Bulgarian News Agency (BTA) Director General Kiril Valchev and Dryanovo History Museum Director Ivan Hristov signed a partnership agreement at the BTA National Press Club here on Thursday The occasion for the signing of the agreement is the 225th anniversary of the birth of Bulgarian National Revival architect and builder Nikola Fichev by Dryanovo Deputy Mayor Dilyana Dzhedzheva Dryanovo Municipal Council Chair Todor Georgiev and Union of Architects in Bulgaria Chair Petar Dikov “Today we will announce the beginning of the celebration of the 225th anniversary of the birth of Nikola Fichev or Kolyu Ficheto – one of the most remarkable Bulgarian architects with a great place in history,” Valchev emphasised left behind some of the most remarkable buildings and structures in Bulgaria Hristov specified that the programme for marking the anniversary of Nikola Fichev is titled The Unknown Kolyu Ficheto "The programme has already started in January with an exhibition by architect Belin Mollov with watercolors of Kolyu Ficheto's objects," he said Hristov also pointed out that work is underway on a new album and a popular book about Kolyu Ficheto The festive programme includes a children's drawing competition which will be held from July 1 to 5 and will end with a large exhibition The culmination of the celebrations will be from October 1 to 3 with a scientific conference with several panels There will also be a concert on the last day the director of the historical museum in Dryanovo also noted An exhibition dedicated to the work of Kolyu Ficheto was opened on Thursday at the Central House of Architects in Sofia as well Georgiev emphasized that all proposals from Hristov on the occasion of the celebrations for the 225th anniversary of Kolyu Ficheto have been unanimously supported by the municipal council He stated that BTA gives the opportunity especially to smaller towns to promote themselves.  BTA already has partnership agreements with nine museums and galleries in Bulgaria the Archaeology Institute and Museum under the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences the Institute of Ethnology and Folklore Studies at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences the Museum of Sports at the National Sports Base the Sofia Regional History Museum and the Etar Regional Ethnographic Open Air Museum Contacts +359 2 9262 210 By accepting cookies you can enjoy a better experience while browsing pages This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page There are no statistics available for this player Thanks for visiting ! 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All rights reserved Bulgarian local guide Zhelyazko Velikov shows the excavations site at the Bacho Kiro Cave Scientists say a tooth and bone fragments discovered in the Bulgarian cave of Bacho Kiro have revealed the earliest proven presence of Homo sapiens-or modern humans-on the European continent A local guide and visitors walk in the site of the Bacho Kiro Cave Scientists say a tooth and bone fragments discovered in the Bulgarian cave of Bacho Kiro have revealed the earliest proven presence of Homo sapiens-or modern humans-on the European continent.(Photo/Agencies) Bulgarian local guide Zhelyazko Velikov walks inside the Bacho Kiro Cave A guard unlocks the entrance of the Bacho Kiro Cave Dryanovo is not one of Bulgaria's top popular tourist destinations - much to the delight of off-the-beaten-track travellers looking for authentic experiences away from the crowds and clichés of consumer society The small town in the Balkan Mountains is a place of cosiness tranquillity and above all - a trip back in time The old town is well preserved with its Renaissance houses and beautiful buildings from the late 19th century. Most notable is the bridge of the genius architect and builder Kolyu Ficheto creator of some of the best iconic buildings in Bulgaria It is no coincidence that Dryanovo is known as the town of Kolyu Ficheto The town has a museum dedicated to the legendary builder which displays personal belongings as well as models of his unique architectural works But the reasons to visit Dryanovo are more than one the city was declared a mountain resort precisely because of the favourable climate or 'weak nerves' as the old brochures used to say were once sent here to rest and recuperate We have wonderful eco trails with pleasant hikes Most of the trails start at the Dryanovo Monastery of St one of Bulgaria's most important spiritual and cultural centers It was founded in the 13th century in a picturesque karst valley near the town We decided to put a sign there asking people to take photos and upload them to a specially created FB page." where we come across a curious museum tracing its history And at the railway station in the neighbouring village of Tsareva Livada a vintage engine from 1911 The cave near Dryanovo monastery offers a walk through the Paleolithic era "You can visit the Bacho Kiro cave - it is extremely beautiful You go there by two routes - short and long," says Nikolai Karagyozov The cave became known for its archaeological findings It has been studied since the end of the 19th century but with new technologies and thanks to an international team of scientists it was discovered that the first homo sapiens in Europe lived in this cave And what is even more surprising is that they coexisted for some time with Neanderthals Dryanovo is welcoming more and more