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Unveiling the Tragedy

As we descended into the heart of the village, a grim scene unfolded before us—a testament to the atrocities committed.

Remnants of Horror

Gathered around a heap of ashes by the roadside, locals pointed out a macabre sight: a multitude of calcined bones mingling with the debris. Here lay the remnants of burnt corpses, a stark indication of the brutality inflicted upon the villagers.

A Haunting Discovery

Further along our path, we encountered a sight that filled us with profound sorrow and horror—a young girl’s skeleton, no more than fifteen years old, lay abandoned by the roadside. Partially covered by the rubble of a collapsed wall, her remains told a harrowing tale of violence and desecration.

Innocence Lost

The girl’s skeleton, still adorned with a simple chemise and footless stockings, bore the marks of a brutal end. Her once-treasured shoes had been stripped away, leaving her delicate feet exposed to the elements. Despite the passage of time, her flesh had not decomposed entirely, preserving her tragic visage Tour Packages Balkan.

Unspeakable Cruelty

A gaping wound marred her skull, surrounded by a tangle of long, brown hair—a poignant reminder of the innocence snuffed out by senseless violence. It became apparent that the perpetrators had subjected her to unspeakable indignities, stripping her of her clothes and dignity before mercilessly ending her life.

Testimonies of Survivors

We spoke with numerous women who had endured similar ordeals, spared only from the final, fatal blow. Their accounts revealed a pattern of brutality and degradation: victims stripped of their belongings, violated, and ultimately slain at the whims of their assailants.

The discovery of this young girl’s remains serves as a poignant reminder of the horrors unleashed upon the innocent inhabitants of Batak. Each bone, each silent witness to unspeakable cruelty, demands justice and remembrance for those whose lives were needlessly cut short.

#Unveiling the Tragedy

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The Citadel of Power

The Citadel’s Significance

Tsarevets stood as the primary fortress of the Second Bulgarian Kingdom, perched upon cliffs overlooking the winding Yantra River. Its imposing stone walls guarded the heart of Bulgarian power, with access primarily from the west via a fortified rocky isthmus boasting three successive gates. Notably, the southeast portion of the fortress housed the Frenkhisarska Gate, linking Tsarevets to the district of the Frenky, home to foreign traders.

Situated along the south side of the west wall lies the Small Gate, or Asenova Gate, connecting Tsarevets to the “new town” and the neighboring hill Trapezitca. A central street, following a horizontal plane, interconnected all main gates and encircled the entire fortress, with smaller secondary streets branching off. District parish churches dotted the landscape, offering convenient access to the Tsar’s Palace and the Patriarchate. In front of the Palace, a Square served as a venue for receiving foreign delegates and hosting ceremonial events Private Tours Istanbul.

The Majesty of the Tzar’s Palace

Perched atop Tsarevets Hill, the Tzar’s Palace occupies a flat terrace encircled by its own fortress wall, with the primary entrance facing west towards the Square. Spanning an area of 4872 square meters, the Palace comprises throne halls in the western section and living quarters along the eastern side, including the Palace church. The southern section housed agricultural areas and food court buildings, delineated by a stone wall, all interconnected by spacious courtyards.

Three Construction Phases

Research reveals three distinct periods in the construction of the Palace. The initial phase likely saw the residence of a Byzantine superintendent. The second phase, under Tzar Ivan Asen The Second, witnessed significant reconstruction, elevating the structure to a royal palace. Finally, in the mid-14th century, during the reign of Tzar Ivan Alexander, further renovations reshaped the Palace to reflect the evolving needs of Bulgarian royalty.

Reconstruction Insights

Architectural reconstructions, spearheaded by B. Kuzupov, offer invaluable glimpses into the grandeur and layout of the Tzar’s Palace, shedding light on its historical significance and architectural evolution. From the central courtyard to the majestic throne halls, each aspect of the Palace speaks volumes about Bulgaria’s rich past and royal heritage.

#The Citadel of Power

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Geography and Natural Resources of Bulgaria

Landscapes and Waterways

Bulgaria is a country with a lot of mountains, plains, and rivers. On one side of the rectangular-shaped Bulgaria, there is a coast along the Black Sea. The varied landscapes and the sea have made the country good for farming, raising animals, and forestry. Important crops include cereals, grapes, potatoes, silkworms, roses, and tobacco.

Geographical Information

Area: 42,785 square miles Latitude and Longitude: 44°12’50” to 41°14’12” N, 22°21’35” to 23°36’37’’ E Population (1956 census): 7,613,709 Population (1962 preliminary data): 8,046,000 Population Density (1956): 179 people per square mile Major Cities

The largest cities in Bulgaria are Sofia City Tour Istanbul, Plovdiv, Varna, Russe, and Burgas, according to the 1956 census.

Population Changes

In 1946, 74% of the population lived in rural areas, and 26% in urban areas. By 1956, this had shifted to 65% in rural areas and 35% in urban areas.

Ethnic Diversity

1984: Bulgarians (Slavs): 86.8% Turks: 10.2% Gypsies: 1.3% Jews: 0.5% Others: 1.2% 1952: Bulgarians (Slavs): 91% Turks: 6% Gypsies: 2% Jews: 0.04% Others: 0.96% Languages and Minorities

The main language is Bulgarian (Slavonic). Turkish is spoken by the Turkish minority, and Old Spanish is spoken by the Jewish minority, among other languages. The numbers of the Turkish and Jewish minority groups have decreased under the Communist regime due to emigration.

Religion

The exact percentage of religious followers is not available due to the Communist regime’s stance against religion. Despite discouraging religious practices, the regime uses the church for propaganda. The majority of the population is considered Greek Orthodox, with Islam as the second-largest religion. There are also small percentages of Catholics, Protestants, Jews, and others.

