, as well as in some countries in Asia, Africa and America, with which Bulgaria maintains enduring friendly, cultural and economic relations.
All data below are subject to frequent change as far as terms, costs and visa requirements with each specific country are concerned, so the prospective visitors should first check the state of the contacts between their own country and Bulgaria.

Entry of foreign citizens in Bulgaria. A foreign citizen may enter Bulgaria only if he possesses a valid document for travelling abroad or any substituting document instead, as well as an entry visa, visa for a stay or a transit visa, when such is required. Visas cover:

Transit visa

Short-term visa

Group visa

Long-term visa.

The term of stay in the country on the grounds of a visa may not exceed 90 (ninety) days. Visas are issued by the diplomatic and consular offices of the Republic of Bulgaria, long-term visas are issued upon the approval of the foreign citizens control authorities.

Since 1st January 2002 the Ministry of Foreign Affairs commenced issuing a new type of Bulgarian visa. It is in the form of a sticker and for the first time in Europe a photo on it is required.

Transit visa. A foreign citizen who enters Bulgaria on the grounds of a transit visa at a particular border checkpoint from one country shall leave Bulgaria within 24 (twenty-four) hours through the border checkpoint with another country. In order to obtain a transit visa the foreign citizen shall have visa for the country of his final destination. Should he travel not by airplane or no visa is required for the country of final destination, the foreign citizen shall have visa for the first country along the route, for which visas are required. Single – valid up to 3 (three) months and allowing only 1 (one) transit through the country. Double transit – 3 (three), 6 (six) or 12 (twelve) months validity, allowing 2 (two) transits through the country. Multiple - 3 (three), 6 (six) or 12 (twelve) months validity, allowing unlimited number of transits through the country.

Short-term visa. Such visa is issued to a foreign citizen when he enters the country once or multiple times for a stay of up to 90 (ninety) days within a 6 (six) months period considered from the date of his first entry. The multiple short-term visa is valid for up to 1 (one) year. The validity may be extended by the foreign citizens control authorities for humanitarian reasons. Single (tourist) visa – valid up to 3 (three) months and allowing 1 (one) entry and stay in the country. Multiple entry visa –3 (three), 6 (six) or 12 (twelve) months validity, allowing unlimited number of entries in the country.

Group visa. Group visa is issued for a transit stay or entitling to a stay up to 30 (thirty) days to foreign citizens who had formed a group before their departure to Bulgaria, are registered in a group passport and only if they enter, stay and leave the country as a group.

Long-term visa. It is issued to a foreign citizen who is willing to stay for a longer term or settle in the country. It entitles the foreigner to 1 (one) entry and to a stay of up to 90 (ninety) days. The validity may not exceed 6 (six) months.

Application for visa for a private visit. Nevertheless the term of stay, the applicant shall present: invitation to a foreign citizen on a private visit; banking statements certifying solvency or available funds amounting to USD 40 (forty US Dollars) per day for the term of stay; documents evidencing the extent of social integration (position, workplace, family); should the host be a relative, the applicant for visa shall present documents evidencing the kinship ties with the inviting person.

Application for a single entry business visa. The obligatory documents include: invitation to a foreign citizen on a business visit; certificate of the valid court registration of the foreign company; certifying letter from the foreign company about the position of the applicant, unless the latter is not an owner; should the applicant certify that he has registered a company according to Bulgarian legislation, a certificate from the tax authorities is required for the preceding year, evidencing the absolute figure of the declared income and the tax paid.

Application for a multiple entry business visa for a 12 (twelve)-month period. The obligatory documents required include: certificate from the foreign association of commercial banks or the chamber of commerce and industry; certificate of the valid court registration of the foreign company; customs, tax, banking and other documents, evidencing the existence of “enduring relations”.

Business trip. The obligatory documents required from the Bulgarian company include: invitation to a foreign citizen on a visit and a letter evidencing the purpose of the trip; from the foreign company: a letter evidencing the purpose of the trip and the position of the applicant for visa.

The tourists are advised to take particular care of keeping possession of their documents. Any loss or damage of passport and customs documents is quite unpleasant and entails lengthy operations on their renewal, since each case is processed by the Ministry of the Interior, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the embassy of the respective country whose citizen the tourist is, and the customs authorities.

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Food

Bulgarian food does not particularly differ from the traditional European cuisine. The basic food products of the traditional Bulgarian cuisine are beans, sour and fresh milk, cheese, tomatoes, paprika, potatoes, onions, apples, water-melons, and grapes.

Bulgarians consume all kinds of meat from industrially bred animals and fowls, fresh-water and sea fish, more seldom (wild) game. Bread is invariantly present on Bulgarian dinner table. The tradition of meeting visitors with bread and salt is very much alive. The Bulgarians’ cuisine is moderate, with meals seldom too salted, hot or sour.

Food products can be purchased in all food stores and supermarkets, as well as on the direct producer-consumer market. Cooked food is served in catering establishments, pizza stands and restaurants, the prices depending on the category of the catering establishment.

In recent years the country has been flooded with thousands of private catering establishments, which serve traditional Bulgarian cuisine. The most frequent meat specialities are kebapcheta (minced-meat rolls) and kyuf­te­ta (meatballs), shish kebab (grilled meat) on skewers, steaks, and loukanka (salami); tarator (cold summer soup), cheese a la Shopski, breaded yellow cheese, beans soup cooked in a monastery manner, banitsa (sheeted pastry with cheese), paprika stuffed with eggs and cheese, Russian sa­lad, aubergine puree, Shopska salad and caramel custard - of the meatless dishes. Bulgarian sour milk is worldwide famous – cow’s milk, sheep’s milk and buffalo-cow’s milk – all of various taste and cream content. By no chance the microorganisms that are of a yeast-type and make this divine product are called Lactobacterium Bulgaricum (Grigoroff). Along with the oil-yielding rose, which is part of every nice perfume, the milk of Bulgarian origin is among the most demanded goods at the stocks worldwide.

Fruit and vegetables grown in Bulgaria are of unique taste. The fruits and vegetables purchased from the market should be abundantly washed in flowing water before consumption. In small booths one can buy edible kernels, baked seeds and popcorn, dried, caramel- or chocolate-coated kernels and fruits.

A breakfast in an ordinary restaurant costs about 3 Leva, a dinner - 8 Leva, and supper - around 10 Leva. If you order wine or 50 grams liquor, the bill is almost doubled.

Water in Bulgaria is usually good to drink. Irrespective of this tourists must seek information on the current state of tap water in the respective settlement. Mineral water is sold everywhere; it is of exclusively good quality, factory-bottled and duly sealed. Everywhere on sale are also natural juices without preservatives, manufactured by Bulgarian and foreign producers. The Bulgarian juices cost no more than 2 Leva a litre, the imported ones cost around 3 Leva. Tea and coffee is offered everywhere in the country. Boza, an Arab boiled-grain drink popular in Bulgaria is also widely sold. Fresh milk, obligatorily pasteurised, is sold in a wide diversity of packaging. Beer, locally brewed and imported is very popular, either tapped or bottled. The products of Coca-Cola, Pepsi, and Bulgarian soft drinks can be found in every food or specialised shop.

Alcoholic drinks are on sale in most food shops, and in numerous specialised pubs. Bulgarian wines are famed for their exceptional quality; indeed, Bulgaria is one of the world’s major wine exporters. The price of one bottle of 0.75 litres of good dry wine varies between 3 and 5 Leva.

Alcoholic concentrate traditional for Bulgaria is called rakiya. The price of a 0.5-litre bottle varies between 3 Leva and 15 Leva, depending on the quality of the product, the manufacturing technology and the region of origin. Prime quality rakiya are used as a medicine in traditional medicine. Imported brand drinks are available everywhere. Their price is close to that in the producer countries. All alcoholic drinks should mandatory bear an excise band.

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Climate

Bulgaria as a whole is sutiated in the moderate climatic zone. The country can be conditionally divided into two climatic zones. The Stara Planina Mountain is considered the watershed between them. Winters are colder in Northern Bulgaria and much milder in the Southern part of the country. Winter temperatures vary between 0° and 7°C below zero. Very rarely temperatures may drop below 20°C below zero. Typical continental and changeable is the climate in spring. It is exceptionally favourable for the growth of fruit-bearing trees, for whose fruit Bulgaria has been renowned in Europe for centuries. Summer is hot and sweltering in Northern Bulgaria, especially along the Danube River.

The climate in Southern Bulgaria is determined by the air-currents from the Mediterranean. Summer temperatures do not reach the extremes as in Dobroudzha and along the Danube and are usually moderate: about 28°-30°C. The highest readings are usually taken in the towns of Rousse and Silistra, sometimes reaching above 35°C. Autumns are mild and pleasant in Bulgaria. The multi-coloured forests in autumn add to the picturesque landscape. Autumn showers in principle are more frequent than in spring. May, October and November are the rainiest months. As is natural, in the high mountains the temperatures depend on the altitude.

There are different climatic zones suitable for the growth of one or another rare species or crops. Typical examples are the Sub-Balkan valley, referred to as the Rose Valley, some regions in the Rhodope Mountains where one can find the unique flower of Orpheus, the region of the town of Sandanski where olives and citrus fruit are grown, etc. There are some interesting areas from a climatic point of view, such as the Sofia Plain, the regions of Sliven and Varna, where strong winds blow almost throughout the year. In the first two cases they are due to the proximity with the Balkan Mountains and its passes, which let all winds blow constantly through them. In the case with Varna this phenomenon is due to the specific microclimate of the Bay of Varna and the sea air-currents coming from the north.

