Bulgaria - Traditions

Customs

The Bulgarian people has kept its unspoiled traditions for centuries despite the ups and downs of history. The colourful folklore festives and customs are extremely attractive for the visitor.

National Costumes

The national costumes are very specific cultural phenomena which evolve during long historical development. They have long been a determinant of Bulgarian folk culture which gives visual idea of the ethnic specificity and ethnographic variety of the Bulgarian people.

Music Folklore

Bulgarian poetic folk art originates in ancient times and has centuries-old history. First preserved records for the existence of folk singers and songs derive from the IX-X century. Most of the folk songs date back from the XVII century.

 Bulgarian Wines

Bulgarian wine tradition dates back to the era of the Thracians and are honoured from the times of Homer. The wine industry contributes to the steady development of rural regions and infertile areas, maintains the ecological balance, and encourages the appropriate and efficient use of the country's resources.

Crafts

The Bulgarian’s aesthetic sense and conception of the world makes him create art out of any material - wood and clay, wool and copper, silk and silver. Applied crafts have gradually emerged from the narrow frame work of strictly domestic life to become an art which breeds art.

- Pottery - The vessels have an underlined Slave form typology. Unique ritual forms are preserved.
- Woodcarving - iconostases, bishop’s, thrones, pulpits, decorative panels, ceilings, chests, chairs and mirror frames, musical instruments shepred's pipes, whistles, dvoyanki, rebecs, bagpipes.
- Weaving - textile products.

- Embroidery – the worldwide famous “Karlovska” lace. 

Bulgaria - World Heritage

The World Register of Historical Sites, established by UNESCO, includes seven cultural sites and two nature reserves.

Thracian Tomb - Sveshtari

The tomb was discovered in 1982 under a large hill. It dates back to the III c. B.C. It consists of three chambers - an entrance chamber and two antechambers. It is covered by a mound. The decoration of the burial chamber is exceptionally interesting, a unique blend of art and architecture.

Thracian Tomb – Kazanlak

One of the most famous monuments of Thracian culture. The tomb became world famous with its unique mural, done in wet fresco and tempera. The scenes of funeral procession , the musicians, the Thracian ruler and his wife, the chariots, the horses and other depictions are all very interesting.

The horseman of Madara – Shumen

This is a rare monument, dating from the VIII – IX c. A. D. It is a unique symbol of young Bulgaria. A relief portraying a life size horseman, followed by a dog is carved on a cliff, about 100 m high. The scene has been depicted realistically and without any unnecessary details.

 The church at Boyana - Sofia

It is one of the most important and valuable antiquities of exceptional historical and artistic significance. The most interesting part of the monument are the murals done in 1259. The artist skilfully combines the requirements of iconographical canons with real life.

Rock Monasteries – Ivanovo

An area where a number of medieval churches, monastic cells and chapels were carved on both sides of the river Lom. A colony of hermits lived here from the III c. to the XVII c. The natural vesicles in the Karst rocks were widened and moulded to meet the needs of the colony. The chambers are at a height of 6-10m. and are connected by series of stairs, passages, galleries.

The Rila Monastery

It is a holy place for all Bulgarians, for it preserved their pride, national identity, faith and hope through the centuries. The monastery is one of the most significant cultural centres and it is an architectural - artistic composition of enormous dimensions, an apogee of the work of the renaissance craftsmen, icon - painters, wood-carved, artisans in the artistic area where architecture and the decorative and monumental painting of stone, wood and metal are combined

Bulgaria - Culture

CULTURE 

For more than 13 centuries the Bulgarians have been creating unique literature, art and music. Bulgaria has given the world men of great achievements, unparalleled in history.

One of the most famous opera bass-singers (Boris Christov and Nickolai Guaurov) and the beautiful soprano Raina Kabaivanska are Bulgarians.

The 'Voyager' spacecraft launched in the 1970s on a voyage to meet and communicate with other planets, carried a laser disc of ten songs believed to be representative of 'Earth'. One of these songs was the Bulgarian tune “Izlel e Deliu Haidutin” from the Rhodopes region. The singer is the great Valya Balkanska.

Elias Canetti was born in Bulgaria.

The inventor of the first electronic computer John Vincent Atanassoff is of Bulgarian origin.

The richness of cultural and historical monuments, including ancient Thracian, Greek, and Roman makes Bulgaria the perfect destination for the history lovers. Many of the cultural monuments in Bulgaria are listed under the protection of UNESCO’s World Heritage List. 

Bulgaria - New History

New Bulgarian History

After restoring the national state-hood in 1878 Bulgaria was a constitutional monarchy with a democratic government and a quickly developing economy.

In 1941 Bulgaria entered World War II on the side of the Rome-Berlin-Tokyo Axis. After Word War II, in result to the Yalta agreements between the Great Powers, Bulgaria chanced in the field of influence of the Soviet Union.

On 10 November 1989 Bulgaria once again embarked on the road of democratic development.

The acting Constitution of the Republic of Bulgaria was adopted in July 1991.

The President is the Head of State and is elected with direct elections once in every five years, for not more that two mandates.

The government (The Council of Ministers) is the main body of the executive power, headed by the Prime Minister.

Bulgaria is a Parliamentary Republic and the basic power in the country is the legislative one.

The population of Bulgaria is 7 980 000.

Today  Bulgaria is one of the candidate countries for integration in the European Union.