Mining and Natural Resources

Coal (1962): 20,800,000 tons Iron (1962): 628,000 tons Copper (1962): 93,000 tons Lead and Zinc (1956): 1,500,000 tons Oil (1961): 207,000 tons Bulgaria has rich mineral resources, including coal, iron, copper, lead, zinc, and oil. Varna, near the Black Sea, and the Pleven district are significant locations for mineral deposits, particularly crude oil discovered in 1962. The country also boasts around 400 mineral springs, with famous ones like the baths of Hisara, Merichleri, and Separevo.

#Geography and Natural Resources of Bulgaria

[burgasbg]

Geography and Natural Resources of Bulgaria

Landscapes and Waterways

Bulgaria is a country with a lot of mountains, plains, and rivers. On one side of the rectangular-shaped Bulgaria, there is a coast along the Black Sea. The varied landscapes and the sea have made the country good for farming, raising animals, and forestry. Important crops include cereals, grapes, potatoes, silkworms, roses, and tobacco.

Geographical Information

Area: 42,785 square miles Latitude and Longitude: 44°12’50” to 41°14’12” N, 22°21’35” to 23°36’37’’ E Population (1956 census): 7,613,709 Population (1962 preliminary data): 8,046,000 Population Density (1956): 179 people per square mile Major Cities

The largest cities in Bulgaria are Sofia City Tour Istanbul, Plovdiv, Varna, Russe, and Burgas, according to the 1956 census.

Population Changes

In 1946, 74% of the population lived in rural areas, and 26% in urban areas. By 1956, this had shifted to 65% in rural areas and 35% in urban areas.

Ethnic Diversity

1984: Bulgarians (Slavs): 86.8% Turks: 10.2% Gypsies: 1.3% Jews: 0.5% Others: 1.2% 1952: Bulgarians (Slavs): 91% Turks: 6% Gypsies: 2% Jews: 0.04% Others: 0.96% Languages and Minorities

The main language is Bulgarian (Slavonic). Turkish is spoken by the Turkish minority, and Old Spanish is spoken by the Jewish minority, among other languages. The numbers of the Turkish and Jewish minority groups have decreased under the Communist regime due to emigration.

Religion

The exact percentage of religious followers is not available due to the Communist regime’s stance against religion. Despite discouraging religious practices, the regime uses the church for propaganda. The majority of the population is considered Greek Orthodox, with Islam as the second-largest religion. There are also small percentages of Catholics, Protestants, Jews, and others.

Mining and Natural Resources

Coal (1962): 20,800,000 tons Iron (1962): 628,000 tons Copper (1962): 93,000 tons Lead and Zinc (1956): 1,500,000 tons Oil (1961): 207,000 tons Bulgaria has rich mineral resources, including coal, iron, copper, lead, zinc, and oil. Varna, near the Black Sea, and the Pleven district are significant locations for mineral deposits, particularly crude oil discovered in 1962. The country also boasts around 400 mineral springs, with famous ones like the baths of Hisara, Merichleri, and Separevo.

#Geography and Natural Resources of Bulgaria

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The Balkan Wars

Unraveling Aspirations and Shifting Alliances

Paving the Way for Conflict

As Bulgaria’s capital industry burgeoned, the need for trade outlets in the Aegean became apparent. Simultaneously, the people of Macedonia and Lower Thrace endured the enduring burden of Ottoman rule. In this complex landscape, a war seemed inevitable, driven by varied aspirations that momentarily converged on common goals.

War as a “Sacred Cause”

Post-insurrections and the attainment of state independence, the Bulgarian populace viewed war against Turkey as the sacred means to address the national question. This endeavor aimed to liberate compatriots in Macedonia and the Odrin region, offering a potential solution to their plight.

The Balkan Alliance Emerges

With the global powers teetering on the brink of a world war, the Triple Alliance and the Entente sought allies in the Balkans. The result was the formation of the Balkan Alliance under Russian patronage. This strategic coalition united Balkan Christian states against a still formidable Turkey and served as a tool for the Entente’s influence in the Peninsula Private Turkey Tours.

Exploiting Ottoman Weakness

Seizing the weakened state of the Ottoman Empire after its defeats in the war with Italy, the Bulgarian rulers, alongside Serbia, Greece, and later Montenegro, established the Balkan Entente in 1912. This alliance aimed to exploit the Ottoman Empire’s vulnerability.

Bulgarian-Serbian Treaty

The Bulgarian-Serbian Treaty, signed on February 29th, 1912, targeted Turkey and envisioned the division of future free Macedonia into two regions or zones. Bulgaria, assuming a pivotal role in the conflict, committed to deploying a substantial force and leading the war on the crucial Thracian front against the principal Turkish forces.

Challenges Within the Balkan Alliance

While the Balkan Alliance promised unity, it soon became evident that the union was fragile and temporary. Unresolved territorial issues created internal tensions. Bulgaria, undertaking significant responsibilities, found itself grappling with the explosive dynamics of conflicting interests within the alliance.

Prelude to Conflict

The Balkan Wars were not just battles on the Thracian front but also a complex interplay of shifting alliances, national aspirations, and geopolitical strategies. As Bulgaria assumed a central role, the stage was set for a conflict that would reshape the region’s political landscape.

#The Balkan Wars

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The Veil of Calmness

Unveiling the Struggle of Storytellers

Concealed Emotions The Facade of Composure

In the hallowed halls of diplomacy, where decorum and dignity reign supreme, an unexpected tableau unfolds. Storytellers, burdened with tales that pierce the soul, stand before a Secretary of Legation. The veneer of calmness shrouds their trembling hearts, revealing a struggle to navigate the weight of their narratives. It’s a delicate dance between maintaining proper decorum and confronting the storm of emotions brewing within.