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Economy

The first steps made by Bulgarian economy in the modern sense of the word date back to the beginning of the 19th century when Bulgaria became famous for its agricultural production. In the beginning of the 20th century the country was one of the biggest exporters of early vegetables, fruit, milk, cheese, butter and meat in Europe. Up to the middle of the 20th century Bulgaria was considered a typically agrarian country.

The development of the industrial production and the manufacture date back to the first third of the 19th century. The factories in Sliven, Gabrovo, Veliko Turnovo and Stara Zagora, the development of crafts in these towns and in many others near the Balkan Mountains, gained good markets for Bulgaria and made it popular among the partners from the east and the west.

The national industry advanced at a moderate pace till the middle of the 20th century when the government decided to turn the country into an industrial giant on the Balkans. This strategy was successful to a certain extent but it was at the expense of significant investments and a number of mistakes, connected with the lack of sufficient natural resources. The basic doctrine of the government was to increase the number of the working class, which implied opening of new enterprizes, construction of new factories and works, power plants, industrial enterprises and dams. The volunteer brigades of school children, soldiers and university students contributed as a free work resource. At that time Bulgarian economy was bound with the economy of the USSR and the socialist countries through participation in COMECON and that gave impetus to certain branches of the national industry and revived the trade between those countries. On the other hand, Bulgaria did not have a choice and could not apply the principles of marketing and competition to the import and export of goods because of the lack of alternative trade partners.

Today Bulgaria is looking again for partners and markets. The collapse of planned economy and the introduction of the free market economy and competition caught the Bulgarian producers unprepared. A lot of companies went bankrupt. Privatisation is still in progress. There were no preferential laws until recently to give impetus to local production. There were not enough tax and customs preferences to make Bulgarian producer assure prime quality and expand production. The foreign investments soon after November 10, 1989 clashed against walls of old decrees and regulations that deterred potential investors.

The country has been in a situation of a currency board since 1997 tying the national currency to the DEM, and since 1st January 2002 – to the Euro. This stabilised the Bulgarian Lev, put an end to the financial chaos and devaluation, and restored the hope of the people for realistic and stable savings and investments. The Parliament passed a packet of laws, which helped for modernisation of legislation and revival the production. The restitution of land and other real estate property as well as the privatisation advancing at full speed gave Bulgarians a chance to work and earn from their labour. There is a nation-wide opposition to the industrial racketeering, the disloyal competition, the production and distribution of low quality products and the piracy in the industrial and intellectual sphere. A reform in the field of banking is still to be imlplemented because of the emergence of a great number of banks and their bankruptcy at the expense of their clients. The financial, industrial and insurance companies and groups are also fought against because of the unfair deals, concealing of taxes, etc.

Today Bulgaria exports mainly agricultural products, electrics transporters, electricity and non-ferrous metals. It is especially famous for its yogourt and dairy products as well as oil-yielding roses, flowers and a variety of wines and brandies. The country imports various technical equipment, computers, audio and video equipment, electric appliances and household ware, ready-made clothes and raw materials.

Tourism, which used to be an emblematic feature of the country’s economy, is also successfully developing. Tourist establishments are to be totally privatised, modernised and renovated so that a better image and promotion of Bulgaria is achieved through it. Bulgaria possesses an incredible amount of natural resources which, with a little effort, better organisation and loyalty, could be turned into attractive centres for tourists and sportemen from all over the world. Many tourist companies have already met the world standards and attract their own guests to Bulgaria.

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Culture

One can get acquainted with the pre-historic culture of Bulgaria mainly through the exhibitions displayed at the Archaeological Museum and the National Museum of History in Sofia and through the exhibits in the local museums in Plovdiv, Stara Zagora, Nova Zagora, Varna, Rousse, Veliko Tarnovo, Razgrad, Vidin, Bourgas, etc.

The sights of particular interest include the famous Karanovska Mound near Nova Zagora, as well as the incredible drawings on the walls of the Magoura Cave (the Rabisha Cave). There are remains from Palaeolithic cultures in several caves in the Stara Planina Mountain and the Rhodope Mountains, while traces of Neolithic and Palaeolithic cultures by the sea are preserved in the areas of Cape Kaliakra to the north along the coast to the southern town of Ahtopol. Most of the remains are indicative of high level masterful use materials such as clay, kaolin, stone, wood, bronze and iron. The remains of pottery and other household ware dating back to the late Palaeolithic and the early Neolithic Ages found near Nova Zagora are extremely interesting and unique. This is the reason why the Karanovska Mound was called “the Noah’s Ark” of European civilisation as it exhibits seven consecutive archaeological cultural layers.

There are some of the first signs of the future archaic Mediterranean culture in it, which, along with the development of trade, became a model to whole Old World. The Hotnitsa treasure, which was found among the remains of a late Eneolithic building (2nd half of 5th millenium BC) and mostly the findings in the Necropolis of Varna (the late Eneolithic period) are indisputable evidence of the existence of well-developed civilisation in Southeastern Europe. Quite impressive are the settlement mounds (8th-6th centuries BC) in the Eastern Rhodopes, Strandzha and Sakar Mountains, which illustrate the construction mastership of the Thracians in the early Iron Age.

The culture of the Thracians is represented in some of the most brilliant examples of their applied arts. The ancient Thracians were unsurpassed in processing different kinds of metals. The pots made of different metals combined in one and skillfully decorated with filigree are a challenge for researchers and antique admirers from New York to Tokyo. Most famous are the Gold Treasure Collection from Panagyurishte, the Silver Treasure Collection from Rogozen, the Vulchitrun Treasure, the flying pegasus from Sveshtari and the burial urns from the Thracian tombs.

Despite being built under the strong influence of the Old Greek architecture, the thombs illustarte the passion of the Thracians for different architectural styles, their aesthetic and theological beliefs in those archaic and antique times. The racing chariots in the Kazanluk tomb and the caryatids in the tomb near Sveshtari are really very impressive. There have been discovered some new unique findings from Thracian times over the past few years thanks to the initiative and the organisational talent of a team of Bulgarian archaeologists with Professor Georgi Kitov at the head. The excavations they have made reveal some unknown aspects of the everyday life of the Thracians, as well as their burial customs and rituals. All of these have written new pages in our history books on the Thracians. About 100 mounds have been explored, more than 30 architectural constructions, and more than 5000 items of high scientific, artistic and museum value were found. Alexander Fol, Bogdan Bogdanov and Ivan Marazov with their intriguing research have contributed to our better understanding of the history of the Thracians. There already exists sufficient scientific material on the ancient Thracian and Hellenic traces on the Balkans.

According to Herodotus, the Thracians were second in number and cultural achievements in the world after the Indians. Throughout the country there are numerous remains from Thracian, Hellenic and Roman culture. Whole town sites have been preserved, restored and opened to public. Some of them are Augusta Trayana, Trimontsium, Nicopolis ad Istrum, Pautalia, Akre, Messembria, Apolonia and many others. Bulgarian museums abound in exhibits of the ancient everyday life, cult related and military items, statues, tombstones and monuments, masks, mosaics, statuettes of ancient gods, patrons of the home, and heroes. Under the capital city of Sofia have been excavated about 150, 000 square metres of ruins from the ancient city of Serdica. Almost every new building site in the centre of Sofia reveals some cultural layers from the Antiquity. Many scientists considered that the civilisation on the Balkans was secondary and a kind of satellite to the Greek civilisation. However, there are preserved remains and cultural evidence prove that it was actually a synthesis of the Thracian culture and the cultures of the tribes who later settled here. Increasing number of archaeological finds confirm the complete autonomy of Thracian culture as regards the Greek culture till the zenith of Aegean settlements (polisi) in the 5th century BC.

The famous Old Greek and Roman pantheon borrowed one third of the gods of the neighbouring Thracians neighbours – Dionisus - Ares (Mars), Zagrei become Zeus (Jupiter), Bendida became Hera (Yuniona), etc. The Thracians not only enriched Greek and Roman mythology but also the borrowings included some of their mysteries, cults and part of the holiday calendar of the Mediterranean and Black Sea regions, which is preserved, although somewhat reduced, to this day. All the town museums of history in Bulgaria have rich collections, consisting of antique cultural exhibits that reveal the town life of the people of that distant past, with their religious, cultural and daily needs. The amphitheatres and the spa in Plovdiv, Sofia and Varna are of great historical value.

A great number of scientists have written about the antiquity and Hellenic history of the Balkans; works on these topics in Bulgarian and in the most widespread European languages date back to the middle of the 19th century till today. The invasion of the Slavs and the ancient Bulgarians, alongside the foundation of Bulgaria, brought about some new tendencies in the cultural development of the country. The Bulgarians introduced a new symbol system of writing (tamgova). The Old Greek letters were rarely used, mainly in bilingual chronicles and texts concerning the wars between the Eastern Roman Empire (Byzantium) and Bulgaria. These texts can be deciphered only partially because of the lack of sufficient lexical sources, bilingual texts and the lack of a good systematic order in the writings. Most of them are petroglyphs, preserved on stone. Part of the symbols may also be found on the bottoms of pottery and on terra cotta tiles, while others have been preserved on papyrus and parchment manuscripts from Byzantium, in Arabian scrolls, on cult plate and warriors’ accoutrements. Numerous ceremonial and sanctuary accessories used by the ancient Bulgarians were found, as well as calendar devices. Many legends, songs and customs from that period are also preserved.

