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Bulgarian State Railways (BDZ - Passenger Transport) has announced the restoration of night train services on the Sofia-Karlovo-Varna route starting in April This decision follows a declaration sent to the Karlovo Municipal Council will once again operate on the third main railway line This move ensures accessible and reliable transportation for residents of Karlovo was initially explained by the Minister of Transport as a response to the low passenger turnout during the winter months Data showed an average of only 30 passengers per train the restoration addresses the need for socially sustainable and accessible transport benefiting thousands of residents along the route The decision also came after Tsveta Karayancheva raised a question about the suspension's impact The declaration and subsequent efforts to reinstate the service underline the importance of maintaining vital connections for regional communities particularly in areas that rely heavily on public transportation Source: Karlovo Municipality press release We need your support so Novinite.com can keep delivering news and information about Bulgaria Residents of Sofia who are customers of "Toplofikatsia Sofia" can now benefit from a new mobile application "My Heat," which offers a more accessible and user-friendly way to manage heating-related services The fourth edition of the LUNAR Festival of Lights in Sofia will illuminate 10,000 square meters of art across some of the city's most iconic buildings and public spaces from May 8 to May 11 The Sofia Police has launched a targeted operation against drivers of electric scooters and electric motorbikes who engage in reckless behavior in the city's central areas Todor Kantardzhiev warned that Sofia's sewer system should be cleared of rats opened fire with a gas pistol near a kindergarten in Sofia's Lyulin district Sofia Municipality is set to implement a revised framework for managing its municipal housing stock by introducing two distinct rental categories Employers in Bulgaria are legally required to implement all necessary measures to prevent and minimize workplace accidents with 45.2% of those aged 16–74 having bought goods or services via the internet in the past year The National Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology forecasts that May will bring temperatures ranging from 2°C to 33°C across Bulgaria a trend that has persisted for over 30 years A Romanian family paid 3,084.60 leva (1,500 euros) for medical treatment at the Burgas University Hospital following a serious road accident Google Street View Cars Return to Bulgaria for Major Mapping Update Housing Prices Soar in Bulgaria’s Major Cities as Demand and Supply Strain Increase The third Masters Skyrunning World Championships will take place in Karlovo Bulgaria at the Balkaniada Sky Race on October 3-5 Four age categories will compete in the VERTICAL SKY and SKYULTRA disciplines for the 75 medals at stake for individual and team titles 2025 – Balkaniada Vertical – VERTICAL – 5.2 km long with 1,131m vertical climb 2025 – Balkaniada SkyUltra – SKYULTRA – 59 km long with 4,100m vertical climb 2025 – Balkaniada Sky – SKY – 32 km long with 2,400m vertical climb The 2024 Masters Skyrunning World Championships categories are four: For info and team participation: mregis@skyrunning.com by July 5 Bulgarian Skyrunning Federation will sanction the events and oversee them with their referees Balkaniada Sky Race website Over 40? Welcome to Bulgaria for the 2025 Skyrunning Masters Copyright © 2014 – 2024All Rights Reserved The child who suffered in an accident last night in Karlovo remains in serious condition in a Plovdiv hospital The 14-year-old boy fell from an electric scooter on a pedestrian street George" hospital and doctors are fighting for his life he was without a helmet and was moving at high speed when he slipped and fell The accident occurred on "Vodopad" street near the tourist area The Municipality of Karlovo is planning to amend the Municipal Ordinance for the Protection of Public Order and ban the use of electric scooters on several pedestrian streets in the city More news from Bulgaria This work, U.S. Soldiers Evaluate, Train Urban Operations with Bulgarian Army, by SFC Matthew Keeler, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright Look out for your first newsletter in your inbox soon We help you navigate a myriad of possibilities Sign up for our newsletter for the best of the city By entering your email address you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and consent to receive emails from Time Out about news Sign up for our email to enjoy your city without spending a thing (as well as some options when you’re feeling flush) Our newsletter hand-delivers the best bits to your inbox Sign up to unlock our digital magazines and also receive the latest news By entering your email address you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and consent to receive emails from Time Out about news, events, offers and partner promotions. Prague This micro-neighbourhood is technically part of the larger New Town district that wraps around Prague’s historic centre The southern area near Charles Square (Karlovo Náměstí) has a more residential vibe than Wenceslas Square and Náměstí Republiky Karlovo Náměstí boasts easy walking access to nightlife options and the waterfront with the added bonus of a good night’s sleep Where to eatRub elbows with Prague’s foodie community at the Saturday farmer’s market on the Náplavka riverbank. Start any other morning at third-wave roasters Mama Coffee What to drinkPair cocktails with a wiggle amid well-dressed crowds at nightclub Nebe. The international student scene is literally underground as you head towards Old Town, hanging out in Vzorkovna’s maze of rooms accessible only with prepaid drink bracelets.  