Dignity Amidst Tremors The Struggle for Composure

The storytellers, acutely aware of the significance of addressing a Secretary of Legation, embark on a journey to uphold a semblance of composure. Their voices, initially subdued, betray the effort to contain the emotional tempest within. A profound sense of dignity pervades their demeanor, underscoring the gravity of the narratives they carry. However, a mere glimpse beneath the surface lays bare the strain — a paleness in the face, a nervous dance of features, and a tremor in the voice, all precursors to the turmoil beneath.

The Unmasking Quivering Voices and Tears Unleashed

As the stories unfold, the meticulously constructed facade begins to crack. The storytellers, grappling with the intensity of their narratives, find themselves teetering on the precipice of vulnerability. In a poignant display of humanity, the calmness once meticulously maintained crumbles. A sudden cessation mid-story marks the breaking point. The hands bury faces, tears stream unabated, and a symphony of sobs fills the room. The struggle against the torrent of emotions becomes futile, revealing the depth of their anguish and the unspoken scars carried within Balkan Tours.

A Symphony of Sorrow The Contagion of Tears

The sobs and tears, raw and unfiltered, weave a tapestry of shared sorrow. The storytellers, unable to endure the weight of their narratives, find solace in vulnerability. The contagious nature of their emotional release fosters an atmosphere where unspoken pain is acknowledged, and the humanity that binds us all transcends diplomatic formalities.

In the quiet corridors of diplomacy, where tales of human suffering intersect with the obligations of statesmanship, the struggle to articulate harrowing stories remains a poignant testament to the indomitable human spirit. The veil of calmness, meticulously worn, becomes a fragile shield against the deluge of emotions, ultimately unraveling in the face of shared narratives and the universal language of tears.

#The Veil of Calmness

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Tragedy in Perustitza

Unraveling the Brutality of the Bashi-Bazouks

In the somber chronicles of the village of Perustitza, a tale of tragedy unfolds, shedding light on the merciless actions of the notorious Bashi-Bazouks. The events that transpired during those fateful days not only left a scar on the community but also drew attention to the need for justice and accountability.

One particular incident exemplifies the ruthless nature of the Bashi-Bazouks. Among those who ventured outside the village was a Frenchman, involved in commercial activities in Philippopolis. Driven by the distressing news of unrest, he returned home in search of a fellow Frenchman who had gone missing. Unbeknownst to him, danger lurked as he encountered the Bashi-Bazouks. Fluent in Turkish, he attempted to explain his purpose to Achmet-Aga, only to find himself detained and eventually killed, presumably in a pursuit for imagined wealth.

This tragic occurrence did not go unnoticed by the French Consul, who promptly lodged a complaint. The French Government, spurred by this grievous act, likely demanded compensation for the families of the two deceased men. This incident underscores the gravity of the situation in Perustitza and unveils the murderous tendencies that fueled the actions of the Bashi-Bazouks.

Siege to the village

As the Bashi-Bazouks laid siege to the village, terrorizing its inhabitants, a grim reality unfolded. Those who lacked confidence in the benevolence of the Turks and hesitated to surrender found themselves fleeing to the fields. private tours bulgaria Their desperate escape, however, was futile as the merciless pursuers hunted them down, leaving a trail of death in their wake.

The Bashi-Bazouks, having disposed of those in their clutches, turned their attention to the abandoned homes. Pillaging with abandon, they plundered the villagers of their possessions and, with a heartless disregard, set their homes ablaze. The village, once a peaceful abode, now stood witness to the destruction wrought by the marauding forces.

Remarkably, the Bashi-Bazouks refrained from launching a direct assault on the church, opting instead to harass its occupants from a distance. Their bravery, it seemed, was reserved for confronting defenseless women and children. When faced with armed resistance, their courage waned, revealing a stark contrast in their demeanor.

For three agonizing days, the villagers endured the pillaging and burning of their homes, while the Bashi-Bazouks callously fired upon the church from a secure vantage point. The besieged villagers, relegated to the churchyard, could only watch in despair as the flames consumed the remnants of their once-thriving community.

The tragedy of Perustitza serves as a poignant reminder of the brutality that can be unleashed in times of conflict. It beckons the international community to reflect on the importance of justice and accountability, urging swift action to address the heinous acts perpetrated by the Bashi-Bazouks. In the face of such atrocities, the world must stand united to ensure that the voices of the victims are heard and that the perpetrators are held accountable for their crimes.

#Tragedy in Perustitza

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Tenth centuries Constantinople was assailed by no less than six invasions

During the ninth and tenth centuries Constantinople was assailed by no less than six invasions— from Bulgaria, from Hungary, and four times from Russia.

In 1096 A.D. Constantinople was visited by the Crusaders under Godfrey de Bouillon, on their way to Jerusalem. The Emperor Alexius was an assenting party to the armed confederation of western chivalry which initiated the Crusades, and, through his ambassadors, had pledged the aid of his treasures and of his troops.

But when he saw the hosts of the Christian armies collected beneath the walls of his capital, and contrasted the strength, numbers, discipline, and brilliant equipment of his allies with the too evident weakness of his own troops, he recognised his inability to resist, if, as he feared might be the case, they should be tempted from their sterner purpose by the attractions of his capital, and should prefer the substantial pleasures of the present Constantinople to the more distant and dangerous honours of the conquest of Jerusalem. However, he adopted a policy of conciliation, and, after being kept on the tenter-hooks of alternate hope and fear, had at last the satisfaction of seeing them depart.