Some interesting finds of gold and bronze collections date back to that time, too, for example the treasure from Nagy St. Miklos, rings of Bulgarian rulers and nobility, burial sites of army leaders and khans, the sword of Khan Kubrat, the golden treasure accompanying his burial, etc. A number of scientists have devoted their lives and exerted a lot of effort to revealing this layer of our history of culture, about which very little is known. The pro-Soviet and pro-Slavic policy was a great obstacle in doing serious historic research. The names of Ivan Venedikov, Slavi Donchev, Peter Dobrev, Yordan Vulchev, and those of the late Stanishev and D. Sussulov are well known for their contribution to the world science with a number of hypotheses and facts about the original homeland of the so-called “horseback” tribes, their culture, religion, and language. The very fact that the name “Bulgaria” was preserved in the Balkans shows that the ethos from the steppes of Central Asia had a strong cultural identity.

Very little has reached our time from the Slavic culture as it served late kin-tribal relations. One can learn about it from Byzantine chronicles and some inscriptions in the Cyrillic alphabet. The adoption of Christianity marked a new epoch in Bulgarian history. Besides the pre-Christian monuments in the capital Pliska and the Madara Horseman (the biggest bas-relief in Europe) quite interesting are the early churches and buildings, which can be found in Veliki Preslav as well as in many early mediaeval towns along the Black Sea coast and in the country’s inland.

The 9th century - called “Golden Age” of Bulgarian culture, is considered to mark the beginning of the Bulgarian literature as well. Besides the translations of Christian religious texts, apologies, prayers and church songs were created, too. Some of the names that are emblematic to national culture include Cherorizets Hrabur, identified by some scientists as Tsar Simeon I, Joan Kukuzel the Angel Voice - a singer and composer of many marvelous religious songs, the disciples of the brothers Cyril and Methodius - Kliment Ohridski (of Ohrid), Sava, Naum, Gorazd and Angelarii, canonised by the Orthodox Church for their spiritual contribution to their people.

The various ethnic groups that form the Bulgarian nation add to the richness of its culture. Many holidays, customs and songs, fairy tales, sayings and riddles have been preserved and are unique in Bulgarian and European culture as a whole. The early Christian monasteries are very interesting in cultural and architectural respect. The most imposing of them is the Rila Monastery dating back to the 10th century - a stronghold of Bulgarian spirit and literature. The combination of Central Asian, Thracian and Early Christian elements on the domes and the columns in the churches, in the construction of the buildings, and in the layout of the early fortresses and settlements is unique of its kind. All of them show the fine taste of the Bulgarian rulers, their profound knowledge and skills to intertwine elements from different cultures without showing any uncivilised eclecticism characteristic of countries at a low level of their civilisation. Some Roman buildings, mainly Christian Orthodox churches from the period of Byzantine domination (11th and 12th centuries) are also preserved. They are being used even today, after a certain cultural assimilation and with some new icon paintings.

The cultural development of the country after its liberation from Byzantine rule is overwhelmingly rich and shows the unique Bulgarian identity. The magnificent fortresses in Vidin, Cherven, Beroe, Sredets, Assenovgrad, Belogradchik and many other Mediaeval Bulgarian towns are still preserved and nowadays are being used as the settings for the shooting of historical films. University students, archaeologists and architects carry extensive research work there. They are remarkable not only for the scale of their construction but mainly for the extraordinary mastership of their builders and the strategic location chosen in such a way as to completely merge with the landscape. There are magnificent frescos in the churches and the monasteries from that period. The wall paintings in the Boyana Church near Sofia is compared to the best Renaissance models, though actually preceding them with a century and a half. The hesichastic monasteries, among which the Ivanovo, the Aladzha and the Bachkovo Monasteries, are stunning examples of the mastery of their builders, icon painters and wood carvers, of the brilliant combination of the surrounding landscape with the location of the religious building. The restored archaeological complex of the ancient capital Veliko Turnovo is very imposing, indeed. There is the Tsarevets Hill with the incredible town layout, the walls, churches, turrets and everyday life facilities. The churches and monasteries nearby the town, as well as the nearby village Arbanassi are stunning for their uniqueness and bespeak the erudition and mastery of the Bulgarian rulers, their intellectual superiority and Renaissance way of thinking.

Some of the frescos found in the Bulgarian churches and monasteries of that period depict diabolical, theatrical, dancing and Bogomil scenes. Considered a heresy, these frescos are material evidence of the cultural history of Bulgaria, an unwritten textbook about the unknown aspects of Orthodoxy. The literary work of this period is remarkable. Presviter Kozma and Patriarch Evtimii are two of the most prominent men of letters and clerical leaders of Bulgarian people. A great number of religious songs written in symbols (writing notes without the note lines), which now comprise part of the church choirs repertoire, have been preserved to this day and have made Bulgaria world famous. Some ancient marginalias (notes in the margins of old-printed books) and transcripts of the Holy Book are famous exhibits in museums all over the world, the most well known of which is the Tetraevangelia of Tzar Ivan Alexander exhibited in the British Museum in London. It is a real piece of art containing superb calligraphic letters, title letters with incredibly beautiful ornaments and drawings in the margins that equal the best of their kind in the world.

After the invasion of the Ottoman Turks Bulgaria’s culture went on the decline. Many mosques and buildings in Oriental style were constructed then, part of which are still preserved. During the first decades of foreign domination the building of Orthodox churches was officially banned. Later it was permitted again but only if they were built under the ground so they would not be taller than a Turkish soldier on horseback would. The art of calligraphy and marginal drawing was developed only in monasteries far from the vigilant eyes of the Ottomans. The transcripts were scarce, at least during the first two centuries. The construction of new monasteries started only in the 17th and 18th centuries after the official permission of the Porte. Various schools in icon painting, wood carving of altars, and constructions of churches and monasteries were established.

Despite the official independence of the Bulgarian church, it was subordinate to the Greek Orthodox Church and had to observe the order of the Turkish Sultan, which stipulated that all the icon inscriptions were written and all the church services were conducted in Greek. The struggle for the freedom of the church lasted for more than a century and eventually finished with gaining total independence of Bulgarian church. This gave a new impetus to the development of the icon painting and woodcarving schools, the most famous of which were the ones in Tryavna, Debur and Bansko. Zahari Zograph is a name known to every Bulgarian as one of the greatest icon painters of the time. His disciples created a new style in icon painting by introducing the portraying of ordinary people, church donors and benefactors of the spiritual life in Bulgaria. The somewhat forgotten and banned holidays in the secular and religious calendar were revived and the Bulgarian customs and rituals, as well as the folk songs and dances started to thrive. Songs were sung about heroes, haiduti, work, love, battles, nature and God. It was then that the country entered its National Revival. Father Paisii of Hilendar wrote his “History of the Slavonic Bulgarian People” - reminding the Bulgarians of their historical origin and restoring their self-confidence, spirit of national belonging and freedom. This thin book had numerous rewritings and did what many fruitless uprisings could not have done. There were two other books on Bulgarian history written by Blazius Kleiner and Raino Popovich preceding it, but they were known only to a few Bulgarian intellectuals living in exile and were too incomplete. One of the re-writers of Paisii’s history was Sofronii Vrachanski, himself a writer and spiritual leader.

The architecture during the Revival had very distinctive features. Today one can see many quarters and town centres as well as settlements perfectly accomplished by the constructors of the time. Cobbled streets, houses on sloping terrain, bow-window balconies, small windows, colour palmettes on the side walls, and especially the bright colours in which the houses, one close to another, were painted, are typical for that period. Wood, stone and limestone were the basic construction materials. The houses’ interior is usually very intimate. The earthen floors, the little fireplaces, the wood-carved ceilings, the low doors and the window seats are characteristic for this new architectural style, later called “a la Franga”. Some fine examples of it may be found in Koprivshtitsa, Veliko Turnovo, Plovdiv, Shiroka Luka, Tryavna, Gabrovo, Elena, Kotel, Bozhentzi, Melnik and many other places in the country. They are frequently visited by artists, poets and musicians as well as by many tourists from the five continents. Of particular interests are the crafts of that time best preserved and displayed in the Etura open-air museum of art crafts near the town of Gabrovo, in Dobrich, Plovdiv, Tryavna, etc. The original architecture of buildings and bridges created a unique atmosphere in the towns of the Revival. One of the most renowned masters of building from that period is Nikola Fichev (Usta Kolyo Ficheto) (“usta” meaning master), whose hands created masterpieces of churches and belfries, unique bridges, buildings and drinking-fountains.

The new Bulgarian literature was also gaining momentum. During that time, alongside with the teachers’ poetry and didactic prose, appeared the first Bulgarian plays, the first published books and the periodicals. Dobri Chintoulov, Petko Slaveikov, Lyuben Karavelov and Georgi Rakovski are Bulgarian writers of that time and Vassil Droumev, Krustyo Pishurka and Dobri Voinikov are the first Bulgarian playwrights. The genius of Hristo Botev is a consequence of a long process of maturing of the Bulgarian intellectuals. Even the Apostle of Freedom Vassil Levski tried his hand at writing epistolary literature and an interesting autobiographical poem, which is very revealing and sounds very colloquial. The political satire, feuilleton and the epigram also appear for the first time during that period. Hristo Botev’s name is connected with writing the best examples of these literary genres. Petko Slaveikov collected over 150, 000 Bulgarian sayings and proverbs. The Miladinov Brothers, Grigor Purlichev and Kouzman Shapkarev also wrote down examples of the folklore of Macedonian Bulgarians and created excellent literary works.

