The only Museum of Glass in Bulgaria is in Beloslav
a small town on one of the arms of Varna Lake
that the Mushalan brothers laid the foundations of glass-making in Bulgaria
as they founded the first glass factory – which has been keeping the tradition alive to this day
Exquisite decorative figurines and items are made here
and the demonstrations – from glass-blowing to a modem photovoltaic system – make of the process pure art
The exhibits in the factory’s exhibition halls reveal the intricacies in the production of Beloslav glass
We talk to the owner of the factory and its Museum of Glass Danko Kalchev about one of the most popular tourist attractions in the region:“We decided that
once the parent factory had been torn down
to create a public collection here so that people will be able to see what has been created these past 132 years
with the help of our photovoltaic system and batteries
we work with waste glass to make unique figures.”The factory in Beloslav used to export glassware to markets around the world
At the museum visitors can marvel at an impressive collection of works created in the factory – since it was founded to this day:“Interestingly
we have here headlights glass for Lada cars,” Danko Kalchev says
“And also the windows for the Perla 5 washing machine (once manufactured in Bulgaria – editorial note)
We have the two-colour engraved crystals or the famed automatically manufactured glasses for the Balkantourist chain in Bulgaria.”Live demonstrations of how the figurines are made are offered by local craftsmen – a veritable show audiences just love
You can put on a protective helmet and enter what is known as the “glass cave” – the glass furnace where glass was made out of quartz and sand
and then take a look at the stunning “river of glass” where the glass flowed
The children can try their hand at decorating a phial which they can then take home with them as a keepsake.The history of glass-making in the Bulgarian lands is an interesting study
The local population is thought to have been familiar with glass since antiquity when Egyptian ships reached the shores of the Black Sea
But industrial glass production in the country began in Beloslav in the late 19th century
Translated and posted by Milena DaynovaPhotos: Veneta Nikolova
Bulgaria’s Minister of Tourism Miroslav Borshosh and Zurab Pololikashvili
Secretary-General of the World Tourism Organization (UN Tourism)
have officially signed the agreement for Bulgaria to host the 9th Global Conference on Wine Tourism,.
The Mini Bulgaria Park is an unusual place for a tourist tour
spiritual culture and natural landmarks of Bulgaria meet
Gorna Oryahovitsa often remains undeservedly hidden from the eyes of tourists
even though it is only about 10 km away from Bulgaria's old capital
which lies at the foot of the Balkans on the banks of the.
english@bnr.bg
Embark on an unforgettable journey to Beloslav
where you can visit Bulgaria's only Glass Museum and the last active submarine of the Bulgarian Navy
Both attractions are located on the shores of Beloslav Lake
a town once known for its thriving glass factory
While much of the factory's operations have ceased
producing unique souvenirs and construction tools
Beloslav is situated on the main railway line between Povelyanovo and Varna
with a journey from Varna taking just 20 minutes on a fast train or slightly longer on a passenger train
consider the working hours of the Museum of Glass
A convenient fast train from Varna to Beloslav departs at 9:20 a.m.
ensuring you have enough time to explore both the Glass Museum and the Slava submarine
you can return to Varna by fast trains from Karnobat or Sofia or by an earlier passenger train from Dobrich at 1:24 p.m
you can reach Beloslav by the fast train from Vratsa at 10:11 a.m.
This allows enough time to visit the museum and return to Shumen by fast train at 2:14 p.m
the journey to Beloslav takes 1 hour and 24 minutes
as the museum is located on the opposite shore
The ferry departure point is just a 10-minute walk from the train station
The short 2-minute ferry ride is part of the unique experience
The Slava submarine was the last operational submarine in the Bulgarian Navy
Visitors can explore its preserved interiors
The museum showcases fascinating artifacts and stories about submarine life
It could dive up to 300 meters and operate for 60 days at sea
The submarine had a hybrid propulsion system
with two diesel engines and two electric motors—a concept that predated modern hybrid vehicles
Admission is BGN 12 for adults and BGN 8 for children and pensioners
Guided tours run every hour from 10:00 a.m
The Museum of Glass is housed in a part of Bulgaria's first glass factory
offering a rare opportunity to witness the art of glassmaking up close
Visitors can observe glassblowers in action and learn about the history of glass production in Beloslav
The highlight of the tour is a live demonstration of glassblowing
with furnaces heated to 1,500–1,800 degrees Celsius
Guests can also explore the museum's unique exhibits
including a glass river and stunning works of art created by skilled artisans
the factory produces materials for construction
Admission is BGN 10 for adults and BGN 8 for children and pensioners
The museum is open Wednesday to Sunday from 10:00 a.m
Beloslav Lake divides the town into two parts and serves as a navigation channel for large ships heading to the industrial zone in Povelyanovo and the Varna ferry port
Since there is no bridge connecting the two shores
the ferry is the primary mode of transportation for cars and pedestrians
the ferry is not just a practical means of travel but also a charming attraction
it transports about 5,000 people and up to 1,800 cars daily
crossing by land involves a detour of over 20 kilometers through Povelyanovo and Razdelna or via the Asparuhov Bridge
Plan your trip with BDZ and discover the unique charm of Beloslav and its fascinating attractions
Beloslav is a small town on one of the branches of Varna Lake
that the only preserved Bulgarian submarine – Slava – is anchored
and has now been turned in one of the most popular museums in Bulgaria
Visitors to the museum can get to know the history of the submarine
In 1985 it was handed over to Bulgaria’s naval fleet under the name of Leninski Komsomol
the submarine took part in joint exercises with the country’s allies
but was later decommissioned and sank into oblivion
“We had a clear objective – the last of Bulgaria’s submarines must not suffer the same fate as the other submarines which were cut up for scrap,” says Dancho Kalchev who runs the Slava museum and is owner of the glass factory nearby
joined the initiative of the Union of Bulgarian Submariners for the restoration of the submarine
the submarine officially “opened doors” to its first visitors as a museum
“People can walk around a huge military facility
6.5 metres wide and 12 metres high,” explains Dancho Kalchev
“And they can feel the dedication of the submariners – spending 20 days and nights underwater at a time to protect their country
Visitors can see the torpedo section with the torpedoes ready for launch
the bunks where the crew slept in 8-hour shifts
with all their valves and bolts can also be seen here
Every member of the crew had to know how they functioned because the slightest mistake could cost everyone’s lives
Tourists can also see the encryption unit and the 34 bottles of compressed air
Visitors are eager to see the kitchen where 180 meals were cooked per 24 hours
as well as the two bathrooms – confined but vital for the 60-member crew.”
