The clock tower

The central square "Captain Dyado Nikola" in Tryavna, with the iconic Clock Tower, is the only architectural ensemble in Bulgaria that has been completely preserved, showing the authentic appearance of a city square from the time of the Renaissance. The clock tower was built in 1814 and is 21.15 meters high. Built of stone, hollow inside, it rises with all its grace, created in perfectly harmonious proportions. „The following year 1815 a clock was installed on it, then the bell was also hung, and according to some sources it was inscribed with a relief on the outside by the Gabrovо masters Gencho Radoslavov and Kuncho Radoslavov.

The watch ticks every hour. In 1971, an electronic system was installed on the tower, and every night exactly at 10:00 p.m., the melody of the song "Inseparable" based on Pencho Slaveykov's poem, which became a kind of Tryavna’s anthem, sounded from a loudspeaker. The pleasant night lighting makes it a favorite attraction for residents of Tryavna and guests of the town.“* Preserved, thanks to repair and restoration, in as close as possible to its original form, it captivates every new guest of the city with its greatness and beauty.

„The Tryavna clock tower is a legacy by which we must check our clocks – not only those that count the minutes, but also the internal clocks that remind us of the legacies of our ancestors. For more than 200 years, it has been visible from almost the entire city and shows us where the revival heart of Tryavna beats.“ (Radoslav Parvanov – quote)*

Church of Saint Michael the Archangel

Legend has it that the church was built in the 12th century. To thank God for the support in the successful battle in 1190 in the Tryavna Pass, the Asen brothers built three churches dedicated to St. Archangel Michael. One of them was in Tryavna. So far, history has not confirmed this fact. But in the 18th century, the church certainly existed. It was burned down during the great Kardjalian attack on Tryavna in 1798. In his chronicle, Father Jovco recorded "We found the church burned like a furnace, but it did not fall because it was from kivgir (stone)".

Along with the construction of the clock tower in 1814, enough building material was collected and the people of Tryavna showed their mastery as builders. In 1819, a new one was built on the site of the old church. Carvers and painters from the Vitanov family were the leaders in decorating the new temple. They decorated it as only they knew how - with magnificent carvings and icons.

At the beginning of 1853, a tall wooden belfry was raised for the church. In 1862, the large wooden clapper was replaced by a small bell. In this form, the church has reached our days.

Historical monument "Popangel House"

The oldest architectural monument on the territory of Tryavna municipality is the Popangel House. It is believed to have been built in the second half of the 18th century. Once upon a time, its inhabitants were engaged in a rare artistic craft named “kazaslak” – silk and fine woolen threads were used to make cords to decorate clothing, belts, and horse ornaments. Tryavna’s craftsmen made the saddles for the horse of Haydar Pasha, the Turkish Sultan Abdul Mejid. The bridle for Prince Alexander Battenberg's horse was a gift from the Tryavna’s craftsmen guild.

This house was one of Vasil Levski's refuges when he came to Tryavna on committee business. Even today, the secret places where he hid in case of danger can be seen here.

The Museum of Architecture in Tryavna is the newest museum object under the care of the Specialized Museum of Carving and Painting Art - Tryavna. The collected museum exposition is based in the oldest building in Tryavna - the Popangel House and presents the craftsmanship of the old builders of Tryavna. The museum opened on October 26, 2023.

The Humpback bridge

The Humpback Bridge, also known as the Old Bridge or the Kivgir (Stone) Bridge, is one of the emblematic symbols of Tryavna. Together with the Clock Tower and the Old School, the Humpback bridge is an integral part of the Renaissance architectural ensemble - a square named "Captain Grandfather Nikola".

It was built in 1844-1845. It was originally made of wood, but after torrential rains, the river flooded and often knocked it down. That is why the people of Tryavna decided to build it out of stone. The construction was entrusted to master Dimitar Sergyuev, who for a long time looked for the appropriate stone - to withstand cold, heat, and water elements. He made the bridge in Roman style - high, arched, and strongly curved so that it could safely pass the stormy waters of the Tryavna River. It is 25 meters long, about 4 meters wide. The large slabs of cut stone were fastened together with iron pins and lead solders. For more than 160 years, the bridge has been faithful to the people of Tryavna - it has withstood all storms and natural elements.

The Daskalov House

The Daskalov house is among the most representative Tryavna Revival houses, one of the examples of the Tryavna architectural school, declared a cultural monument. The house museum is among the 100 national tourist sites of Bulgaria.