Bulgarian culture advanced in quick pace thanks to the development of education - new schools, cultural centres and high schools were opened. Vassil Aprilov opened the famous Gabrovo High School in the middle of the 19th century, which bears his name today. Dr. Peter Beron wrote the first primer, called “Riben Boukvar” (The Fish Textbook). Course books on different school subjects were also published. A great number of Bulgarians were educated abroad - in Russia, Germany, Italy and France. After the liberation of the country from Ottoman domination the potential of the national culture sprung and many talented Bulgarians appeared in all of its spheres. In terms of literature there should be mentioned the names of Ivan Vazov, Aleko Konstantinov, Pencho Slaveikov and Zahari Stoyanov. In painting, the foreigners Vereshchagin and Mrkvichka started the realistic school in the Bulgarian fine arts. Bulgaria turned to the European countries and borrowed as much as possible from their culture, trying to make up for what it had lost in the previous few centuries. Geo Milev, Yavorov, Rakitin and Liliev are representatives of symbolism, impressionism and expressionism in literature; Nickolai Rainov, Boris Georgiev, Sirak Skitnik and Ivan Milev in painting, Andrei Nikolov in sculpture; Panayot Pipkov and Pancho Vladigerov in music. All of them belonged to European cultural elite.

That was the time when the Bulgarian cinematography was born, represented by Vassil and Zhana Gendov.

The Bulgarian theatre followed the European and Russian pattern. The National Theatre was founded in 1904, a lot of troupes performed classical plays and many great Bulgarian actors and producers worked there. Theatres went on tours and gave performances on different Bulgarian stages. Some of the most talented producers were Geo Milev and Isaac Daniel. The greatest Bulgarian dramatists of the time were Ivan Vazov, Petko U. Todorov and Peyo Yavorov. The most gifted actors were Vassil Kirkov, Adriana Boudevska and Krustyo Sarafov, who attracted wide audiences for years on end. In the period between the two world wars the Bulgarian culture sought its roots again after it had been carried away by some modern European tendencies. There appeared the themes of the country people, the life in the town, the everyday life and the feelings of the Bulgarian.

This was also a period of the development of science. The Bulgarian Academy of Sciences was founded. It attracted a myriad of scientists who specialised in Europe and the USA and with their research contributed to the development of the academic thought in Bulgaria. For a long period of time the only higher educational establishment in Bulgaria was the Sofia University.

The high quality of education was beyond doubt, the Professors possessed exceptional erudition. The names of the writers Yordan Yovkov and Elin Pelin, the poets Nikola Vaptsarov and Elisaveta Bagryana, the playwrights Kostov and Stoyanov, the artists Vladimir Dimitrov Maistora and Kiril Tsonev, the sculptor Nikola Funev, the stage directors Surchadzhiev and Danovski, etc., are but a few among the names in the treasury of Bulgarian culture. The buildings in Secession style gave way to the Bauhaus style, the city layouts became more similar to those of the West European countries, there appeared the typical cafes, cultural venues, cinemas, theatres, museums and libraries. Mihail Arnaoudov, Konstantin Zagorov and Ivan Hadzhiiski wrote some brilliant works based on their collections and analyses of our folklore.

The period after World War II was marked by the so-called “socialist realism”. Some of its typical features were its heroic, ideological and demonstrative character as well as its shallowness of subject. In a positive sense it led to the accumulation of great resources in possession of the state, which used them for the development of culture. A number of significant works appeared in all its spheres. The pantomime, the puppet theatres and pop music developed and the Bulgarian circus gained world-wide recognition. Amateur culture was also on the rise and Bulgaria became a republic of amateur activities such as folk competitions and festivals, etc. Bulgarian folklore was proclaimed a national treasure. The opera school was highly appreciated and the opera singers Boris Hristov, Nikolai Guyaourov, Raina Kabaivanska and Gena Dimitrova are still one of the top singers in the world and their names may be seen on the posters of La Scalla in Milan and the New York Metropolitan Opera.

Sports and tourism also developed during that period. Tthe country had very good sports clubs in some sports. Bulgarian sportsmen won gold medals at Olympic, World and European Championships. The best represented sports were weight lifting, wrestling, track-and-field events, rhythmic gymnastics, shooting and mountaineering.

After 10th November 1989 all ideological barriers in culture were eliminated. The freedom and the lack of censorship have given a new impetus to the development of culture. Today Bulgarian creators may travel all over the world and make Bulgaria popular even in the remotest parts of the world. “The Mystery of the Bulgarian Voices”, The Children’s Choir of the Bulgarian Radio, the National Opera are part of our cultural identity. Cristo, Georgi Markov, Milcho Leviev and Eddy Kazassyan are no more dissidents but a few of the best representatives of our cultural identity, our face to the world. Pop music and jazz also have their new names. Simeon Shterev, Lyubomir Denev and Teodosii Spasov are well known to the world musical elite. Stefan Danailov is one of the stars of European cinematography. Dimiter Gochev, Alexander Morphov and Teddy Moskov belong to the new wave of top European theatre producers.

The Bulgarian press, radio and television are both state-owned and private. There are about 15 daily and more than 30 weekly newspapers published in Bulgaria, and a lot of other periodicals. The national radio broadcasts its programmes on three wavelengths – MW, SW and FW and practically all the Bulgarian towns have private radio stations. Along with the Bulgarian National Television and bTV there are private cable TV channels covering the whole country. There are also a great number of video clubs. There are museums of history, schools, high schools, cultural centres and libraries in any Bulgarian town. Cinemas are everywhere. There are theatres in some of the bigger cities. Few of them are state-owned, greater part of them are owned by the municipalities. A number of private theatres appeared, too. There is a national circus and a lot of private circus troupes; as well as puppet theatres, opera houses, ballets, pantomime troupes, café-theatres, variety shows and night clubs, music clubs, etc.

The preservation of the unique Bulgarian culture is one of the problems of our times. Typical for Bulgarian folk music, for example, are the irregular rhythms, treble singing, two-part and three-part singing. The great task before the modern artists is to turn back to Bulgarian cultural roots, to study and re-create different themes from our over a thousand years old cultural treasury. This is the way to the Promised Land of the well-preserved national spirit, which to show the world the real Bulgaria – a land of an ancient, creative people of dignity.

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Religion

The greater part of Bulgarian population is Eastern Orthodox. Since 865 AD when Knyaz Boris-Mikhail converted the Bulgarians to Christianity Bulgarian is considered an Orthodox country. Later there appeared different movements, among which the Bogomil, the Adamite and the Pavlikyan (another type of dualism) beliefs, which were considered heresy.

Today all of them are history. Later the Hermeticism, Asceticism and Hesychasm were born but they lasted for even shorter periods of time before Bulgaria fell under Ottoman domination. After World War II and during the socialist government of the country atheism was the official doctrine, so it is considered that today one fifth of Bulgarian population are atheists.

The smaller groups include Muslims, Catholics, Protestants, as well Dunov’s followers, Rosenkreuzer’s followers, Mormons, etc. Some of the eastern religions are also represented in the country. Legitimate are the followers of Hinduism, Buddhism, Zoroastrianism, the various branches of Yoga – Hahta, Bhakti, Tantra, Kria, Judeans, Red Indian totems’ worshipers, etc.

The esoteric and occult books translated into Bulgarian are growing in number. The followers gather into groups and societies for esoteric knowledge, the books and lectures are read to large audiences, various meditation and physical techniques are demonstrated, Lamas, priests and preachers from all over the world come to Bulgaria. Nevertheless, the majority of the Bulgarians observe the Christian traditions and more than half of them identify themselves with Orthodox Christianity. The tendency of turning back to God and the Holy Book is getting stronger, especially in the last years of democracy when the century-old beliefs and values of the Bulgarian nation were put forward. New churches, chapels and monasteries are built, old icons, altars, and church-plates are restored, dilapidated village churches are reconstructed and opened again for the believers.

The published religious literature on Christianity has also increased as well as the demand for it. The Bulgarian family celebrates the traditional Christian holidays, especially Christmas Eve and Christmas, Easter and the name days of Bulgarians, named after archangels, saints and martyrs. One can claim that it is the time of Revival of Orthodoxy in Bulgaria.

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Parks and Reserves

The following categories of protected territories are operative according to the Law of Protected Areas:

- National Park – Pirin, The Central Balkan, Rila;

- Nature Reserve - The Vratza Balkan, Sinite Kamuni (The Blue Rocks), etc.;

- Reserve and Maintained Reserve - The Siloxia, Sraburna Bioshpere Reserve;

- Natural Sight;

- Protected Area.

Rocks, waterfalls, caves, earthen pyramids, areas with various ecological systems, specific remarkable landscapes and objects of non-living character are included in the last two categories. There is also a Law on Protection of the Culture Monuments and Museums.

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UNESCO sites

Nine national sites are included in UNESCO List of World Cultural and Nature Heritage:

The Boyana Church. It is admired for the unique frescoes dating back to 1259, which are considered masterpieces of European Medieval art of painting. It is located in Boyana Quarter, 8 km from Sofia.