guests They are fascinated by the old town architecture and walks in the Dryanovo Balkan where they immerse themselves in a world more beautiful and harmonious "Not only have we reached pre-pandemic levels of tourists and overnight stays but we have even seen growth over the last year People have returned to travel and our region attracts them with its pristine secluded and peaceful nature," said Deputy Mayor Nikolai Karagyozov in conclusion 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 © Pixabay Prohodna Cave is also known as The Eyes of God due to the two large openings in its ceiling You can find some of the most difficult routes in Bulgaria in the cave and around it It is located in the Karlukovo Karst region which means you have much more to discover in the surrounding area © Dust1/WikiCommons Vratsata Pass near the town of Vratsa is among the most popular climbing destinations in Bulgaria with many climbing schools using it as a base It is located in Vrachanski Balkan Nature Park with many other activity options around – Ledenika Cave Sign up to our newsletter to save up to $800 on our unique trips See privacy policy © Steliyan Kasabov/WikiCommons Rock climbing near the village of Lakatnik comes with a beautiful view at your feet From the rocks you can see the meandering Iskar River Gorge You can conveniently come by train from Sofia in about an hour There are many sport climbing routes and many routes for beginners She is the author of several travel books in Bulgarian and English including "50 Secret Places to Discover in Bulgaria' and "203 Travel Challenges See & Do Lesser-Known Summer Destinations to Visit in Europe See & Do The Best European Cities to Visit in Autumn Guides & Tips A Guide to Bulgaria’s Rose Valley Guides & Tips This Is Europe's Ultimate Road Trip See & Do The Best European Cities to Visit in Summer Guides & Tips The Best European Cities to Visit in November See & Do The Best European Cities to Visit in September Guides & Tips The Best Places to Travel in August Guides & Tips The Best European Cities to Visit in December See & Do The Best European Cities to Visit in July See & Do The Best European Cities to Visit in October Guides & Tips Beat the Crowds with these Alternative Summer Destinations US: +1 (678) 967 4965 | UK: +44 (0)1630 35000 tripssupport@theculturetrip.com © Copyright 2025 The Culture Trip Ltd Two words to learn if you're coming to Bulgaria: Da (yes) and Ne (no) Bulgarians nod their heads up and down to say "no'' and side .. Bulgaria – Two words to learn if you’re coming to Bulgaria: Da (yes) and Ne (no) Bulgarians nod their heads up and down to say “no” and side to side to say “yes,” unless you or they say the words the outgoing owner of the Nomads Hostel where we’re staying in Veliko Tarnovo Da,” was all I could think of to say Stay secure and make sure you have the best reading experience possible by upgrading your browser More news from Bulgaria Soon after the Christmas euphoria in Bulgaria is gone it is time for another winter holiday that binds people together – Valentine’s Day celebrated on February 14 Celebrating Valentine’s Day in Bulgaria is a more recent tradition as compared to the Western European countries there are some romantic places in this country which are visited by couples in love and even whole families all year round A pathway takes us to an ordinary bench above the Dryanovo Monastery no one remembers when this bench was named Love Bench for the first time because the couples in love can enjoy a stunningly beautiful and magnificent view that cannot be compared with any other locality in this country – a vast forest which looks like a deep green sea in the summer You can also see the picturesque canyon of Dryanovo river Dryanovo Monastery and the railway line in the distance The region attracts fans of rock climbing all year round In recent years the Love Bench gained huge popularity and has been visited by many Bulgarian and foreign tourists the residents of the nearby town of Dryanovo did not consider the bench a tourist attraction We found the Love Bench in a wretched condition Deputy Mayor of Dryanovo Municipality Nikolay Karagyozov recalls We asked the people to take photos and upload them on the Internet page We were quite surprised to learn that tourists showed huge interest in this site We found out that many people were there and shared their photos Two wedding proposals were even made on the Love Bench the Love Bench turned into one of the most visited sites in Dryanovo region We put signboards along the way and a book where people can share their thoughts and emotions We were very surprised to find out that the place attracted so many people. German, Russian, Latvian, French and even Kenyan guests left their messages in the book. That is why we put new notebooks several more times later. We uploaded some of the messages on our web site http://destinationdryanovo.com people can read nice words to the beloved person One of the wedding proposals made on the Love Bench was on Valentine’s Day – February 14 Dryanovo Municipality surprised the people in love We took a bag full of gifts to the Love Bench early in the morning Some people sent us photos and words of gratitude many web sites and media mentioned the Love Bench as one of the most romantic places in Bulgaria nature remains the most striking thing here so that people can come here and enjoy their time Only on the Day of