One institution of Alexius

There is one institution of Alexius and of these later rulers of the Eastern Empire which is of special interest to Englishmen, viz. the Royal Varangian Guard. The best of the native soldiers were enrolled in battalions under the proud title of ‘ the Immortals but, partaking as they did of the general effeminacy of the nation in its decadence, they could by no means be relied upon in the field, while at home they more frequently than otherwise aided any insurrectionary risings of the citizens instead of supporting the crown.

The Greek sovereigns, therefore, maintained a number of mercenary troops. These at first consisted of the Heruli, the offscouring of the hordes of Alaric and of Attila, or of the conquered bar-barians from the coast of Africa; but were in later times composed of the adventurous mariners who, in a preceding century, had made voyages from Denmark and from the shores of the Baltic daily tours istanbul, and of a large importation from England of noble Anglo-Saxon youths, who preferred military service in a foreign court to submission to the Norman conqueror.

These English exiles were the safe-guards of the throne of Alexius, and to them he looked as being alike willing and able to help in any fray or contest with embarrassing Norman auxiliaries and allies. The Varangian Guard were the only troops which showed fight against the invaders when, in A.D. 1203, the army of Norman nobles forming the fourth Crusade turned aside from their purpose at the instance of the Republic of Venice, and, with the assistance of the Venetian galleys, attacked Constantinople simultaneously by sea and land and took the city. Willardouin, in describing this siege, says: ‘ Li murs fu mult garnis d’Anglois et de Danois.’ Henry Dandolo, the ‘ Octogenarian Chief the blind Doge of

#Tenth centuries Constantinople was assailed by no less than six invasions

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OLD PLOVDIV

As far back as six thousand years ago Neolithic man appreciated the propitious combination of a fertile land, a large river and inaccessible hills in the heart of the Thracian plain.

Contemporary with Troy, Mycanea and the cities of Crete, Plovdiv grew into a proper town in the 12th century B.C. Ancient Greek writers attribute its foundation to Eumolpi – son of Haemus and Rhodope. The town was raised behind a fortress wall upon a cluster of hills – Nebet Tepe, Taxim Tepe and Jambaz Tepe. It adopted the name of its founder – Eu- molpiade. A succession of names followed through the centuries – Philippopolis, Pulpudeva, Trimontium, Puldin, Felibe and Plovdiv.

Cultural strata laid down by the centuries have been integrated in the appearance of the present day town. Antique, mediaeval and Revival Period monuments stand next to each other in striking architectural ensembles on the historic Three Hills. Old Plovdiv is a unique living organism built of archaeological remains, museums and excellent galleries, Revival buildings holidays bulgaria, functioning churches rich in frescoes, carved wooden ornamentation and religious articles, cozy cafes and restaurants, school buildings, old-time and new houses with romantic courtyards and picturesque cobbled alleys. In 1956 Old Plovdiv was declared an architectural- historical reserve and in 1979 it was awarded a gold European medal for its achievements in the preservation of historical monuments.

Nebet Tepe

Decades of archaeological excavations on Nebet Tepe have uncovered numerous significant remains from antiquity and the earliest settlement on the hills. Archaeologists have identified fortification walls from various stages of antiquity. In the southern part of the saddle between Jambaz and Taxim hills there have also survived parts of the impressive fortress walls of the Acropolis and the South Gate. Eleven years of archaeological work unearthed, just inside the fortress wall, the remains of an imposing antique theatre, which was successfully conserved and restored. Another remarkable building was discovered at the western foot of Taxim Tepe hill in the Jumaya Square. A restored section of Philippopolis’ antique stadium is displayed here nowadays. Nearby, to the south of the Three Hills are the remains of the large Roman city square – the forum (agora). Sections of the fortress wall running along the tops of the hills have also survived to our day. There are remains of the early Thracian and Hellenistic ages as well as repaired structures from the Roman and Byzantine periods.

#OLD PLOVDIV

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Tryavna master

District History Museum, 6 Lenin Blvd. in a house built 1895 by the Tryavna master, Kolyu Ganchev, a pupil of Kolyu Ficheto, tel. 2-24-94.

Hadji Dimiter Museum, 2 Assenova St., restored and open to visitors. The spacious hall has an exhibition of original documents, weapons, photos, clothes, etc. Tel. 2-24-96.

Panayot Hitov Museum, 7 Chemo More St. Two of the rooms have an exhibition of documents, personal belongings, clothes, weapons, etc. Tel. 2-24-94. ’

Dobri Chintoulov Museum in the courtyard of St Sofia Church. Tel. 2-24-94.

Hotels: Sliven, 3 stars, town centre, tel. 2-69-11. A 16-storey building with 16 suites and 250 beds, restaurant, coffee shop and roof-top restaurant private tour istanbul; Sinite Kamuni, 2 stars; Zora — l star.

The Aglika Camp site, 1 star, near the Sliven spas.

The Rest and Tourist bureau is in the Sliven hotel, tel. 2-69-11.

The Sliven Spas, 12 km southeast of Sliven, are among the most famous in Bulgaria. The curative power of their waters was known in ancient times. The baths itself are Ottoman architecture. The temperature of the water is 53°C and is recommended for gastrointestinal. gall and liver diseases.

Museum village of Zheravna

30 km from Sliven the road forks left to the museum-village of Zheravna (pop. 1,000). The village was founded about the 14th century. In the 17th-19th centuries the population gained its livelihood from stockbreeding, mainly sheep breeding, and crafts. The spacious and impressive wooden houses with wide eaves, highs stone walls and solid nail-studded gates, date from that period. The interiors are decorated with wood carvings and furnished with gaily coloured carpets and tufted rugs.