Ivanovski Rock Monasteries. A monastery complex in the rocks with tens of well preserved inscriptions and wonderful wall paintings – an exceptional monument of Bulgarian Medieval art. It is located in the rocks above Roussenski Lom River, about 18 km from the town of Rousse.

Kazanluk Tomb. A Thracian tomb dating back to the end of the 4th- the beginning of the 3rd century BC. The frescoes in the burial

chamber and in the corridor are of extreme artistic value. It is situated on the Tyulbeto Hill nearby the town of Kazanluk.

History

The Republic of Bulgaria is situated in the middle of the Balkan Peninsula on a busy crossroad of different cultures. According to statistics our country is among the first in the world for the number of its archaeological monuments. Today’s land of the Bulgarians is one of the ancient springs of civilisation in Europe.

The first traces of human activities in these territories date back to the Paleolithic Age (Old Stone Age). Human activities and culture immutably follow their course through all pre-historic epochs. The Karanovska mound near the town of Nova Zagora reveals exceptionally interesting findings, which allow cultural layers from the beginning of the Neolithic Age to the end of the Early Bronze Age (6th millenium BC – 1st half of 3rd millenium BC) to be distinguished.

The ancient inhabitants of Bulgarian lands reached their zenith in the Eneolithic (Halkolithic) Age. It was namely in Bulgarian lands that three decades ago a civilisation was found out – dating back far before Mesopotamia and Egypt – the findings in the Varna Halkolithic Necropolis of 5th millenium BC. Among them is the most ancient golden jewelry in the world and symbols of authority. The Treasure of Hotnitsa found in a village mound from the Late Eneolithic Age nearby the village of Hotnitsa (Lovech region) dates back to the same period. Quite impressive are the findings in the Magoura Cave (which was inhabited even in the Early Bronze Age) and the exceptional drawings (dating back to the Late Bronze Age) made of guano stuck to the rocks. The ancient people have depicted hunting scenes, dances, totemic and pantheistic cult figures.

During the Bronze Age (3100-1200 BC) the life of the local people changed. These were the ancient Thracians who formed themselves as a people by the end of the 1st millenium BC. The Thracians are not only the most ancient historically proven inhabitants of our lands - modern science identifies more and more evidence that namely Ancient Thrace was one of the centres for consolidation of the Indo-Europeans. The most ancient Thracian monuments date back to the same historic period as was the Old Kingdom in Egypt. The Thracians exerted a profound impact on world culture due to their contacts with the civilisation of Ancient Greece. Herodotus mentioned the Thracians as the second numerous people in the Ancient World. Homer described them as allies of the Trojans during the 8th century BC. Eschiles, Euripides, Aristophanes and others also wrote about the ancient Thracians. The Thracian culture as a culture of synthesis illustrates the powerful Hellenistic influence in its mature expression. The cult of the Thracian god Dionissius played an essential role in the emerging of Greek tragedy and comedy.

The myths and the cult of the Thracian singer Orpheus (so-called Orphism) nestle deeply in the spiritual life of the ancient civilisation. Orpheus was probably a Thracian king-priest from the Mycenaean Epoch whom mythology turned into heros (a man who had become immortal and had turned into a god) who symbolised art, ancient wisdom, music and healing, prophetic and management abilities. Similar to Orpheus’s is the image of Zalmoxis (a Getti priest who spent years long living as a hermit), famous prophet and healer. Some Orphic elements can be traced even in modern world religion – Christianity.

Thracian art is known mostly from the tombs and necropolises, which are great in number in some regions. Its zenith is referred to the end of the 4th millenium and the beginning of the 3rd millenium BC. This is the period when the notorious Tomb of Kazanluk was built, famous for its wonderful frescoes, as well as the Thracian mounds in the so-called Lowland of the Thracian kings in the Kazanluk Valley, which recently provoke great interest. The treasures of Panagyurishte, Vulchitrun and Rogozen as classic example of the Thracian art achievements. Findings dating back to Thracian times are still excavated – for example, the monumental temple near the village of Starossel, Plovdiv region (5th-4th century BC) found in the summer of 2000; the domed tomb near the village of Alexandrovo, Haskovo region (the second half of 4th century BC); the temple near Perperikon, etc. The exhibitions of Thracian culture in Western Europe and America during the last three decades raised its prestige far beyond Bulgarian borders. The Thracians have expressed their beliefs in numerous monuments – the cult stone plates of the Thracian Horseman (Heros), golden and silver plate of various treasures. Some Thracian gods (Ares/Mars (Lat.), Artemida – her original was that of the Thracian great mother-godess Bendida, Dionissius, Asklepius, etc.) were worshiped by the ancient Greeks and thence – by the Romans. These Thracian gods are well known today, their names have acquired deep symbolic meaning related to war, medicine, etc. However, few are those who know that no ancient-old Greek mythological images are meant but borrowings from Thracians’ religion. Same is often true for such a great son of Ancient Thrace as Spartacus who was born on the territory of present-day town of Sandanski, at the foot of the Pirin Mountain. As an adolescent he was sold in slavery in Rome. There he became a gladiator and later a leader of the biggest slave uprising in Antiquity.

In 346 BC Thrace was conquered and remained under domination of the Macedonian Kingdom for about 50 years. Ancient Macedonians were a people closely related to the Thracians and according to some scientists they were even their tribal structure, similar to Thracian tribes like the Odrissi, Bessi, Dacians, etc. In the 5th century BC Macedonia played essential role in the Pulpiness Wars and it acquired hegemony in the Balkan Peninsula for the following hundred years. The Hellenisation of the ancient Macedonians was strongly expressed as compared to the other Thracians despite that the former and the latter remained “barbarians” for the ancient Greeks.

Philip of Macedonia reconstructed the Thracian town of Poulpoudeva and named it after himself – Philipopol. The world hegemony established by Alexander III the Great (336-323 BC) in fact did not correspond to the interest of ancient Macedonians or the Thracian “world” as a whole but rather to the newly formed Hellenistic military-administrative oligarchy. Thracian land became part of the Roman Empire by 46 AD after continuous wars and resistance. During the 2nd-3rd centuries AD our lands are among the most prospering Roman provinces with highly developed towns: Philipopol (Plovdiv), Augusta Trayana (Stara Zagora), Seridica (Sofia), Naissus (Nis), Pautalia (Kyustendil), Durostorum (Silistra), Martsianopol (Devnya), Nikopolis ad Istrum (near Veliko Turnovo), and many others.

Thracian territories attracted settlers from the Middle East as well as Roman veterans. Comfortable roads were built and a clear system of communication was established (it was unsurpassed till modern times - 19th-20th centuries), lifestyle raised to that in the metropolises. The establishment of Roman statehood, demographic and ethnic contacts led to the dominant role of the Latin language (especially to the north of Stara Planina Mountain) while the Hellenistic cultural features were preserved in Thrace and along the Black Sea coast.

In 330 AD Constantine I the Great moved the capital city of the Roman Empire from the “old” Rome to Byzantion (Constantinople/Istanbul) called by the Bulgarians Tsarigrad (The Town of Tsars). This act was implemented after some hesitations as one of the options for a new capital city was todays’ Bulgarian capital Sofia (Serdica in the Antiquity). After the Empire broke in two parts (395) our lands remained in the Eastern Empire (Byzantium). Among the prominent Byzantine personalities not a few were those of Thracian origin, including emperors. “Most Orthodox” of them was Emperor Markian (450-457, born in the region of today’s Plovdiv) and Justinian I the Great (527-565) who was the most notorious ruler in the centuries old Empire.

The Early Byzantine culture in Bulgarian lands was established in its mature forms. The population was among the early adherents to Christianity in Europe. Important ecclesiastic events, as for example the Council in Serdica (343) cut a deep imprint in religious life of the Christian world. The ancient Bulgarians were the basic ethnic component in the structure of the Mediaeval Bulgarian State. Since Antiquity they were a highly organised people of statehood. Their original homeland was in Central Asia, in the mountainous region of Pamir and Hindukush. There were founded two famous states called Balgar and Balhara according to some sources. As a highly developed civilisation, the Bulgars had culturally dominated the territories of Central Asia for a long time. They had left to the world a rich cultural heritage in the field of the philosophic understanding of the world as well as in state administration, social structure, military art, writing, linguistic culture, construction, astronomy and mathematics. Eloquent proof of this is their eternal Bulgarian sun calendar, which is perfect from astronomical and mathematical point of view. Its structure consists of an original 12 months calendar and an excellent 12-year cycle calendar. The constellations in this masterpiece of ancient Bulgarians’ thought bear the names of animals. UNESCO has recognised it as one of the most accurate ancient calendars known so far. The presence in Europe of the ancient Bulgarians as a statehood people can be traced about the 2nd century AD, which is confirmed by the “Name List of Bulgarian Khans” (the calculations refer to the 165 AD when the legendary ruler Avitohol from the Doulo Dynasty took power). These least known centuries of Bulgarian history were connected with the vortex of Great Migration of Peoples when some Bulgarian communities were forced to migrate to Armenia (so-called Bulgarians of Vund), to Panonia (today’s Hungary, where later Panonian Bulgarians came to be known), etc. The basic part of the people fought against powerful emenies like Avars and Turks and maintained contacts with Byzantium.