Bravery and Holiday of the Bulgarian Army (May 6) we will provide our visitors with the opportunity to enter three of perhaps the most interesting machines from our outdoor exhibition Dozens of enthusiasts and nature lovers will kick off the 44th edition of the Move and Win campaign with a spring hike to Bozhur Hut The meeting point will be the Vladishki Bridge in Veliko Tarnovo The third edition of the Samardala Festival will be held on 3 May in the central square of Nova Zagora is used as a spice and is harvested at the peak of its flowering in May we will provide our visitors with the opportunity to enter three. BG | EN Bulgarian Railways “modernized” with 76 second-hand wagons from Germany They were purchased for 30 million levs without any documentation and absolutely no guarantees from the seller the introduction of these wagons into service costs nearly half a million levs including VAT The deal was finalized just days after the state rejected a newly produced wagon from the factory in Dryanovo along with six others at various stages of production some of which had been partially paid for in advance and it is only a matter of time before they are sold for parts or rust away in the factory hall This is a glaring case of reckless spending by the state company “BDZ-Passenger Transport,” which evidently turned a blind eye to what they were buying from Germany The second-hand wagons not only are out of service but the seller also bears no responsibility for defects and does not provide quality guarantees the clauses of which are in direct contradiction with the technical specifications—the document that outlines the precise parameters for the transaction The contract was signed on April 3 of this year between “BDZ-Passenger Transport” and “DB Fernverkehr,” Germany This is just four months after BDZ unilaterally terminated its contract with “Vagonen zavod-Interkom” in Dryanovo for the production of 15 wagons known as “Sokol,” has one finished wagon that has passed mandatory testing while another six are at different stages of production Is there a connection between the purchase of decommissioned wagons and the termination of the contract with Bulgaria’s only wagon manufacturing enterprise but the timing of the events cannot be denied BDZ-Passenger Transport is adamant that “there is no connection with the subsequent purchase of 76 wagons from Germany.” In an email to “Za Istinata,” the company states that “the need for the delivery of these wagons is clearly justified in a report,” and that the report is the first step toward initiating the procedure for acquiring the wagons The primary goal of the wagon delivery is to ensure the train schedule 205 technically operational second-class wagons were needed This number was necessary to serve all routes Additional wagons were also needed to replace those undergoing mandatory maintenance With the approaching summer season of 2024 resulting in a total shortage of 57 wagons for Bulgarian passenger railways the delivery of 76 wagons from Germany is crucial for the timely and complete fulfillment of the train schedule especially during periods of increased passenger flow without commenting on why they are purchasing 76 when they need 57 They do not deny that not all of the paid second-hand wagons are currently operational on the railway network Twelve second-class wagons are expected to be gradually deployed after being repaired as their operation depends on the repair program of the “Nadezhda” wagon depot Another ten bistro wagons will also be brought into operation “the concept for organizing and implementing the services to be offered is currently being finalized.” BDZ dismisses suspicions that the purchase of the German wagons is a questionable deal in which “the subject of the purchase is used and not in working condition,” as begins the first sentence of the first section of the wagon purchase contract this means that although “the rolling stock has been decommissioned this is not an indication of lack of operational readiness.” The contract under which “BDZ-Passenger Transport” purchases the German wagons contains many curious yet rather scandalous details that raise the question of what the state company the money is at least 2 million levs more since the thirty million does not include expenses related to commissioning and transport from Germany The seller “is not responsible for the accuracy of the provided documents,” is stated in the sales contract This refers to the documents of the wagons that BDZ is purchasing which turn out to be “not checked by the seller for correctness and completeness and do not represent characteristics or warranty.” Furthermore it is possible that the documents no longer correspond to the actual condition of the equipment or legislation The company states that “the contract stipulates the provision of design documentation which is received upon the delivery of the first batch of wagons This documentation provides the necessary information for the maintenance and operation of the wagons.” But 76 second-hand wagons from Germany do not the Bulgarian side will not receive documentation for the operation and maintenance of the wagons because this documentation “is not part of the sale,” according to the agreement as is the fact that the Bulgarian railway company agreed to this condition the contract offers some explanation for these oddities There is most likely no documentation