If you only do one thing...Rent a paddleboat from Slovansky Ostrov and survey the city skylines from the Vltava River Thanks for subscribing! 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Photograph: ShutterstockPrague is a city divided by a river Its sights and attractions span both sides of the Vltava you won’t be far from the city’s top restaurants About us Contact us As a result of intense rainfall on the territory of Plovdiv region consecutive floods caused heavy damages in several settlements in three municipalities along the Stryama river which has resulted in the declaration of a state of emergency by the local governor While heavy rainfall is usual in the fall season the quantity of precipitation was unexpectedly high at this occasion Water levels of the Stryama river rose by three metres in only eight hours leading to breaking of dams alongside the river and its tributaries Karlovo was the worst affected municipality where residential and commercial buildings were flooded industrial enterprises and road infrastructure were damaged In parts of the village of Bogdan the power supply was interrupted bridges and shafts were blocked; access to populated areas was blocked for several days Other heavily affected areas were the villages of Karavelovo Hristo Danovo ,and Voynyagovo in Karlovo municipality and residential houses were seriously damaged; over 1,000 people have lost their personal belongings and other household property due to the floods 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. english@bnr.bg The repair of tram tracks on Prague 1’s Spálená Street will mean that trams will not run between Karlovo náměstí and Lazarská Street between June 19 and June 29 Two new tram lines – 32 and 33 – will be introduced to deal with the disruption Most diverted lines will run along the Vltava River by the embankment lines 21 and 24 will be canceled in the area altogether rather than being diverted Here is an overview of the changes in the Karlovo náměstí–Lazarská area: Inputting your journey on the DPP website (available in English) will allow you to check whether your commute or planned route will be disrupted You may also plan your route and see all changes via the PID Lítačka phone app Lines 32 and 33 will be newly introduced to ease passengers’ journeys Route 32 will run from Vypich in Prague 6 to Kobylisy in Prague 8 Route 33 will travel from nádraží Hostivař in Prague 7 culminating at nádraží Braník in the south of the city Your morning coffee deserves a great companion. Why not enjoy it with our daily newsletter? News from Czechia, curated insights, and inspiring stories in English. Barrier-free access to the Karlovo náměstí station involved building two pairs of new elevators and a transfer corridor which connects them to each other The first pair of elevators begins in the middle of the platform or cyclists may use them to get into the transfer corridor which comfortably leads them to the lower station of the second pair of elevators The second pair of elevators takes passengers to street level to Václavská street at the entrance to Václavská passage As part of the construction of elevators at the Karlovo náměstí station we have also modified and supplemented the information navigation system in the street level around the station which clearly directs passengers to the entrances to the station or to the newly built elevators The business and shopping complex based at Prague’s Karlovo náměstí is set to undergo a major transformation complete with a new look and total rebranding It will be renamed from the Charles Square Center to the Karlák Shopping Square and aims to enhance retail and office space The multinational CBRE Group wants to attract new tenants to the complex and has already signed new deals with major food and drinks firms such as McDonald's and Fruitisimo Tobacconist and newsagent chain Don Pealo will also move to the complex According to CBRE representatives space leases for an international bakery brand and a chain of vegan and vegetarian restaurants are also in the advanced stages of negotiations the multifunctional center – based on top of the Karlovo náměstí metro station – houses prominent office tenants such as Phillip Morris It also features a supermarket (Billa) and a large gym The project also includes architectural changes and a “total redesign.” Architect Anna Pospíchalová from CBRE explained that the proposal respects the existing form of the building and aims to “calm the visual image” in the public