The year 451 is memorable for the important battle that Bulgarians and Armenians led in the Avarair Plain in defence of Christianity. The Bulgarians who gave their lives in this battle were canonized saints of Armenian Church. In the 7th century the Bulgarians led by he great Khan Koubrat established a powerful state unity known as Old Great Bulgaria, which as ally to Byzantium in its grandiose wars with Avars and Persians. As an expression of honour the Emperor Iraklius conferred on Koubrat, who had already converted to Christianity, the high Roman-Byzantine title of patrician and valuable presents. One of sensations of modern East European archaeology was the treasure of the village of Mala Pereshchepina, nearby today’s town of Poltava (Ukraine) where the great rules was buried. The precious findings, golden jewelry, scepter, wonderful sword, etc., are kept in the Hermitage in Saint Petersburg. Those are eloquent evidence of the great political power of Great Bulgaria and the prestige of its ruler.

After the Hazars’ aggression in the middle of the 7th century part of the Bulgarians remained within the new Hazars’ khaganat (namely the tribes of Bat-Bayan, which created in the 10th century the state of the so-called black Bulgarians by the Azov Sea) but the greater part migrated and founded new states – Volga Bulgaria and Danubian Bulgaria. They also tried to found their states in the territories of today’ s Macedonia (the Bulgarians of Kouber) and in Italy (the Bulgarians of Altsek). The Bulgarians from Panonia had their autonomy within the Avars’ khaganat, while part of them probably moved to today’s Macedonia led by Kouber. Among those “many Bulgarian states” most perspective in historical point of view proved to be today’s Bulgaria on the Balkan Peninsula, founded by Khan Asparuh and Volga Bulgaria (today’s Autonomic Republic of Tatarstan within the Russian Federation) founded by Khan Kortag. The two big medieval Bulgarian states were far to each other – at a distance of more than one thousand kilometres.

In the 9th century the Danubian State chose the road to Christianity and grew as the third state of cultural importance in Medieval Europe, while the Volga State in the 10th century chose Islam as official religion. The Bulgarians from the state by the river Volga built a great Islam civilisation, having in mind the local historical and cultural features, fighting with the peoples from the steppes and the Russian kingdoms.

In the 13th century after severe resistance they were compelled to accept the status of a vassal province within the Tatarian (Mongolian) “Golden Horde” and their state was completely ruined by the Russian King Ivan Grozni in the middle of the 16th century. Today the remains of their capital city Bolgar Veliki (the Great) are still and imposing sights. Volga Bulgarians were subjected to strong assimilation pressure by the Russian Empire, which continued even after the revolutionary changes in 1917 when they were assigned the incorrect in ethnic point of view name of Tatars. Today in the Republic of Tatarstan there is a civil movement of intellectuals for regaining the name of Bulgarians and the ancient-old name of the country – Bulgaristan.

On the Balkans the powerful Bulgarian State headed by Khan Asparuh (680-700) united the ancient Bulgarians with the successors of the ancient Thracians and the Slav tribes of the so-called Bulgarian Group, which settled there in 6th – 7th centuries. This group includes tribes, which inhabited Mizia, Thrace, Macedonia, part of today’s territories of Greece, Albania, Serbia (Kosovo incl.) and Rumania. The ambissions of Byzantium to conquer those tribes met a powerful barrier – the state founded by Khan Asparuh. So after the crucial success in the battle with the Byzantine troops by the delta of the Danube River in 681 emerged Danubian Bulgaria (today’s Bulgaria) at the crossroad between Europe, Asia and Africa. Pliska became the first capital. The territories of the state covered Mizia with today’s Dobroudzha and further northward of Danube. Due to the ethnic tolerance Danubian Bulgaria attracted the neighbouring Slavs and they gradually accepted Bulgarian way of life and traditions. About 700 Asparuh was killed to the north-east in a war with the Hazars. Archaeologists found his burial tomb near the village of Boznessenka, today’s Ukraine. Tradition turned the Khan-founder into an epic hero who built “great towns” and ramparts “between the Danube and the sea” to defend his people. His brother, Khan Kuber founded Bulgaria by the Vardar River in today’s Macedonia on the Balkan Peninsula (about 680) after he rebelled against the Avars and settled in the area of the town of Bitolya in present-day Macedonia. Khan Kouber had less authority; he acknowledged the supremacy of Byzantium and established close contacts with the neighbouring Slavs.

Khan Tervel (700-721) was at the head of the powerful Danubian Bulgaria and stopped the Arabian invasion thus saving Byzantium and the whole of Europe from the invasion of the Arab Halifat in 718 when the Islamic troops were on their way to conquer the “world capital” of Christianity – Constantinople. Thanks to Bulgarian support to the Emperor Justinian II in 705 Khan Tervel wasconferred on the highest ranking Byzantine title of kessar, after the name of the great Gay Julius Cesar. This act was unique in the history of Byzantium and Medieval Europe.

Khan Krum (802-814) introduced a new type of legislation and strengthened the image of Bulgaria as well-organised and modern state for that time. Byzantium attacked the Bulgarian State in 811 and burned down the capital Pliska. The Bulgarians immediately counterattacked - the warriors of Khan Krum defeated the Byzantine army in a pass in the Balkan Mountain. Emperor Nikiphorus I was killed in the battle. Since the reign of Emperor Valent (378) there was no emperor to die in a battle. Byzantium, being obsessed of fear, sought union with the Frank King Carl the Great and to facilitate it acknowledged his title of emperor.

During the rule of Khan Omourtag (815-831) the pre-Christian Bulgarian culture reached its zenith and in political aspect the state expanded to the Middle Danube and Tissa River (today’s Hungary) and to the Dnepur River (today’s Ukraine). The administrative reforms established by Krum were further developed and improved.

Khan Pressian (836-852) expanded further the Bulgarian territories and the borders almost reached the Aegean Sea and Albania. Bulgaria became the third Great Power in Medieval Europe along with the Byzantine and the Franks’ Empires.

Khan Boris I (852-889) converted the Bulgarians to Christianity after long diplomatic negotiations, almost two centuries after the foundation of the Bulgarian State on the Balkans. He accepted the name Mihail and was the first to built Bulgarian churches and monasteries. The Bulgarian Church canonised him and in history he remained as St. Tsar Boris-Mihail. The creation and the establishment of the Bulgarian-Slavic writing by the brothers St. St. Cyril and Methodius is especially important in both cultural and historical terms. The Vatican acknowledged them patrons of Christian Europe. The alphabet created by them was adopted by other nations through the Orthodox religion. Nowadays it is used in Macedonia, Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Yugoslavia, and Mongolia. In the past this graphic system dominated in the Wallachian and Moldova Kingdoms in Romania, in Lithuania, etc.

The one who continued the policy of Boris-Mihail is his son Tsar Simeon the Great (893-927). Simeon received a brilliant education in Constantinople and had the talent of a writer and the exceptional qualities of a statesman. He organised the translation of a number of Christian Orthodox books from Greek into Bulgarian, patronised the Pliska-Preslav and Ohrid Literary Schools and himself was a man of letters. He moved the capital to Veliki Preslav and expanded almost twice the territory of Bulgaria. The country bordered three sea the Black Sea, the Aegean Sea and the Adriatic Sea. A connoisseur of the antique Greek and Byzantine culture, he transformed the Bulgarian State into a mighty power with a great impact on the then existing world. The period of his reign is known as The Golden Age. In its greater part the Bulgarian people were adherents to their grandparents’ Orthodox faith. However, the many-faced Bulgarian society was not at all “sterile” and was open to various spiritual phenomena and processes.

The birth of the Bulgarian Bogomil heresy took place during the reign of Tsar Peter (927-969). Its rise is due to the influence of the old dualistic doctrines as well as to the possibility the Gospel to be read and interpreted by various people in their own language. Priest Bogomil is considered its founder. The Bogomil heresy possessed a number of original features – at first place, moderate dualism and open asceticism. Bogomils’ doctrine regarded the sinful world full of injustice as a Satan’s deed as compared to the Lord’s Kingdom of Heaven and its expanded the Bulgarian borders. The heresy exerted strong impact in the Christian world – the Catars and Albigenses in France, the Patarens in Italy, the heretics from Bosnia (their successors are todays’ Bosnian Muslims), the “strigolnitsi” in Russia, everyone sharing different than the official ideas in Serbia, Croatia, Hungary, even in distant England, considered the Bogomils their spiritual fathers. The French religious rebels were proud to call themselves Burges (“Bulgarian in faith”) thus outlining their connection with the senior Bulgarian brothers in faith. These ideas, persecuted with sword and fire by the Catholic Church, had their impact on the Reformation and the Protestant doctrines in Western Europe. Despite the difficulties the Bulgarian Kingdom remained an important political power during the reign of Tsar Peter but the intrigues of Byzantium provoked the aggression of Svetoslav – the ruler of the Rus of Kiev. The Norman-Russian occupation led to the pretended “help” of Byzantium and as a result the Bulgarian Kingdom suffered a great stroke – pushing back Prince Svetoslav, the Emperor Joan Tsimishi in 971 conquered the eastern Bulgarian territories with the capital Veliki Preslav. The lands to the west, whose centre is today’s Macedonia, preserved their freedom.