One 17th century house is the birthplace of Sava Filaretov, a Bulgarian teacher of the National Revival period. It has a covered verandah and living room with a carved wooden ceiling. The Russi Chorbadji house is now an art gallery. The birthplace of wnter Yordan Yovkov is now a museum.

8 km north of the turning to Zheravna is another remarkable town — Kotel (pop. 9,000). Kotel was founded by immigrants in 1545 amid wooded hills. It was named Kotel (Bulgarian for cauldron) — the waters of its abundant springs boil as if in a cauldron. Only a quarter of the old town survived the great fire of 1894. This part of the town is an architectural reserve. An ethnographic museum is housed in one of the old buildings and not far from it is the History Museum in the school building of 1869. The first school for folk-instrument musicians was opened in Kotel and there is also a school for arts and crafts. The weaving of goat hair mgs and carpets is typical for Kotel.

#Tryavna master

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Rousski Square

Hotels: Vitosha New Otani (five star), 100. Anton Ivanov Street — tel. 62-41-51, with a night club — panoramic restaurant on the 19th floor, bowling alley Bulgarian restaurant and Japanese restaurant, Rodina 4, Rousski Square (four star), twenty-storeyed building with 1,053 beds, 42 single rooms, 487 double rooms and seven suites. Large and nine smaller ones, swimming pool, sauna, solarium, shops, underground garage for 220 cars, Novotel £vropay 1.31 Georgi Dimitrov Blvd. — tel. 3-12-61, (four star) sixteen-storey 586 double rooms, seven suites, restaurant, night club, shops (inch Corecom), covered parking, rent-a-car service. Grand Hotel Sofia, Narodno Sobranie Square, (three star) five-storeyed building — tel. [phone] single rooms, 145 double rooms, restaurant, bar, night club, tavern, Corecom shop, parking, exchange bureaux and rent-a-car service.

Park Hotel Moskva, 25 Nezabravka Street — tel. 7-12-61, eighteen-storey building with 34 single rooms, 327 double rooms, 28 suites, restaurant, bar and night club, panoramic restaurant and tavem;

Grand Hotel Balkan, 2 Lenin Square — tel. 87-65-43; Grand Hotel Bulgaria, 2 Rousski Blvd — tel. 87-19-77; Hemus,

31 Georgi Traikov Blvd. — tel. 66-14-15; Serdica, 2 Vladimir Zaimov Blvd. — tel. 44-34-11; Pliska. 87 Lenin Blvd. — tel. 72-37-21; Prostor, in Mount Vitosha — tel. 6548-81; Shtastli- vetsa, in Mount Vitosha — tel. 66-50-24; Kopito, in Mount Vitosha — tel. 57-12-56.

Tourist organizations

— Balkantourist, with the Bulgarian Tourist and Recreation Association, 1 Vitosha Blvd. — tel. 88-3141, telex — 22583, 22584. Balkantourist offers hotels, motels, camping sites, private lodgings, villas, restaurants, bars, night clubs, coffee houses and provides guides and interpreters.

Tourist Service — Balkantourist, 37 Dondukov Blvd., tel. 8844-30, telex — 22488; Shipka — travel agency, Central Council of the Union of Bulgarian Motorists, 6 St. Sophia Street — tel. 87-88-01; Orbita — Bureau for International Youth Tourism, 45a Alexander Stamboliiski Blvd. — tel. 87-95-52; Cooptourist — for domestic and foreign tourism with the Central Cooperative Council, 99 Rakovsk? Street — tel. 8441; Pirin — travel agency of the Central Council of the Bulgarian Hikers’ Union, 30 Alexander Stamboliiski Blvd. — tel. 87-06-87;

Balkan Airlines (international flights), Narodno Sobranie Square — telephones 8844-33 and 88-44-93 and 19 Legue Street — telephones 8849-89 and 87-54-51;

Motels:

Tihiyat Kut (two star) — on Mount Vitosha on the road leading to Zlatni Mostove 12 kilometres from the centre of Sofia — telephone 57-14-01; Boyana (three star) daily sofia tour, Boyana district—telephone 56-30-35; Goroublyane (three star), Goroublyane district — telephone 72-37-20, two-storey motel with 28 double rooms, restaurant, rent-a-car service and parking.

Camping sites:

Vrana — Goroublyane City District (three star), four bun-galows with one apartment each, telephone 78-12-13; Lebed — Pancharevo lake (one star). Telephone 77-3045;ChermyaKos —eleven kilometres south-west of central Sofia (two star). Te-lephone 57-11-29; Bankya — 17 kilometres west of central Sofia (one star).

Night Clubs: Vitosha New Otani; Grand Hotel Sofia; Park Hotel Moskva; Havana, Vitosha Blvd.

#Rousski Square

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Church architecture in Thrace and Moesia

Many and varied forms found their way into church architecture in Thrace and Moesia. In the first place, the extensive distribution of the Hellenistic basilica, with an ordinary saddle roof, should be noted. Such for instance was the one-apse basilica in the place known as Pirinch Tepe near Varna, with a narthex and a baptistry, the Sea Basilica in Mesambria, which had a narthex and three apses, and theoneat the village of Ovcharovo (Choban Dere),Turgovishte district, with an apse- shaped like a horse-shoe. The second type of basilica found in the Bulgarian lands are vaulted basilicas wither without cupolas. For instance, one of the basilicas in Hissarya (in the region of Levskigrad) and those at [he village of Golyamo Belyovo, Pasardjik district, the Elenska Church (Church of the Stag) near Pirdop and some others, are of this sort. Most interesting are single-nave cruciform churches, built in the 5th and 6th centuries, which are of one type, although they show considerable differences; their origin should be sought for in the East.