space The facade will be enhanced with high-quality materials and a new lighting system to improve the overall atmosphere in a bid to attract more visitors to the center Black matte glass and perforated stainless steel will be used to make the complex more attractive "We will unify the design of the individual tenants' logos and the department store itself and remove large-scale advertising and colorful stickers,” said Pospíchalová The owner of the building has not confirmed how much the renovation will cost and when it will be finished This development is in line with recent efforts to give the – often seen as shabby – Karlovo náměstí area the City of Prague approved plans for a German-Czech architectural studio to redevelop the green space and square in the area (facing the current Charles Square Center) and improve the overall cleanliness and aesthetic of the region Initial checks show that there is no illegal logging in the Bulgarian region of Karlovo which has suffered severely from flooding following torrential rains He added that there are more inspections in the area and the final conclusions will be made after their completion Here you can find several options on how to help the people affected by the floods in Karlovo region "The inspections I started at the very beginning showed that there is no illegal logging but I cannot be definitive because there are other logging sites that will be inspected Organizational gaps have been identified that will be corrected," he said the inspections have not found cut roads that have turned into gutters but the relief has played its natural role and has helped to divert water to the creeks of the Stryama River The people who are present with us at the inspections are convinced that these areas are not compromised some good forest plantations are created that perform their function," he pointed out Engineer Toshev commented on satellite photos from the area which show thinning of the forest in recent years it is about a nearly 1,000 hectare increase in the forest area but with young plantations that are not of such density There have been measures carried out over time but they have been restored with young plantations," he said Stoyan Toshev added that from the very beginning the agency's teams have been working on signals from local residents who direct them to where there is a problem Inspections are ongoing across the country He urged people to report whenever they suspect illegal logging "I appeal for reports to be submitted because it is important for us to go before or during the commission of the violation and not after when the arrays have already been cut We will make it so that we act as quickly as possible in case of a report so I am appealing for whistleblowing even anonymously Our goal is to show the public that there is a state I have no qualms right now going anywhere to check and show even with the media what is happening in the forest" Reports of illegal logging and poaching can be made by calling 112 or on the "Protect the Forest" (Защити гората) platform "An analysis is pending in which areas of the country there is a concentration of violations and we will concentrate all the power at our disposal to stop these activities there," he added Toshev also commented that in recent years the control in forestry farms in our country has increased significantly Inspections have increased by about a third The forest officials are in the field even in the dark hours of the day The average salary in forestry farms in Bulgaria is about BGN 1,200 which shows that their work is not well paid the ban on the export of wood in our country has had an effect although the exported timber is generally not in large quantities The water in Karlovo region remains unfit for drinking disinfection begins in the affected villages The work to remove the damage from the great flood in the Karlovo region continues The water in the entire municipality remains unfit for drinking and cooking and its use is allowed only for domestic needs Electricity has been restored almost everywhere public buildings and private yards in the villages of Bogdan Karavelovo and Slatina will begin in order to prevent the spread of infectious diseases medium and small-sized construction equipment cleared the damage caused by the flood in the villages of Bogdan on the streets and in private homes in the affected villages On the ground yesterday in the affected villages were more than 1,000 volunteers from all over the country as well as 111 military personnel from the 61st Stryama Brigade and cadets from the National Military University "Vasil Levski" - Veliko Tarnovo and the Higher Air Force School "Georgi Benkovski" - Dolna Mitropolia The work of the volunteers and military personnel was coordinated by 22 employees in the municipal administration The distribution center in the Karlovo municipality building is also open throughout the day The efforts of the headquarters are primarily aimed at clearing and strengthening the riverbeds in the affected villages the sediments reach a height of 4 meters and if they are not removed there is a danger that in another heavy rain The clearing of the streets and private