because “the subject of the purchase consists of used and decommissioned rail vehicles.” The contract explicitly states that these wagons have been decommissioned in Germany In the section on “Warranty and Responsibility,” it is mentioned that the seller has not subjected the wagons to any separate safety inspection and “therefore it cannot be excluded that the subject of the purchase has defects that are unknown to the seller and that impair the purpose pursued by the buyer.” this means that no one checked whether the wagons in question are operational or in working order which is why they may not be suitable for Bulgarian Railways This became evident this summer when the air conditioning in these wagons did not work the blame for this was placed on high temperatures problems with air conditioning are among the most common issues for decommissioned wagons in Germany Other frequent defects include the functioning of side doors and the anti-slip system all malfunctions were supposedly addressed promptly for which the safety and comfort of passengers are of utmost importance They are probably not surprised by the arising issues since they signed under the condition that “the deal is made with the exclusion of warranty.” BDZ examined the wagons only through an external inspection and accepted “the wagons in the condition in which they were seen by the buyer excluding any guarantees and liabilities of the seller for defects.” which reflects the commercial and managerial foresight of BDZ’s management there is a clause at the end of the contract stating that “the seller draws the buyer’s attention to the fact that due to the age of the object of purchase the presence of artificial materials from mineral or asbestos fibers cannot be excluded.” The seller’s liability is also excluded for this and use of all asbestos fibers have been banned A complete ban on asbestos products came into effect on January 1 but there was a compromise for welded products that could be used until the end of their operational life The wagons from Germany are not welded products and were purchased after the ban on the import of asbestos-containing products came into force It is clear up to this point that the state-owned BDZ has purchased decommissioned wagons that would serve as “donors” for spare parts as no one guarantees their technical condition and the old German wagons will not serve as spare parts; only two of the 13 second-class wagons have had elements of the information system dismantled and provided for analysis and development of a technical solution for building a new system This was necessary because the information system of these wagons is software-integrated with the German railway infrastructure and is incompatible with the conditions of our railway network “BDZ-Passenger Transport” announced a public procurement for the major rehabilitation of 133 passenger wagons for a duration of 26 months which would clearly hinder the operations of the railways This necessitated securing 76 wagons to address the shortage as stated in the rationale for the procurement procedure for the purchase of the German wagons From the documentation related to this procurement it is understood that BDZ sent inquiries to the railways of Italy and Germany to see if they could sell the wagons needed by Bulgaria This came from the national carrier of Germany each of the 76 wagons was priced at 200,000 euros excluding VAT with the price including a maintenance manual which explicitly states that the buyer will not receive documentation for operation and maintenance It is evident that there was a need for urgency specifically for ‘BDZ – Passenger Transport’,” is stated in the rationale The offer has a very short validity period—only 20 days it does not mention what would happen once this period expires as it is unlikely that there was a rush of buyers for the decommissioned wagons there must be something else behind this urgency but that remains publicly unknown to this day Doubts about the accuracy of the motivations for the purchase arise from the apparent contradiction between BDZ’s stated intentions and the subsequent purchase agreement The rationale states that the wagons are in good operational condition having undergone major repairs in the last 2 to 4 years and that according to the maintenance plan there are between 6 and 4 years left until the next repair the buyer is purchasing decommissioned wagons of unknown condition which the buyer must address at their own expense “BDZ-Passenger Transport” is buying German wagons but the deal is far from meeting the requirements of the technical specifications almost none of what was laid out in it has been complied with Regarding the discrepancy between the technical specification and the purchase agreement they explain that according to the planned maintenance warning system of the German railway operator except for two of them that are subject to the contract “The fact that the wagons are operational until the end of 2025 supports their compliance with the requirements of the technical specification and the term ‘good operational condition.'” It states that for each of the wagons there should be design drawings electrical schematics of the installations technical documentation for individual electrical blocks and assemblies including a wiring diagram of the connections of the components an electrical schematic of the integrated parts and materials with