Village of Ivanyane

Churches of this kind have been found at the village of Ivanyane, near Sofia , and at the village of Tsurkvishte (Klisse Keui), near Pirdop. It is accepted that the cruciform plan of these churches has influenced the plan of the above- mentioned Church of St. Sophia in Sofia. This is one of the best preserved churches, and is a remarkable example of early Christian architecture in Bulgaria. It is a basilica with a cupola, nave and two aisles which, besides the narthex has a transept guided istanbul tours, placed in front of the apse; together with the nave this forms a cross, inscribed within the plan of the church. St. Sophia is distinguished by its harmonious and balanced form, as well as by the simple, but expressive lines of its silhouette.

Actually, it dates to the beginning of a new period. Finally, the church at Djanavar Tepe, near Varna, is more unusual in plan, with its single nave and interior apse, the four square divisions at the side of the altars and the small narthex. At the end of this period, with which late antiquity comes to an end in our lands, we find the imposing ruins of the so-called Red Church near Peroushtitsa, which is one of the most monumental representatives of church architecture in the pre-Bulgarian period. A central building with a dome which was supported by four pilasters, connected four conches on the south and north sides, joined by a semicircular corridor, with a double narthex on the west side. Flere too we see the continuation of certain forms of Roman mausoleum architecture, interpreted in a new way, of course, and adapted to the requirements of the Christian cult.

#Church architecture in Thrace and Moesia

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ANCIENT

Bulgaria is one of the countries where ancient art – the art of the Greeks and Romans, has left many works and exercised a powerful impact on the local inhabitants; – the ancient Thracians. Important centres of ancient and more particularly of Hellenic culture were the settlements of the Greeks from Miletus on the Black Sea coast: Apollonia (today Sozopol), Mesembria (today Nessebur), etc. Let us mention but a few finds: a burial stele, found in Sozopol (Bourgas Museum), an archaic statue of a young man from Shapli Dere, a burial stele of Calicritus, a statue of Pan, a statue of Eros by Praxiteles, a head of Heracles, a head of Apollo, a bronze statuette of Athena, a bronze statuette of Apollo (all in Sofia Archaeological Museum); a bronze head from Vidin (Vidin Museum), head of Emperor Gordian (238-244) (Archaeological Museum, Sofia), a sarcophagus from the village of Archar (Archaeological Museum, Sofia), relief of the eastern deity Mythra (Archaeological Museum, Plovdiv), relief depicting circus shows (Archaeological Museum, Sofia).

Of great interest are the remains of ancient Roman fortresses and towns, scattered over almost all the country: Oescus on the Danube – an ancient town near Pleven, Nicopolis ad Istrum – ruins of an ancient Roman town near Veliko Turnovo, the Church of St George in Sofia, Trimontium in Plovdiv, Hissar — the ancient town of Augusta, where the fortress walls of the ancient town have remained to this day, the tomb in Silistra – with well preserved Roman mosaics, villas in the district of Sofia, near the town of Ivailovgrad, etc.

HISTORICAL RESERVATIONS

of the architecture of the Bulgarian National Revival period: Koprivshtitsa, Zheravna, Arbanassi, Kotel, Bozhentsi, Etura, the old parts of Plovdiv, Veliko Turnovo, Elena tour bulgaria, Karlovo, Tryavna, etc.

SOME TOURING ROUTES

SOFIA SAMOKOV BOROVETS (72 km)

After you have got acquainted with the capital of the country, this route will enable you to see one of the best-known mountain resorts in Bulgaria – Borovets. On your way to the resort you will pass through areas of great scenic beauty, past the Pancharevo and Passarel Lakes, past the Isker Dam and through the old town of Samokov, well-known in the past as an ore-mining centre but also featuring a Metropolitan Church and the Turkish Bairakli mosque. A side road from Samokov will bring you to the resort of Malyovitsa.

SOFIA RILA MONASTERY MELNIK (181 km)

The route makes it possible for you to see the Rila Monastery, the towns of Stanke Dimitrov, Sandanski, Blagoevgrad and the picturesque little town of Melnik with the famous earth pyramids near it. The road is asphalted.

#ANCIENT

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MEET BULGARIA

‘If Europe still has any tourist reserves, Bulgaria is the first of them.’

Professor Bernecker, Director of the Institute on Tourism, Austria.

So this year you have decided to spend your annual holiday in Bulgaria. That’s fine! You are very welcome, and we hope you’ll come again next year!

The People’s Republic of Bulgaria is a small state in the eastern part of the Balkan Peninsula between 41° and 44° latitude North and 22° and 28° longitude East. It occupies an area of 111,000 square kilometres and has a population of 8,730,000. Bulgaria borders to the north on the Socialist Republic of Romania (the boundary line runs along the Danube River and then over land), to the west – on the Socialist Federative Republic of Yugoslavia, to the south – on Greece and Turkey, and to the east – on the Black Sea.

The relief of the country is a happy combination of sea coast, picturesque mountains and verdant plains. The predominant Drown colour on your map gives the impression that it is a purely mountainous country, although this is npt so, despite the fact that in Bulgaria there are no fewer than sixteen mountain massifs. We must first of all mention the Balkan Range, which was called Hemus in ancient times. This range, the longest in the country (555 km) cuts it into two halves as it runs from west to east and has given its name to the whole peninsula. It is the living history of Bulgaria – because in its progressive settlements and in its forests the people have fought many battles for their freedom. Fifteen of the peaks of the Balkan Range rise above 2,000 m, and the highest of them Mount Botev, is 2,376 m high daily ephesus tours. The highest mountains in Bulgaria (and in the whole Balkan Peninsula) are the Rila Mountains (with Mount Moussala – 2,925 m)and then come the Pirin Mountains with Mount Vihren — 2,915 m. East of the Pirin Mountains extends like a choppy sea the massif of the Rhodopes (with Mount Big Perelik -2,192 m). From among the other mountains we must mention the Sredna Gora (Central Mountains), running parallel to the Balkan Range (the two ranges enclosing the well-known Valley of Roses); Mount Vitosha – near the capital, Sofia; the Strandja Mountains (in south-eastern Bulgaria), Belassitsa, Ossogovo (in the southwestern part of the country), etc.