yards continues all vacations of employees in the municipality of Karlovo have been suspended The crisis headquarters of the Municipality of Karlovo is in a 24-hour working mode and yesterday it held a meeting in the presence of the regional governor of the Plovdiv region The headquarters calls for volunteers from all over the country to contact the Crisis Headquarters and take part in the reconstruction activities of the affected villages Follow Novinite.com on Twitter and Facebook Write to us at editors@novinite.com Информирайте се на Български - Novinite.bg The heavy rains in the Vratsa region yesterday caused severe flooding in Hayredin villag Former Environment Minister Assen Lichev has accused Greece of violating Bulgaria’s rights within the European Union A serious criminal case has emerged in Sofia after the body of a man was discovered in a water-filled basement of a municipal apartment building Heating disruptions continue to affect multiple neighborhoods in Sofia with residents in at least eight districts and parts of several others left without heating and hot water due to technical failures A significant accident has disrupted heating and hot water in nine Sofia neighborhoods leaving residents without essential services A heating supply failure has left five neighborhoods in Sofia without heating and hot water Israel has turned to Bulgaria for assistance in battling the rapidly advancing wildfires in areas near Jerusalem The Bulgarian mobile operator A1 has confirmed that it is experiencing technical difficulties affecting both calls and text messages across its network A series of minor earthquakes were recorded in the Nessebar area with the strongest tremor measuring 3.3 on the Richter scale A woman sustained serious injuries after being attacked with pepper spray and an electroshock device and subsequently set on fire inside a hospital in the Bulgarian town of Botevgrad A 25-year-old man is in critical condition following an accident at the amusement park in Yambol A serious traffic accident in the Bulgarian town of Harmanli has left a 13-year-old child in critical condition after he was struck by a car while riding an electric scooter September 2 marked the one-year anniversary of the devastating floods that struck the Karlovo villages of Bogdan Many of the people affected are still unable to return to their homes noted that the region's infrastructure was in a poor state as repairs to the damage caused by the flooding were slow the 10 million leva (5.1 million euro) allocated by the state for the municipality of Karlovo cannot cover the reconstruction works and the most important work is still to be done - the good strengthening of the river beds The upside is that some people's homes have already been rebuilt entirely by volunteers and with funds donated by the hundreds of people who came to the aid of the victims in the first hours after the flood This gave hope to the locals that with so much human support and empathy little by little they would be able to get back to their former lives On this day last year Georgi Dimov from the village of Stoletovo lost all his property to the overflowing waters of the Stryama River His sport fishing pools were swept away by the disaster having to be evacuated by helicopter from a two-storey building near the fish ponds the horror of what Georgi and the hundreds of inhabitants of the affected villages experienced is fading and giving way to gratitude for all the empathy kindness and help they received from perfect strangers Georgi Dimov says that to this day he is contacted by people from other towns who are willing to help The disaster is powerless before the united efforts of all the good people who volunteered to help people like him "We haven't sought help from either the municipality or the state but at least the administration could have visited us and asked how we were The only thing I can think of that I can now request the institutions to do is to clean the riverbed More than half of the river is flowing out of its bed Silt has accumulated for years and if it is scooped out there will be less problems for the villages along the river in the next flood so many people have come to the rescue that if it weren't for them we wouldn't have coped Half of what we had was rebuilt thanks to the fact that so many people stepped up to help if it wasn't for them we would have been desperate I received a call from an elderly woman in Sofia who insisted on sending me money from her pension Now the date of this disaster has even become a holiday with us We want it to be like this every year - on September 2 to be together and remember how important it is to be united and help each other." more than 15 volunteer groups of the National Association of Volunteers in Bulgaria immediately headed to the affected villages Hundreds of thousands of man-hours of volunteer labour were put in to drain ground floors and clear river silt from people's yards a donation campaign was launched and the National Association of Volunteers alone managed to raise 200 thousand leva (over 100 000 euro) to help the victims sentimental bond with the people we were helping we created lasting bonds," recalls