It was then that the genius of Tsar Samuil (997-1014) showed itself. During his reign the capital was moved to Ohrid. The “Bulgarian Epic” in the wars with Byzantium was marked with great victories, including the liberation of the former capital Preslav, as well as with great defeats. In 1014 the troops of Samuil were defeated and the Byzantine Emperor Vaslilii II (called The Killer of Bulgarians) captured 15, 000 Bulgarian soldiers. He ordered that 99 out of 100 be blinded and leave the 100th one-eyed so that he could lead them. Such was the barbarism and the national catastrophe that put an end to the first period in the history of Danubean Bulgaria. Bulgaria fell under Byzantine oppression for almost 170 years. In 1186-1188, after a number of more or less numerous uprisings, the noble brothers Peter and Assen managed to unite the Bulgarians in Mizia and to gain back the independence of their country from Byzantium. Veliko Turnovo became the capital of the Bulgarian Kingdom.

The reign of Tzar Kaloyan (1197-1207) and that of Tsar Ivan Assen II (1218-1241), who were great army leaders and exceptionally good diplomats, was a very fruitful and favourable period for the Bulgarian nation. They made a multitude of brilliant steps, striking war actions, and tactful peace treaties, which expanded the boundaries of Bulgaria and brought stable peace and welfare to the Bulgarians. In 1204 Tsar Kaloyan became the first ruler in Eastern Europe to defeat the knights’ cavalry up to then considered invincible. Tsar Ivan Assen II gained new territories for Bulgaria and the state expanded as it was during the reign of Tsar Simeon the Great. During the next decades the Bulgarian Kingdom suffered the hegemony of the Tatars (Mongolians) as well as political crises (including the great uprising of the rural Tsar Ivailo) but withstood the hardships.

The reign of Tsar Ivan Alexander (1331-1371) was called the Golden Sunset of Medieval Bulgaria. Bulgarian arts and culture from that period developed rapidly and were akin to the pre-Renaissance in Western Europe. However, the days of the free Bulgarian Kingdom were numbered because of the advancement of the Muslim-Turkish wave from the south-east. In 1393 the Tsar’s metropolis Turnovo was conquered by the Ottomans and in 1396 the last free territories fell under their domination.

The Turnovo Literary School, especially during the work of the great man of letters and clerical leader Patriarch Euthimius (1375-1394), exerted powerful influence on the Orthodox world, mostly to the emerging new great power – Russia of Moscow. At the end of the 14th and the beginning of the 15th centuries the clerical leaders, heads of the Churches in Russia, Lithuania, Moldova, Wallachia, Serbia were Bulgarians. St. Kiprian of Moscow (in Russia), St. Efrem of Serbia, St. Hikodim Tismanski (in Wallachia) were honoured by those peoples as national saints. The Bulgarian clergymen and writer Grigorii Tsamblak who escaped from Ottoman rule, possessed the unique quality of representing several national schools of literature from that epoch – the Bulgarian, the Serbian, the Moldovan, the Russian and the Byzantine. The most obscurant period in Bulgarian history started to continue several centuries. During those hard times for the Bulgarian people the Ottoman Empire conducted a policy of discrimination of the Christian population, especially as regards Bulgarians, as well as made attempts for assimilation. As a result of the Ottoman invasion many mosques were built, the Arabic alphabet was introduced for official and religious documents and many Christian sanctuaries were destroyed or turned into Muslim shrines. Many Turks, mainly soldiers, settled in the territory of today’s Bulgaria. The Bulgarians suffered the so-called “blood tax” most of all. Blood tax required that a boy from the family be taken to Asia Minor where he would be converted into Islam and trained for a janissar - a warrior with no knowledge of parents, kin and motherland. Those janissars as well as the Turkish army of volunteers - the bashibozouk - were the real ruthless masters of the situation in Bulgaria.

Rebellions and uprisings became the expression of the live Bulgarian strive to freedom and independence. Most numerous they were at the end of 17th century when only in the period 1686-1689 three big uprisings broke out: The Second Turnovo Uprising (the first was in 1598), the Chiprovtsi Uprising and the Uprising of Karposh in Northern Macedonia. The fire of the haidout (outlaw rebels) movement burned during the centuries of foreign domination –the lands between the Danube to the Aegean Sea and to the mountains of today’s Albania were roved by armed Bulgarian detachments, which revenged for the abuses and oppression by the authorities. This military aand political experience later grew into organised movement for liberation of Bulgaria. Bulgarian Revival began in the middle of the 18th century. The struggle for independent church and freedom of religious belonging, the publishing of books, and later of Bulgarian periodicals, the foundation of Bulgarian secular schools as well as the official establishment of Bulgarian language and culture, were the steps towards the revival of the nation.

The writing of the History of the Slav-Bulgarian People by Father Paisii of Hilendar (1762) and its later spreading, at first in manuscript version, marked an important moment in our history. The traditional for Bulgaria cultural centres - chitalishta (pubic libraries, cultural clubs) were created to preserving and elating the national spirit. Thus they gave the chance to many young Bulgarians get in touch with the treasures of European culture, which made national self-awareness and strive to political freedom grow further. The struggle for church and national freedom, which in the middle of the 19th century grew into a large scaled civil movement, did not possess clerical but rather secular features. It turned into struggle for national emancipation, which made the Porte acknowledge the Bulgarians as an independent nation and not just as part of the amorphous mass of “rum millet” (the Christians in the Empire). Thus the Bulgarians got their way before the Oecumenical Patriarchy in Istanbul, which was a channel for the assimilation tendencies of the Greek “megali idea”, aimed at spiritual melting of Bulgarian population.

The zenith of this unsurpassed in scale whole-nation activities was marked by the “Bulgarian Easter” in 1860 when the Bulgarians bravely raised their requests in defence of the national, religious and human rights. Bulgaria was also strongly influenced by the Russian-Turkish Wars waged in the 18th - 19th centuries. The myth about Grandpa Ivan was created then - it was the story about the strong Russian hero who would come from the north and would liberate his Christian brothers living on the Balkans. Russia also nurtured this faith because of its actual interests for permanent influence on the Balkan Peninsula. To our regret, these wars did not yet bring freedom to Bulgaria but made thousands Bulgarians emigrate to the north – in Danubian Kingdoms and Besarabia, which was then part of Russia. Still today hundred thousands of ethnic Bulgarians live in the southern regions of Moldova and Ukraine, preserving their origin, language and traditions. The participation of Bulgarian volunteers in those wars, especially in the Crimean War during 1853-1866, was a good reason for Russia, depite rather late as compared to its policy towards Serbia and Greece), to plan and organise the liberation of Bulgaria from the Ottoman rule. The situation on the Balkans was more than unfavourable to the Bulgarians who lived in close proximity to the big centres of the neighbouring empires, which were main source of supplies for the Ottoman military machine and bureaucracy. The neighbouring Wallachia and Moldova (united in Romania in 1859), Serbia and Greece had managed to overthrow the Ottoman domination far more easily thanks to their geopolitical features. And yet the Bulgarians did not give up as they had to fight not only against the degraded Ottoman State but with the aspirations of their neighbours.

In 1862 Georgi Rakovski, ideologist of the Bulgarian National Revolution, organised the First Bulgarian Legion in Belgrade. Young people were trained in the military art with the aim of organising an uprising. A great number of Bulgarian emigrants received excellent military education abroad, while some others took prominent positions in the Ottoman Empire and were seeking for diplomatic ways to obtain independence of Bulgaria. In 1869 the Central Bulgarian Revolutionary Committee was set up in Bucharest (with the writer Lyben Karavelov being its chairman), which organised the preparation for the uprising from Romanian territory.

A key figure was Vassil Levski (1837-1873), simply called by the Bulgarians the Deacon (i.e. the Monk) or the Apostle. Casting off the cassock he managed to create an intricate network of secret revolutionary committees in Bulgaria united in a Central Revolutionary Committee with the town of Lovech as Headquarters. Persecuted for years by the Ottoman police the genius conspirator was captured, sent to trial and hanged in Sofia without betraying any of his assistants. Still today Levski is worshiped and considered a saint and the dearest victim of Bulgaria throughout its millenium-old history.

The April Uprising from 1876 was a turning point in the movement for the national liberation of Bulgaria. The uprising, which enjoyed widest support in Thrace (there Georgi Benkovski was its leader) took numberless innocent victims. Thousands of revolutionaries gave their lives for Bulgaria and among them stands Hristo Botev – the genius national poet. The sanguinary suppression of the April Uprising placed the “Bulgarian issue” in the schedule of the world democratic community. A wave of protests, gatherings, fund-raising about the Bulgarian victims spread through the whole of Europe, from Slav Russia to England and Ireland far away. The “horrors in Bulgaria” retold in touching articles by the American journalist McGahan occupied the headers of the press in Europe and worldwide. “The Empires, which kill should be put to an end”, exclaimed the great French writer Victor Hugo. William Gladston and Otto Von Bismarck - notorious political figures expressed support to the cause for liberation of Bulgaria. The following brightest intellects in Europe raised protests and expressed sympathy and support to the Bulgarians – Darwin, Mendeleev, Dostoevski, Tolstoi, Tourgenev, Garibaldi and many more. This time it was not possible for the Great Powers to ignore the Bulgarian cause – purposefully overlooked for decades. A conference was held in Tsarigrad in 1875, which aimed but did not succeed in the diplomatic effort to grant autonomy to Bulgaria within its ethnic boundaries (divided in two parts, eastern and western, with Veliko Turnovo and Sofia as capitals, respectively).