Danubian Plain

Of course, side by side with the brown patches on the map of Bulgaria there are also green ones. They stand for our plains, lowlands and valleys. The most important ones are: the Danubian Plain (between the Danube and the Balkan Range) and Dobroudja — two granaries of Bulgaria; the Thracian Plain (in southern Bulgaria), which got its name from the Thracians who inhabited it in antiquity and which is renowned today for its vineyards, vegetable gardens and tobacco plantations; the Valley of Roses, which we have already mentioned; the Kyustendil Plain – Bulgaria’s orchard, etc.

There are also many rivers in Bulgaria, but most of them are seasonal and carry little water most of the time. The largest river, excluding the Danube, is the Maritsa. It springs from the Rila Mountains, crosses the Thracian Plain, and flows into the Aegean Sea. The rivers Toundja and Arda are tributaries of the Maritsa. The Strouma and Mesta also flow into the Aegean. Among the Bulgarian tributaries of the Danube the most important are the Isker, the Ogosta and the Yantra, and the rivers Kamchiya and Ropotamo flow into the Black Sea.

Since the lakes on the Danube bank were drained (only Srebuma Lake was left as a reservation) Bulgaria now has three kinds of lakes: coastal, in the limestone mountains and Alpine. The largest coastal lakes are that of Blatnitsa and of Shabla, the Varna and Gebedje and the Atanassovsko. The most important among those in limestone rocks is Rabisha Lake, and the high- mountain lakes are mainly in the Rila and Pirin Mountains (in the Rila Mountains alone there are 189 corrie lakes and in the Pirin Mountains 176).

#MEET BULGARIA

[burgasbg]

The Health of Nations

We may take in turn a few of the ways in which the lives of these 30,000 victims a year may be saved; and, with their lives, the infinite sorrow, suffering, and loss which these 30,000 deaths involve. There is a book with a most happy title, the instructive record of a most useful life — I mean The Health of Nations, by the well-known reformer Sir B. Richardson. In that book Dr. Richardson has collected the writings, described the schemes, and explained the work of his friend, Edwin Chadwick, the Nestor of sanitary reform, the Jeremy Bentham of the Victorian epoch, the pioneer and venerable chief of all health reformers.

Edwin Chadwick, himself the philosophical executor and residuary legatee of old Jeremy Bentham as a social and practical reformer, in extreme and hale old age — he was born in the last century, in 1800 — was still in 1887 hearty and energetic in the cause to which he has devoted sixty years of his life—the great cause of the Health of Nations. The Health of Nations is quite as important as the Wealth of Nations. If the Health of Nations does not need the philosophical genius of Adam Smith, or the analytic genius of Jeremy Bentham, it needs a spirit of social devotedness quite as serious, and a practical energy in the apostle quite as great. As Burke told us that John Howard had devoted himself to a ‘ circumnavigation of charity private guide turkey,’ so Edwin Chadwick sixty years ago began a ‘ circumnavigation of sanitation,’ and after all his voyages he has at length finally put into port.

Of all problems

Of all problems, the most important is—water. We are drinking water that at times is contaminated with sewage, as well as with foul surface drainage, and that to a degree which under possible conditions may become deadly. I saw not long ago one of the large affluents of the Upper Thames poisoned by mineral refuse to a degree which suddenly killed the whole of the fish. This garbage — mineral poison, refuse, and decaying fish — we in London had to drink. It is true that such are the forces of nature that even mineral poison and stinking fish does not kill us always — in moderate doses. Were it not for the vis medicatrix naturce in the matter of water, air, and soil, we should all be dead men some morning, the whole four millions of us together.

This want of abundant pure water is one of the most crying wants of our age. There are two or three modes in which London can be supplied with wholesome water. Whether it is to come out of the chalk, whether it is to be collected out of several of the southern rivers at their head sources, whether it is to come by a vast aqueduct from Bala Lake, the West Midland hills, or from Ullswater, we need not discuss. But it has to come — pure, abundant, constant. Ultimately, I believe, there will be a main aqueduct down England from the lakes of Westmoreland, sending off branch mains to the greater Northern and Midland towns, and pouring into London a river like the Eamont at Penrith —an inexhaustible source of pure water, just as the Claudian or the Julian Aqueducts poured their rivers into Rome — Rome, the immortal type of all that a great city ought to have in the way of water supply.

Let us away with all the nastiness and stupidities of cis-terns, with their dirt, poison, discomfort, and cost; away with the ball-cock, and the bursting pipes, and all the abominations of bungling plumbers. A continuous water supply is a necessity of civilisation. But free water is as much a necessity of civilisation as pure water, or continuous water.

#The Health of Nations

[burgasbg]

The Health of Nations

We may take in turn a few of the ways in which the lives of these 30,000 victims a year may be saved; and, with their lives, the infinite sorrow, suffering, and loss which these 30,000 deaths involve. There is a book with a most happy title, the instructive record of a most useful life — I mean The Health of Nations, by the well-known reformer Sir B. Richardson. In that book Dr. Richardson has collected the writings, described the schemes, and explained the work of his friend, Edwin Chadwick, the Nestor of sanitary reform, the Jeremy Bentham of the Victorian epoch, the pioneer and venerable chief of all health reformers.