Yassen Tsvetkov President of the National Association of Volunteers in Bulgaria: "Everyone expects the state to do all the work There is a lot to be desired about its work but we must also come to terms with the fact that there is no state system and administrative apparatus in the world capable of dealing with such large-scale disasters It is no coincidence that in critical situations it is through volunteering that people are being rescued volunteering is actually part of the institutions And the fact that Bulgaria is slightly behind in developing the sector does not mean that volunteers do not play an important role in this country we need to focus our efforts as citizens and institutions on improving the environment and encouraging people to volunteer to be prepared so that when such a critical event happens we can just go and do what we can on the ground." The baker says, “Sorry, we just ran out of bread, but we’ve got plenty of politicians who’ll promise to bring some tomorrow!”... read The Bulgarian replied, "Simple, we just put everything in a pot, add a little rakia, and let the flavors fight it out!" It’s a recipe for success… and possibly a ... read While speaking briefly with the media, Trump took a question on the stock market drop following the tariffs and said, "I think it's going very well," and added that the United States will "have six or seven trillion dollars coming into our country."He further said, "The markets are going ... read 'This is not the time to go it alone,' Rutte warns, as he says 'no alternative to NATO'Nato’s secretary general Mark Rutte is speaking again, giving a lecture at the Warsaw School of Economics in which he strongly backs the role of the alliance and tells both Europe and the ... read Capturing spring in Bulgaria: A blooming season through our lens Spring in Bulgaria is a time of vibrant renewal marked by blooming flowers and milder weather the countryside transforms with colorful wildflowers such as snowdrops Cities and villages alike celebrate the season » See all photos The historic Karlovo náměstí square in Prague 2 will receive a major facelift that developers say will bring it into the 21st century will lead the project and is expected to start work in 2026 or 2027.  This highly anticipated project aims to revitalize the square and restore its status as one of the leading public spaces in Prague As one of the largest squares in Europe – with over 80,000 square meters – developers want to plant more trees According to Štěpán Špoula of the Institute of Planning and Development (IPR) the majority of trees on the square at the moment are over 100 years old The reconstruction will also see the removal of the square’s public toilets The proposal to revitalize Charles Square includes a so-called urban frame that will serve as the interface between the square and the park and a light installation inspired by the Gothic Corpus Christi Chapel "The vast area should fulfill the role of both a square and a park," explains Adéla Chmelová from Rehwaldt Landscape Architects as it involves coordinating with various stakeholders cooperating with over 60 park administrators and addressing the concerns of local residents (in terms of potential noise disruption from prolonged construction works) will manage traffic to minimize disruption and relocate public toilets to the café and pavilion for administrators IPR official Lucie Pára assures that a management plan is in the works to protect the square’s values and fully utilize its potential.  King Charles IV founded the square in 1348 and it has remained largely unmodified since the 19th century when renowned garden architect František Thomayer transformed it into a public square 150 years since the death of Vasil Levski will be marked Levski has remained in Bulgarian history above all with the immortality of his insights the emphasis is traditionally on his human virtues They undoubtedly make Levski a truly beloved son of the people But the main thing is not that he was insanely brave that he kept an account of every spent lev of the revolutionary organization that he was fanatically devoted to the cause of the revolution This sentimental image of Levski obscures the true greatness of his work the Apostle is a great national leader - organizer he managed to create a powerful people's organization Levski is a brilliant politician of revolutionary Bulgaria His insights on the independence and self-reliance of the Bulgarian movement which was developing amidst the chaos of the "Eastern Question" have an almost eternal significance in Bulgarian history The daring rejection of the political tutelage of foreign powers is a painful historical lesson deeply analyzed and understood in the political ideology and revolutionary practice of Vasil Levski Levski is also great with his ideas about the future world - a world of national equality and human freedom Although he borrowed his ideas from European democratic thought he reworked them in order to create from them a platform and a banner of the popular awakening with his qualities as a citizen of the new world with his genius as an organizer and politician Levski was ahead of Bulgarian development