included instructions for operation and repair and the company knows it will not receive it as the director’s signature is affixed to the contract under which they are buying the decommissioned wagons without any documentation but he has no grounds for claims regarding this He has agreed with his signature under the contract which is publicly accessible through the website of the Public Procurement Agency “Vagonen zavod-Interkom” in Dryanovo comes into play Somewhere in the rationale defending the purchase of the German wagons the contract that “BDZ-Passenger Transport” has with the factory in Dryanovo for the modernization of 15 passenger wagons at a price of 1.8 million levs is mentioned The contract was terminated due to the complete failure of the contractor to fulfill its obligations as not a single wagon was modernized over a period of three years “This is not true,” claims the owner of the factory He contacted “Za Istinata” (“For the truth”) following the publication “Wagon Builders are Seeking Their Wages Through the Courts While the State ‘Invests’ 30 Million Lev in Second-Hand Wagons.” As his factory is in the process of being declared bankrupt and a trustee has been appointed it is impossible to enter and see the completed wagon It has been repaired under the “Sokol” project The appearance of the repaired wagon can be judged by the photos and videos that Valeri Dimitrov sent It has passed a speed test first between Plovdiv and Septemvri where a certified laboratory determined that the wagon reached 186 km/h thus fulfilling the requirement for a speed of 160 km/h specified in the contract with BDZ “This wagon can operate on any railway line,” stating that BDZ had no technical remarks about it even though none of the management attended either the presentation of the wagon or the tests during its evaluation “Only the seats might be a bit hard,” was the reaction of Deputy Minister of Transport and Communications Biser Minchev where the wagon was supposed to be brought for Gvozdeykov to see workers from the factory transported the wagon directly from Romania where it had been undergoing speed testing The inspection by the minister and his deputy lasted about 40 minutes “We adhered to BDZ’s technical specifications for the seats we have material purchased for three more wagons and we can order different ones for the others,” Valeri Dimitrov replied After the quick inspection by the minister the wagon was returned to Dryanovo and stored in the factory “This wagon is above the average European level in all aspects,” “I know every detail of it because everything has passed through my hands Some of the best wagon builders in Bulgaria worked on it A team of 230 people dedicated themselves to its creation which have begun construction and are at various stages These people should have been retained after BDZ unilaterally terminated the contract with us instead of giving us a deferment.” The contract between Bulgaria’s only wagon manufacturing plant and “BDZ-Passenger Transport” was signed in April 2021 the company received an advance totaling 9 million levs it also took a loan from the Bulgarian Development Bank there were delays in deliveries from other countries causing the wagon manufacturers to miss deadlines This led to BDZ unilaterally terminating the contract with “Vagonen zavod-Interkom” in December 2023 and demanding the return of the money along with interest The final decision was not aided by the force majeure certificate received from the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry Valeri Dimitrov filed a request in court for the factory to be declared bankrupt having previously laid off all the workers “Some of these people are already abroad it will be impossible,” Dimitrov believes “We have lost a team that could have supported the sector.” He believes that the plant in Dryanovo together with the wagon repair plant in Septemvri could have repaired three wagons per month which the manufacturer claims is above the average European level stands behind three padlocks that hang on the three entrances of the wagon factory in Dryanovo and the electricity has been cut off due to a fault that has not been repaired there was one guard who remained in a car in front of the gate and claims that Georgi Gvozdeykov is not telling the truth about the German wagons In response to a question from MP Dimitar Naydenov (PP-DB) the minister states that the wagons were produced between 1982 and 2003 and have about 15 years of life left “It is not possible,” says Valeri Dimitrov “because there are no spare parts for them; they have been decommissioned and as can be seen in the purchase contract they have also been removed from operation BDZ knew this when they purchased the wagons and agreed to acquire them without any guarantees from the seller.” The average cost to put them into service is 4,750 levs per wagon (from Minister Gvozdeykov’s response in parliament This amounts to 361,000 levs excluding VAT which comes to just under half a million levs when the tax is added this price includes reprofiling and replacement of wheelsets inspection and replacement of electrical equipment and charging and recharging of air conditioning systems All of this does not resemble wagons in good operational condition and after a major overhaul as outlined in the technical specifications “According to the planned maintenance warning system of the German railway operator