Edwin Chadwick, himself the philosophical executor and residuary legatee of old Jeremy Bentham as a social and practical reformer, in extreme and hale old age — he was born in the last century, in 1800 — was still in 1887 hearty and energetic in the cause to which he has devoted sixty years of his life—the great cause of the Health of Nations. The Health of Nations is quite as important as the Wealth of Nations. If the Health of Nations does not need the philosophical genius of Adam Smith, or the analytic genius of Jeremy Bentham, it needs a spirit of social devotedness quite as serious, and a practical energy in the apostle quite as great. As Burke told us that John Howard had devoted himself to a ‘ circumnavigation of charity private guide turkey,’ so Edwin Chadwick sixty years ago began a ‘ circumnavigation of sanitation,’ and after all his voyages he has at length finally put into port.

Of all problems

Of all problems, the most important is—water. We are drinking water that at times is contaminated with sewage, as well as with foul surface drainage, and that to a degree which under possible conditions may become deadly. I saw not long ago one of the large affluents of the Upper Thames poisoned by mineral refuse to a degree which suddenly killed the whole of the fish. This garbage — mineral poison, refuse, and decaying fish — we in London had to drink. It is true that such are the forces of nature that even mineral poison and stinking fish does not kill us always — in moderate doses. Were it not for the vis medicatrix naturce in the matter of water, air, and soil, we should all be dead men some morning, the whole four millions of us together.

This want of abundant pure water is one of the most crying wants of our age. There are two or three modes in which London can be supplied with wholesome water. Whether it is to come out of the chalk, whether it is to be collected out of several of the southern rivers at their head sources, whether it is to come by a vast aqueduct from Bala Lake, the West Midland hills, or from Ullswater, we need not discuss. But it has to come — pure, abundant, constant. Ultimately, I believe, there will be a main aqueduct down England from the lakes of Westmoreland, sending off branch mains to the greater Northern and Midland towns, and pouring into London a river like the Eamont at Penrith —an inexhaustible source of pure water, just as the Claudian or the Julian Aqueducts poured their rivers into Rome — Rome, the immortal type of all that a great city ought to have in the way of water supply.

Let us away with all the nastiness and stupidities of cis-terns, with their dirt, poison, discomfort, and cost; away with the ball-cock, and the bursting pipes, and all the abominations of bungling plumbers. A continuous water supply is a necessity of civilisation. But free water is as much a necessity of civilisation as pure water, or continuous water.

#The Health of Nations

[burgasbg]

The qualified rule of the Turk

The habit of five centuries and the hope of ultimate triumph lead all of them to submit, with continual out-breaks and outcries, to the qualified rule of the Turk. But place any one of this motley throng of nationalities in the place of the Sultan, and a general confusion would arise. The Greek would not accept the Bulgarian as his master, nor the Bulgarian the Greek; the Albanians would submit to neither; the Armenians would seize the first moment of striking in for themselves; and the Italian and Levantine Catholics would certainly assert their claims. No one of all those rival nationalities, creeds, and populations could for a moment maintain their ascendency. No one of them has the smallest title either from tradition, numbers, or proved capacity, to pretend to the sceptre of the Bosphorus—and not one of them could hold it for a day against Russia, if she chose to take it.

Assume that Russia has succeeded Turkey in possession of Constantinople, the Bosphorus, and the Hellespont. What is’the result? She would immediately make her southern capital impregnable, as Colonel Greene says, ‘with a line of defence such as no other capital in the world possesses.’ She would make it stronger than Cron- stadt or Sebastopol, and place there one of the most powerful arsenals in the world. With a great navy in sole command of the Euxine, the Bosphorus, the Marmora, and the Hellespont, with a vast expanse of inland waters within which she could be neither invested nor approached — for nothing would be easier than to make the Hellespont absolutely impassable — Russia would possess a marine base such as nothing else in Europe presents, such as nothing in European history records, except in the days of the Basilian dynasty and the Ottoman Caliphs of the sixteenth century.

Marine arsenal in the Archipelago

With such an unequalled naval base she would certainly require and easily secure a further marine arsenal in the Archipelago. It is of no consequence whether this was found on the Greek or on the Asiatic side. There are a score of suitable points. An island or a port situated somewhere in the ALgeaxi Sea between Besika Bay and the Cyclades would be a necessary adjunct and an easy acquisition guided turkey tours. With Russia having the sole command of the seas that wash South-Eastern Europe, dominating the whole south-eastern seaboard from a chain of arsenals stretching from Sebastopol to the Greek Archipelago, the entire condition of the Mediterranean would be transformed — let us say at once — the entire condition of Europe would be transformed.

Has the British public fully realised the enormous change in the political conditions of the whole Levant and of Europe involved in the installation of Russia on the Bosphorus? We are accustomed to treat the settlement of the Ottoman in Stamboul as a matter which is now of very minor importance. Why so? Because the Turk is powerless for anything but precarious defence, under the preponderant menace of Russia on the north, whilst he is hemmed in by ambitious and restless neighbours in his last ditch in the Balkan peninsula. He cannot fortify the Bosphorus without Russian interference; he cannot maintain his government in Crete without a roar of indignation from Greece. He is constantly harried by Bulgarians, Servians, Albanians, Montenegrins, and Epi- rots. He lives for ever on the defensive, he menaces no one; and no one is afraid of him in Europe—because he has nothing in Europe but a shrunken province, and practically no fleet.

#The qualified rule of the Turk