While we make our way along the claustrophobic corridors
we gradually come to realize what it was like to be living a life of iron discipline
sharing the air with 60 other people when there is no room for any mistakes
“This here is not a film – everything is real,” Dancho Kalchev says
But after it was handed over to the Bulgarian navy in 1985
“No Bulgarian submarine has ever left the Black Sea
The function of the Bulgarian submarines was to safeguard the shores of the country – they were the first to confront enemy ships and destroy them
Between 1916 and 1918 Bulgaria was actually one of the 10 countries in the world with a submarine fleet
we no longer have any functioning submarines,” Dancho Kalchev concludes
Translated and posted by Milena DaynovaPhotos: Veneta Nikolova
"You must have strong faith and pray - then the saint will help you and carry your prayer to God," says Father Georgi Markov of the Church of St
Athanasius the Great in Gorni Lozen near Sofia
He adds that he has often witnessed the miracles of St.
marks 1160 years since the baptism of our Bulgarian people into the Orthodox faith and 1170 years since the creation of the Bulgarian alphabet and Slavic literature
the Varna and Veliki Preslav Bishopric Metropolis.
Bulgaria celebrates 149 years since the April Uprising – an event that led to the liberation of Bulgaria after almost five centuries of Ottoman rule
we must not forget that every participant in the April.
The foundations of a future partnership were laid with the signatures of the Mayors of the Bulgarian Municipality of Beloslav
the official Facebook page of the Bulgarian town said.
a cooperation agreement was signed between the Municipality of Beloslav and the Municipality of Taraclia (Republic of Moldova) for the joint implementation of projects to promote and develop the local economy and tourism
was in Beloslav Municipality to sign the twinning agreement between the two municipalities," the municipality said
adding that the agreement lays the foundations for a future partnership at the municipal level to create a dialogue between the twinned municipalities in the spirit of the new times and European unity
Contacts +359 2 9262 210
By accepting cookies you can enjoy a better experience while browsing pages
The Lozen Mountain close to the Pancharevo Lake is one of the favorite places for residents of Sofia for relaxing walks during the weekends
Some meters away from the beaten path one can find a group of cacti growing in the wild
According to popular theories about their occurrence
their seeds had been transferred by birds or were brought by a Mediterranean cyclone
says Vladimir Vladimirov of the Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences:
“It seems that this is the work of nature lovers because there are three species of the genus Opuntia there
This fact suggests that it is likely that someone planted them with the best intentions."
we have been finding increasing number of wild cacti in this country
It should be pointed out that in America cacti grow not only in tropical areas
Some species are also found in temperate latitudes
It is these species that can survive and spread in our conditions,withstanding without problems temperatures of minus 30 degrees."
Vladimir Vladimirov says that he is personally familiar with at least 11 areas where wild cacti grow as the most common is opuntia
It is difficult to determine when the first cacti were planted in Bulgaria but there are also facts that we do know
which could withstand external conditions in Bulgaria
such as in the royal palaces of Euxinograd and Krichim
In some warmer parts of the country – for example
they were grown as evergreens in cemetery parks
Harmanli and Beloslav are home to some of the largest wild cacti populations in Bulgaria," Mr
He added that experiments with planting cacti were also carried out in the period 1930-1933 on the Snake Island
these alien for our lands species managed to occupy almost the entire island
Cacti are also spread in the area of the village of Pushevo near Veliko Turnovo
where they have become a tourist attraction
The locals are so proud of this landmark that they are organizing Cactus Festival
The cacti can be seen in their entire splendor from the end of May to the first half of July
with the most abundant flowering occurring in June
they are an unwanted invader in our nature," Vladimir Vladimirov points out
“Cacti illustrate a rather serious problem – that of the invasive species
These are species that are not typical of our country and are most often brought from other parts of Europe or from other continents and can adapt to the conditions in Bulgaria
they are beginning to spread so rapidly that they can transform a given place into a cactus community
displacing local species and could create a problem for the economy."