It was built in 1808, on two floors, with a wide porch, many rooms, and a large courtyard with high walls. Inside, the home is filled with warmth and coziness that can be felt to this day, coming from the carved decoration, and the colorfulness of the rugs, tablecloths, and cushions. The house was built by two of the most famous builders and woodcarvers in the region, and far away - master Dimitar Oshanetsa and his journeyman Ivan Bochukovetsa. The house was intended for the sons of the wealthy merchant of rose oil and silk Hadji Hristo Daskalov.

The Daskalov House remains famous for the bet between Dimitar Oshanetsa and Ivan Bochukovetsa - who will make a more beautiful ceiling, which made the two artistic carved ceilings - the May Sun of Oshanetsa and the July Sun of Bochukovetsa. It is also called "The House with the Suns".

Museum of carving and painting

It is no coincidence that the museum of carving and painting art is located in Tryavna. Specialized Museum of Carving and Painting Art is the general name of the municipal association that manages all the museums on the territory of the city of Tryavna and includes more than 10 objects.This is where the Tryavna School of Arts was born - the oldest in Bulgaria, which arose in the 17th and 18th centuries and developed in three directions - icon painting, wood carving, and construction. These are the three main crafts with which the local craftsmen were engaged.

One of these three crafts is represented in the Daskalov house - the only museum in Bulgaria dedicated to wood carving. There are representatives of the three main types of woodcarving – the simplest, the so-called shepherd's carving, the carving for decorating the home and the most beautiful, but also the most difficult to make - the church carving. The museum also has a woodcarving workshop, which shows the way woodcarving is made, as well as the craftsman's tools.

House-museum of Angel Kanchev

The house was built at the beginning of the 19th century, around 1805, and is part of the preserved Renaissance ensemble next to the Craft Bridge. Birthplace of the revolutionary Angel Kanchev - associate and faithful assistant of Vasil Levski in building the internal revolutionary organization. Only Angel's childhood years pass in this home. The family moved to the city of Ruse and Angel Kanchev was presented with opportunities for a good education. But he dedicates himself to the freedom of his fatherland.

The documentary exhibition on the ground floor traces the life and activities of the young revolutionary as Vasil Levski's first assistant. The upper floor is decorated in a country style. Through personal belongings, weapons, photographic and documentary material, the participation of the people of Tryavna in the struggle for national liberation is presented.

Museum of Asian and African Art

The Museum of Asian and African Art in Tryavna is a unique site for Bulgaria, and the fact that the museum is located right here is no accident.

Descendant of a local woman, born in Tryavna - the sculptor Zlatko Paunov, decided to gather all his love for art in one place. The collection contains more than 400 objects, with exhibits representing Eastern culture. For many years he has lived in New York, USA, where his famous studio and his art school are located. Zlatko Paunov has a particular weakness for Eastern culture, so every year he spends some time in Tibet and Nepal, where he also has his studio and students. He also studied the art, religion, and culture of China, India, Japan, and Indonesia. The best of Zlatko Paunov's library, 1,339 volumes of specialized literature, entered the library of the art school of the city of Tryavna, and the objects - works of art from Europe, Asia, and Africa - entered the museum's funds.

The museum is housed in the building of an old town bath of Tryavna. Here is also the only stork's nest in the city.

Museum of the Tryavna school of icon painting

https://bplusfilm.com/vr/tryavna/

Old School Museum

One of the first secular schools in Bulgaria was built in the period 1836-1839. It was opened as a mutual school in the autumn of 1839. In 1849, the people of Tryavna invited Petko Slaveykov as a teacher to Tryavna, who also opened a class school in this building. Introduces the study of music, drawing, and physical education classes. In the spring of 1850, the first annual exams were held at the Tryavna school. The changes that Slaveykov made here were so numerous and significant that to this day the old school is also known as Slaveykov's School.

Now this building houses a reconstruction of a room from a mutual school, where everyone can go back to the beginning of the 19th century and try writing on sand, read from mutual learning tables, get acquainted with the order and strict requirements for students in the revival school, to dress up with cavalry and take one as a souvenir; the donation of paintings and sculptures by the world-renowned artist Dimitar Kazakov – Nero and his brother Nikola Kazakov; an exhibition of old clocks, including a reverse clock, a tower clock mechanism, a gravity clock; a documentary exhibition tracing the history of the educational work in Tryavna.