by whole decades And perhaps those connoisseurs of his work are right who think that if he had lived in a greater country and if he had written in a more popular language he would have been known to the world as one of the greatest men of XIX century A commemorative ceremony is planned this evening for the anniversary in Karlovo - the hometown of the Apostle of Bulgarian freedom a bishop's holy liturgy and memorial service will be celebrated an exhibition with archival documents dedicated to Ivan Grozev After the ceremony in the evening on the square of the same name on the occasion of 150 years since the death of the Apostle the traditional commemorative performance of students from "V Levski" Secondary School will take place in the hall of the community center which this year is under the motto "The road does not end with my death On the occasion of the 150th anniversary of the heroic self-sacrifice of the Apostle: on the occasion of the 150th anniversary of the heroic self-sacrifice of the Apostle a national youth forum - debate "Vasil Levski in history literature and arts" is being organized today the anniversary will be honored with a military ritual and city-wide pilgrimage the 150th anniversary of the death of Vasil Levski will be celebrated with a commemorative ceremony in front of his monument in the city center the Regional Military History Museum displays two original letters of the Apostle and his photograph President Rumen Radev will open the multimedia digital exhibition "Confession of the Apostle" in the National Gallery "Kvadrat 500" The exhibition is dedicated to the work of Vasil Levski the head of state will take part in the commemorative ceremony in front of the Vasil Levski monument in the capital "Levski in our souls" is the motto of the patron holiday of the Bulgarian school "Vasil Levski" in the Cypriot city of Dali where tribute will also be paid to the heroic death of the Apostle A temporary traffic organization will be implemented in Sofia today in connection with the 152nd anniversary of the death of Vasil Levski few names resonate as profoundly as Vasil Levski Known as the "Apostle of Freedom," Levski’s journey is not just one of resistance compiled by the Cato Institute and the Canadian Fraser Institute evaluates personal and economic freedoms across 165 countries Bulgaria has fallen out of the top 50 countries worldwide in terms of economic freedom Austria’s far-right Freedom Party has secured nearly 29 percent of the vote Bulgaria is steadily establishing itself as a leading destination for digital nomads from across Europe and beyond the Orthodox Church marks Bright Wednesday a day dedicated to honoring the Holy Virgin Mary regarded as the most significant Christian holiday is celebrated annually in Bulgarian homes with great joy Holy Saturday marks the final day of Holy Week positioned between the sadness of Christ’s entombment and the joy of His anticipated resurrection If everything went according to Emperor Charles IV’s plan Karlovo náměstí would be the city’s main gathering point and Wenceslas Square would be a quiet marketplace for horses Karlovo náměstí was the largest town square in medieval Europe But despite efforts both in the past and now Karlovo náměstí just simply never caught on and still is underused The buildings around the square are filled with both history and legends and square itself has numerous statues and plaques to remember important people A 170-year-old sycamore tree in Karlovo náměstí / via Raymond Johnston New Town (Nové Město) was an early attempt at a planned city Charles IV planned the development in 1348 loosely based on maps of Jerusalem and New Jerusalem was one its alternate names Karlovo náměstí was supposed to correspond to Jerusalem’s Temple Mount His idea was that since the actual Jerusalem in the Middle East was lost in the Crusades it would be where God would return to earth for Judgment Day God would eternally show his favor to it and its inhabitants Mosaic of Charles IV in the Karlovo náměstí metro vestibule / via Raymond Johnston The square was first known as the Cattle Market (Dobytčí trh) and only in 1848 did it get its current name of Karlovo náměstí (Charles Square) It became a public park about a decade after that Ignatius Church (Kostel svatého Ignáce) has been on the east side of square since 1677 there was originally another church in the square The first Corpus Christi Chapel (Kaple Božího těla) was in the center of the square from 1354 until it was replaced by a stone church that stood for 1393 until it was deconsecrated in 1784 and demolished in 1789 shot from the approximate location of the Corpus Christi Chapel  / via Raymond Johnston the chapel would display Christian relics including an alleged nail and a splinter of wood from the True Cross among other religious items collected by Charles IV Pilgrims would come from far and wide to visit the square and see the relics People who died in Prague during the pilgrimage could be buried in the small cemetery next to the chapel All urban cemeteries were abolished in the late 1700s by Emperor Joseph II in an effort to stop the spread of disease The foundation of the chapel and remnants