The Russian Emperor Alexander II declared war on Turkey in 1877. Finns, Polish volunteers, Romanians and numerous Bulgarian volunteers took part in it together with the Russian and Ukrainian soldiers. After heavy and epical battles fought for about a year, the most memorable if which took place in Shipka Pass and around Pleven, Turkey was forced to declare capitulation and sign the San Stefano Peace Treaty in front of the walls of Istanbul.

That was how Bulgaria gained back its independence on 3rd March 1878 and its territories should have expanded to the old Bulgarian lands (Mizia, Thrace and Macedonia) whose ethnic-cultural features were defined by the dominant Bulgarian element. But in July of 1878 at the Berlin Congress the Great Powers revised the San Stefano Peace Treaty and divided the Bulgarian people. An autonomic Principality of Bulgaria, subjected as vassal to the Sultan was established on the territory north of the Balkan Mountains (Mizia), including Sofia region. Southern Bulgaria (Thrace) became Eastern Roumelia (with Plovdiv as centre) under the political and military domination of the Port even though it enjoyed administrative autonomy. Macedonia and the Odrin region of Thrace remained under Turkish rule, Northern Dobroudzha was given to Romania and the Moravian region with the big town of Nis - to Serbia. An epic struggle for liberation started in the Bulgarian lands, which remained under foreign domination, especially in Macedonia. It followed the traditions of the Apostle Levski and its peak was marked by the Ilinden-Preobrazhenie Uprising in 1903. Despite the bitter disappointment with the unfair Berlin Treaty the Bulgarians took up with reviving their state. The historical capital Veliko Turnovo hosted the Constituent (Great) National Assembly, which passed the Turnovo Constitution – on of the most democratic in the world at that time. Bulgaria became a constitutional monarchy with a strong Parliament and modern legislation.

The first Knyaz (Prince) of liberated Bulgaria was Alexander I of Battenberg (1879-1886). He ruled a people who managed on their own to unite the two separated territories of Bulgaria in 1885 against the will of all the Great Powers. In the Serbian-Bulgarian War to follow (1885) the Bulgarians defended their right to be united in a non-divided territory. During the term of office of the Prime Minister Stefan Stambolov (1887-1894) - prominent politician and statesman, called “Bismarck of Bulgaria”, Bulgaria was recognised as a European country of international prestige.

During the reign of Prince (later King) Ferdinand Saxe-Coburg Gotha (1887-1918) the role of the monarch grew due to objective and subjective reasons but the multi-party political system had already established solid grounds. In 1908 Bulgaria declared independence thus rejecting the last elements of unequal position as regards the Ottoman Empire.

In 1912-1913 Bulgaria was the backbone in the efforts of the Balkan countries, which united against the Empire for liberation of the “brother slaves” in Macedonia. Bulgarian soldiers demonstrated unsurpassed bravery and heroism, the airplane was used for the first time in military actions, new methods in artillery were adopted, etc. The nation-wide exultation was nipped by the selfish policy of the allies Serbia and Greece, by the stab in the back by Romania, facilitated by inadequate diplomatic steps.

During the World War I Bulgaria, with view to the not effected national liberation, had no chance and suffered a catastrophe together with Germany and the other defeated countries out of the so-called Central Powers. The heroism of the Bulgarian army remained in vain after all attempts for the liberation of Macedonia and its accession to Bulgaria failed. The national catastrophe became even worse after a Peace Treaty was signed in Neuilly, a Paris suburb in 1919.

During the reign of Tsar Boris III (1918-1943) the country was with reduced territories and hostile neighbours, and experienced deep social cataclysms and fierce interior political struggle. Despite that, all branches of economy were modernised, scientific research, education and arts enjoyed support. One of the Prime Ministers at that time was Alexander Stamboliiski (1919-1923) - an ideologist and leader of the Bulgarian Agrarian People’s Union. He implemented some successful reforms but made big mistakes in his interior policy and diplomatic efforts. The political situation in the country became more complex due to the uprising in September 1923 and the terrorist attack in St. Nedelya Church in Sofia two years later, which were followed by fierce repression on the part of the right-wing forces. Despite these extremes and hardships Bulgarian people still had faith in the Turnovo Constitution and strived to democracy and just social life.

The non-precedent salvation of the Bulgarian Jews from being sent to German concentration camps during World War II is associated with the name of Tsar Boris III. Thanks to the pressure of the democratic forces, the Bulgarian Orthodox Church and prominent intellectuals 50,000 Jews did not leave the country in the echelons of death. Bulgaria did not send troops to the Eastern Front to fight as an ally of Fascist Germany. Our army participated in the final stage of the war on the side of the Soviet Union and its allies.

To our regret, at the Paris Peace Conference in 1947 the historic and ethnic rights of Bulgaria were once again not observed and Macedonia was included in the territories of Yugoslavia of Tito. This part of Bulgaria became a test field for an experiment a Macedonian nation and language to be created on an anti-Bulgarian basis. However, being a state of centuries-old historical experience marked of severe and unsurpassed suffering, Bulgaria was the first to acknowledge today’s Republic of Macedonia (1991) and to continue rendering it assistance in the complex reality on the Balkans in the end of the 20th and the beginning of the 21st century. After 9th September 1944 the democratic trends in Bulgaria were revived. However, the Soviet intervention put forward the Communist Party.

In 1945 Georgi Dimitrov returned from Moscow. He is known as “the victor in the trial of the 20th century” in Leipzig when he was accused by the Nazi authorities together with three more Bulgarians of having put the Reichstag on fire. In 1946 Dimitrov was elected Prime Minister and at the same Secretary General of the Bulgarian Communist Party.

The period, when at the head of the Bulgarian state was Vulko Chervenkov (1950-1956), was marked by the so-called “cult of personality”, which got deep roots in society.

The long period of totalitarism during the term of office of Todor Zhivkov (1950-1989) was the time when state and party completely merged. During the 1970-s national economy achieved stabilisation and was modernised.

Democracy in Bulgaria revived in November 1989. In the new situation of real parliamentary democracy, the Bulgarian people chose their leaders - Presidents Zhelyo Zhelev, Peter Stoyanov and Georgi Purvanov, and Prime Ministers Andrei Loukanov, Dimiter Popov, Philip Dimitrov, Lyuben Berov , Zhan Videnov and Ivan Kostov.

Since 2001 Prime Minister of Bulgaria is Simeon Saxe-Cobourg Gotha, the son of Tsar Boris III. The country made quick steps for integration with the big European family, creating its own model of ethnic tolerance based on traditional Bulgarian democratic values and historical experience.

It is no mere chance that today’s Bulgaria is a factor of stability on the Balkans nevertheless the hard and complex social and economic transition. Ancient and strong blood runs in the veins of today’s Bulgarian people – the blood of acient Bulgarians and Slavs, who settled on the Balkans in the 7th century winning their land in arms. This same land they turned into a cradle of Medieval European civilization by their hard work, energy and talent. The ancient Thracians and other old inhabitants of Mizia, Thrace and Macedonia joined their magnificent river of peoples thus giving birth to one of the most ancient in origin, restless in spirit and full of life people – the Bulgarians. A people, who established notorious traditions in statehood and culture, who adopted and rethought the achievements of ancient and modern cultures, who emitted strong civilisation impulses to other peoples, especially in Orthodox Europe. This people gave Europe the saint brothers Cyril and Methodius, Priest Bogomil – the religious rebel, the great musician St. Yoan Koukouzel, prominent figures like St. Kliment Ohridski, St. Yoan Ekzarh and St. Patriarch Eutimius of Turnovo, as well as a multitude of clerical leaders of other Orthodox peoples, starting from St. Mihail “the Bulgarian” - the first Metropolitan of the Rus of Kiev at the end of the 10th century. And in the dramatic 14th – 15th centuries there were St. Kiprian – Metropolitan of Kiev and Moscow, Grigorii Tsamblak – his successor in Kiev and Lithuania, St. Patriarch Efrem of Serbia, the leader of Romania clergymen St. Nikodim Tismanski and many others… All of them – Bulgarians, who promoted the development of spiritually close peoples like Russians, Ukrainians, Belorusians, Serbians, Romanians, Moldovans, etc. In the end, the creative spirit of Bulgarians – in Bulgaria and abroad – was suppressed neither by the five centuries-long Turkish yoke, nor by the dramatic turns during the last hundred years, which led to national catastrophes and hard social and political experiments, to open deprivation of ancient-old Bulgarian lands.

The creative spirit of Bulgarians survived regimes, wars, oppressions and rivers of Bulgarian blood. It gave the world even its most remarkable invention – the computer, invented by John Atanassov, whose father survived, by miracle in the April Uprising of 1876. Let us outline the names of Assen Yordanov, the constructor of Boeing, of Ivan (John) Nochev under whose skilful (and strictly confidential) guidance man first stepped on the Moon. Could we not mention the cult names of the opera singers Boris Hristov and Nikolai Gyaurov, Gena Dimitrova and Raina Kabaivanska? Or the “Mystery of Bulgarian Voices” which charmed not a one of world rock music stars! Or Bulgarian artists throughout the world including Kristo (Hristo Yavashev) - the legend of modern art… These outlines are not an attempt of modest “self-promotion”, nor provoked by romantic national understandings – nevertheless we believe or not, nevertheless we understand the essence of what was achieved, these are the truth, the truth, which we shall not forget, which obliges us before our successors and ourselves.

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