Bozentsi Architectural - Historical Reserve

The village of Bozhentsi is famous for its 600-year history. It is one of the most valuable architectural and historical reserves in Bulgaria, inaugurated on September 6, 1964. The village, immersed in green silence, attracts with its preserved original architecture, the flower-adorned verandas of the houses with stone roofs and heavy gates. From the once rich village with hundreds of houses and inhabitants - traders who traveled the world, today only a few local people and the unique houses with an average age of about 200 years remain.

The village of Bozhentsi is about 9 km from Gabrovo and 6 km from Tryavna. A wonderful, picturesque eco-path, starting from the town of Tryavna, with an easy walking route leads to the picturesque village in about 2 hours.

More than 100 houses have been preserved in their authentic form. Several of them have been converted into museums. There is an ethnographic exhibition from the 18th century. The way of life of the local people from the 19th century is also presented. Bozhentsi is the only Bulgarian village that has completely preserved its character from the Revival, which contains and preserves valuable ethnographic and architectural monuments and urban planning ensembles. In Bozhentsi, old Bulgarian traditions are re-enacted for St. George's Day, Christmas Day, and Lazarus Day. There are good conditions for eco and rural tourism.

Dryanovо Monastery “St. Archangel Michael”

Dryanovo Monastery "St. Archangel Michael" is an active Bulgarian men's monastery. It was founded during the Second Bulgarian State - the beginning of the 12th century in the area of the Church - near the summer residence of the Bulgarian kings from the Assen dynasty. During Turkish slavery, it was destroyed and looted twice (XIV and XVII centuries), but it was quickly restored.

A revolutionary committee was founded here. Vasil Levski and Matei Preobrazhenski came several times. During the preparation of the April Uprising, it was determined that the Dryanovо Monastery was one of the places where one could seek refuge, as a very large amount of food and ammunition were stored there in special barns - gunpowder, rifles, bullets, revolvers, sabers.

This is how we get to the time of the Revival, when "St. Archangel Michael" became one of the most significant centers of Bulgaria - with a huge library (one of the first copies of the "Slavic Bulgarian History" was discovered here), a large cell school and extremely active monks who preserved native traditions.

The Dryanovo eco-trail

The Dryanovo eco-trail was built in the area of the Dryanovo monastery – it bends along the Boruna rock massif, which rises to the south of the holy monastery. It starts shortly before the entrance to Bacho Kiro cave, at first you walk on rock-cut steps and then on a well-trodden path through the cool forest. It begins at the entrance of the Bacho Kiro cave.In several places, there are designated corners with panoramic views, and at three of them, there are also benches, allowing tourists to admire the wonderful view. In one of these places is the so-called Bench of Love.

The route attracts attention with the fact that at a short distance, there are various relief phenomena - rock niches, rock ridges, various caves, layered steps, waterfalls, thresholds, erosion cauldrons, whirligigs, etc. The walk along the scenic path lasts about 1-1.5 hours and is light-duty.

There is a wide variety of animals and plants, some of which are declared endangered.

Bacho Kiro Cave

"Bacho Kiro" cave is one of the diamonds in the necklace of caves of Bulgaria – because of the amazing karst formations, because it is the first in the country landscape for visits by tourists, and because some of the oldest traces of homo sapiens (sane people) in Europe were found here.

The cave is located only 300 meters from the Dryanovо monastery and already in 1937 the Dryanovо tourists improved it for visitors, making it the first of its kind in Bulgaria. From then until today, it is regularly open for visits. In 1962 it was declared a natural landmark, and in 2002 the paths and lighting were renewed. It is part of the Hundred National Tourist Sites of Bulgaria. Its total length is 3,500 meters, which ranks it 13th in the country in terms of this indicator. The temperature here throughout the year is approximately 13 degrees, so in the summer it is good to have outerwear on hand. This is one of the best – studied caves in Bulgaria (including by the Shkorpil brothers) and among the most significant archaeological sites from the Paleolithic (Old Stone Age) in the Balkans.

Architectural-ethnographic complex Etara, Gabrovo

Architectural-ethnographic complex Etara is a district of Gabrovo, an open-air museum and the first museum of its kind in Bulgaria. It represents a unique presentation of authentic Bulgarian culture, lifestyle, and craftsmanship. It was opened on September 7, 1964. Today in Etara a large part of the craftsmanship of the Revival is gathered. It was created as a miniature model of Gabrovo from the middle of the 18th century to the end of the 19th century. The town was booming and at that time as many as 26 trades were developing. In this regard, little by little, the houses have started to "come out" from the inner courtyard and be built facing the street. Thus, they become more convenient for craftsmen who open their shops directly to customers.

