Veliko Tarnovo
Veliko Tarnovo – one of the oldest settlements in the country!
Veliko Tarnovo is a town in northern Bulgaria, the administrative center of Veliko Tarnovo region. The city is located on the stretch of the Yantra River and is separated by 241 km from Sofia, 228 from Varna and 107 km from Ruse.
The population of this city’s population reaches 600 thousand. Man with an area population of 30.4 km2. This is an important hub where intersect transportation and trade routes, which gave impetus to its economic and cultural development from ancient times to the present day.
Veliko Tarnovo – one of the oldest settlements in the country, because life here is in full swing more than 5 thousand years ago, as evidenced by archaeological excavations..
The heyday of Veliko Tarnovo
It is associated with the period of the Second Bulgarian Empire (1185-1393 gg.). In 1185 this city was proclaimed the capital of the Byzantine yoke toppled in an uprising led by the brothers boyars Asen and Peter. Prior to Bulgaria for 167 years, to the borders of the Byzantine Empire.
After his election as the capital city began to develop rapidly, and during the XII-XIV centuries, it was almost the most impregnable fortress, as well as the center of cultural and spiritual activities.
The largest cultural heritage of those times is the medieval fortress Tsarevets, located on the same hill, surrounded on three sides by the river Yantra. Excavations show that Tsarevets, though walled, fortress was not closed and had the structure of the medieval city, the center of which stood the palace, the church of St.. Petka, had many residential and commercial buildings, water reservoirs and turrets. On the highest part of Tsarevets was the residence of the Patriarch, and in close proximity to her patriarsheskaya Ascension Church.
Opposite is another historic Tsarevets hill – Trapezitsa. Its historical richness of a significant and still not completely solved. Archaeological excavations are continuing, and there are always new and interesting discoveries.
In addition to historical hills of Veliko Tarnovo is famous for a lot of Orthodox churches. One of the most emblematic medieval churches is St. 40 Martyrs church, built in honor of the victory of Tsar Ivan Asen II, who ruled from 1218 by 1241. Over Epirus Despot Theodore Comnenus (1180- 1273 years of life). In the church are buried the Bulgarian tsars Kaloyan (lived 1168-1207), Ivan Asen II, as well as many other members of the royal family and the Bulgarian aristocracy. In the Orthodox Church kept some of the most significant ancient Bulgarian epigraphic monuments – the columns of Khan Omurga, Tsar Ivan Asen II, Boundary column from the Rodosto Fortress times of Khan Krum (755-814 years of life).
In the vicinity of the city are some of the most famous Bulgarian monasteries – Patriarshesky, Transfiguration, Arbanashky, Plakovski, Kapinovsky, Kilifarevo and others.