with the exception of two of them that are subject to the contract are operational until the end of 2025,” the company writes to “Za Istinata.” there are 750,000 levs for delivery to Bulgaria a contract is signed between BDZ-PP and “Transa Spedition” – Germany for the delivery of the wagons from Germany the amount for the “modernization” of the Bulgarian railways swells by nearly another 1.2 million levs Five directors of BDZ and four transport ministers have changed within two and a half years —the period during which the factory in Dryanovo was supposed to produce the first truly modern wagons for the Bulgarian railways it is impossible to have consistency in the decisions and actions that lead to lasting results Whether the wagon factory is a victim of this uncertainty is a matter of perspective Valeri Dimitrov states that communication with BDZ has been difficult The same has been true for the Ministry of Transport the factory did not meet the deadline stipulated in the contract which is grounds for invoking the clauses within it and even terminating it the state railways had not “modernized” hastily Още разследвания „За истината“ спазва Eтичния кодекс на българските медии. За нас | Контакти | Подаване на сигнал | Дарения | Партньори | Условия за ползване | Политика за бисквитките „За истината“ © 2024. Някои права запазени Subscribe to newsletters to receive our hottest offers: the Bridge over Dryanovska River in the town of Dryanovo Cyril and Methodius Church and the House with the Monkey in Veliko Tarnovo the Covered Bridge in Lovech over the Osam River… are only some of the wonderful architectural masterpieces left by renowned Bulgarian architect master builder and sculptor Kolyo Ficheto (1800-1881) He was a self-educated builder who did not study architecture Nikola Fichev is the founder of the Bulgarian monumental architecture His life started in the village of Marcha situated three kilometers away from the town of Dryanovo Nikola Fichev’s descendant Konstantin Fichev told Radio Bulgaria Kolyo Ficheto was taught craftsmanship by the local master builders at an early age he started to tour the whole Balkan Peninsula During his travels abroad he learned different architectural techniques and used them later in his own buildings He communicated a lot with Italian craftsmen and builders in Albania and Croatia they told him about the popular Italian bridge Ponte Vecchio in Florence Kolyo Finceto built a similar covered bridge in Lovech Nikola Fichev was extremely modest and religious person I love what world famous Austro-Hungarian explorer and traveler Felix Kanitz wrote about Kolyo Ficheto Kanitz met Nikola Fichev and later described him as a typical Balkan personality each year he donated a lot of money for various charity causes It is pointless to mention how hard-working he was because only a very industrious person can do such a huge job and complete so many large projects I am sure than he did not sleep for many nights to fulfill all his projects It is interesting to note that Kolyo Ficheto did not draw He made his projects in 3D – he made wax prototypes of his future buildings and facilities Here is what Konstantin Fichev told Radio Bulgaria bout the scale of Kolyo Fichev’s works: I think Nikola Fichev became chief architect of the Danube Vilayet (province) governed by Vali Midhat Pasha He received many large public procurement orders for a period of 7-8 years only Dozens of buildings were made in that region and I don’t believe he made all of them personally he most probably had a huge entrepreneurial workshop Kolyo Ficheto managed to win Midhat Pasha’s respect after completing successfully the biggest bridge in the Balkans- the Bridge over Yantra River near Byala Kolyo Ficheto competed with Polish Architect Lyudmil Rola to win this procurement order The Bulgarian builder offered a much lower price and a twice-shorter deadline The famous bridge was built between 1864 and 1867 Constantine and Elena Church in Veliko Tarnovo- this was the last church built be the celebrated Bulgarian master builder and architect Kolyo Ficheto It is bright and tall and differs from all other Bulgarian churches because Konstantin is a very popular name in our family The third building I would like to mention is in connection with the preservation of Bulgaria’s tangible cultural heritage Nikola Fichev was inspired by Balkapan Inn in Istanbul (then Tsarigrad) to make a similar inn in Veliko Tarnovo All Bulgarians living in Istanbul at that time used to meet in Balkapan Inn Hadji Nikoli who was a rich tradesman from Veliko Tarnovo wanted to build a similar inn in Veliko Tarnovo as well the place became popular as Hadji Nikoli’s Inn This building can serve as an example for extremely positive attitude towards valuable patterns of the older Bulgarian architecture because their owners want to use the land underneath for different purposes or because they were inherited by a lot of people who couldn’t reach agreement what to do with these buildings Hadji Nikoli’s Inn was abandoned for some time in the past The inn was built on the Samovodska Charshia (market square) in Tarnovo and is one of the most-popular tourist attractions in this Bulgarian city The inn is very beautiful and has a huge inner courtyard Those who renovated The Hadji Nikoli Inn did a great job This can be done with other Bulgarian buildings as well "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.