Etara is home to the only collection of water-powered technical equipment in Bulgaria, containing 10 objects that are in operation nowadays. It has the status of one of the best-organized gatherings of its kind in Europe. Due to this fact, the water wheel has become the emblem of the complex. The craft bazaar presents 16 examples of Balkan architecture, which reveal the original talent of the Renaissance builders.

Sokolski monastery

Sokolski monastery ‘Uspenie Bogorodichno’ is a notable monument of Bulgarian Revival architecture, founded in 1833 by Archbishop Joseph Sokolski. The monastery is located near architectural-ethnographic complex Etara, Gabrovo.

In 1836, a cell school was opened in the monastery, where Neophyte Bozveli was а teacher. Due to its active participation in the national liberation struggles, today the monastery keeps a small exhibition of relics testifying to the sheltering of Vasil Levski and the formation of Tsanko Dyustabanov's squad. In the middle of the spacious monastery courtyard, immersed in flowers and greenery, a unique white stone fountain with eight spouts with falcons, which is supposed to have been built in 1865 by the master Kolyu Ficheto, murmores day and night.

The monastery is picturesquely located along the upper reaches of the Yantra River, high among the northern slopes of Stara Planina - 4 kilometers south of the ethnographic settlement Etara and 12 kilometers southeast of Gabrovo.

Kilifarevo Monastery

Kilifarevo Monastery "Rozhdestvo Bogorodichno" is a Bulgarian Orthodox virgin monastery located along the river Belitsa, next to the town of Kilifarevo, 12 km from Veliko Tarnovo and 31 km from the town of Tryavna.

The monastery was founded in 1348 by St. Theodosius of Tarnovo, with the support of Tsar Ivan Alexander. Later, when the Ottoman Turks captured Tarnovo, they also destroyed the monastery. In 1718, the monastery was built again in the same place, over the remains of the old one. The monastery church "Saint Dimitar" was built by master Kolyo Ficheto. The monastery has several valuable icons, the most famous of which is the icon of Ivan Rilski with his life.

The monastery, together with the frescoes and the iconostasis (made by Tryavna masters) of the church, was declared an artistic monument of culture in 1973. Its temple feast is on September 8.

Veliko Tarnovo

Veliko Tarnovo - the ancient capital of Bulgaria, impresses everyone with its unique beauty. The city is located in Central Bulgaria at the foot of Stara Planina. It is located on the historical hills of Tsarevets, Trapezitsa, and Sveta Gora, overhanging the river Yantra and its wide meanders. It is almost equidistant from the largest cities in the country - 241 km from Sofia, 228 km from Varna, 192 km from Plovdiv, and 224 km from Burgas.

Veliko Tarnovo grabs the visitor at first sight with its exceptional location. It seems to have been poured on the steep hills by the whimsical bends of Yantra river, decorated by the lacy rock wreath. It excites and captivates every guest, firstly with its houses - light, perched on top of each other, standing next to each other, as if nature had determined the place and shape of each of them. It is a city that makes an impression and impacts with its original, unique, specific Renaissance architecture.

During the multi-century existence of the city, unique cultural monuments related to the glorious history of the Bulgarian people have been created and preserved here. The preserved remains of fortresses, palaces, and churches are silent witnesses of the flourishing of Bulgarian culture in the 12th - 14th centuries. Veliko Tarnovo is located 41 km from the city of Tryavna and is a wonderful destination for a day trip, saturated with many sights, history, and culture.

Tsarevets

Tsarevets is a hill in Veliko Tarnovo, as well as a fortress of the same name in medieval Tarnovgrad.

It is located near the old town of Veliko Tarnovo. It was the main Bulgarian fortress during the Second Bulgarian Kingdom (1185 – 1396) when Tarnovo was the capital of the kingdom. During the Middle Ages, the hill on which it is located was completely built up with residential and administrative buildings.

The earliest traces of life on Tsarevets Hill date back to the Late Chalcolithic Era (4200 BC). The hill was also inhabited during the Bronze and Iron Ages. Remains of dwellings and pottery from the Hallstatt culture (XIII-V centuries BC) and from the later Latin culture (V-I centuries BC) were discovered. The Thracian settlement discovered under the ruins of the medieval Bulgarian capital existed throughout the 1st millennium BC.

Tsarevets is among the Hundred National Tourist Sites of Bulgaria.