of several graves were found in 2011 at Ječná and Resslova streets during construction work The rest of the building’s structural stonework seems to have been taken away to be reused over 200 years ago The square’s northeast corner is marked by the New Town Hall (Novoměstská radnice), which among other things, was the site of the First Defenestration of Prague on July 30 The unceremonious chucking of several Catholic officials out of a window by a Hussite mob soon led to the Hussite Wars Next to the main entrance to the hall’s tower is a metal rod embedded in the stone. This was New Town’s official measuring rod for the Prague cubit, or loket, which measures 59.3 centimeters It was used to settle disputes over lengths of cloth or other measurable items Another measuring rod can be found near Prague Castle on door of the historical Hradčany Town Hall There is a lot more to say about the New Town Hall but the one building would fill a whole article by itself On the exact opposite side of the square on is the Faust House (Faustův dům) where alchemist Edward Kelley is thought to have lived starting in 1587 The site of the building was once a pagan grove for the winter goddess Morana whose name can still be found on the tram stop Moráň and street Na Moráni The building during the era of Romantic literature in late 1700s became associated with the legend of Faust probably due to Kelley as well as other alchemists and astrologers having lived there plus a series of fires and other calamities that befell the structure also contributed to its mystique Faust is alleged to have made a deal with the devil for worldly success The baroque pink and gray palace is now used by the First Medical Faculty of Charles University and the University Hospital The original building was built before 1378 and it was remodeled and expanded several times It was slightly damaged during an Allied bombing raid in World War II Due to cross streets, the square itself is divided into three sections. Since the late 1800s to early 1900s was the golden age of statue building in parks, each section has at least one notable piece. The original design of the park was by garden architect František Josef Thomayer, who also designed Letná park and other public spaces Monument for Vítězslav Hálek,/ via Raymond Johnston The smallest section, near the New Town Hall, has a fountain with a plague column, in memory of the Great Plague of 1679 Also in this strip is a statue and fountain in memory of poet Vítězslav Hálek two stone sphinxes and a water-spouting lion’s head Hálek’s most significant work was Fairytales from Our Village (Pohádky z naší vesnice) he is considered a founder of Czech poetry has a statue of Eliška Krásnohorská and a monumental tree Krásnohorská was a feminist writer associated with children’s literature and the texts for four operas by Bedřich Smetana and one opera by Zdeněk Fibich She also founded the first all-female high school in the Austro-Hungarian Empire Sculpture of Eliška Krásnohorská / via Raymond Johnston The sleek and unadorned white marble statue earned sculptor Karla Vobišová-Žáková an award from the Academy of Sciences and Arts is a sycamore estimated to be 170 years old Efforts to save it began in 1985 with metal bands and supports It was declared a national monument in 1998 Bust of Karolina Světlá / via Raymond Johnston The metal bust of 19th century author writer Karolina Světlá greets people entering the park from the Karlovo náměstí metro stop She is known for literary realism and rural themes as well as her relationship with Jan Neruda looking like an evil governess in a Gothic horror film is by Czech sculptor Gustav Zoula and dates to 1910 Jan Evangelista Purkyně / via Raymond Johnston In the center of the park is a sculpture of a seated Jan Evangelista Purkyně The Czech biologist coined the word “protoplasm” for the substance inside cells In the statue by Oskar Kozák and Vladímir Štrunc from 1961 Purkyně bears a slight resemblance to a beardless Abraham Lincoln and is vaguely similar to the seated statue at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington Lost a bit at the far edge of the square is a statue of botanist and traveler Benedikt Roezl who traveled throughout Latin America finding and naming orchids Benedikt Roezl and his Native American guide / via Raymond Johnston Unmentioned in the inscription is an almost nude Native American youth carrying a metal hunting knife but recently it was changed to something a bit smaller The whole statue is a rather elaborate affair with bronze chains The illustrated magazine Zlatá Praha in November 1897 published an article claiming that the statue was made by mistake due to some miscommunication and that it had been intended to be either zoologist Jan Svatopluk Presl or inventor Josef Ressel (who has a plaque in the on the square as well as Resslova Street The article seems to have been meant in jest but the claim is often now repeated as fact Monument for World War I paramedics / via Raymond Johnston On the east side of the square in the former Jesuit school buildings a memorial for paramedics from World War I is in the parking lot Another hidden artwork is under the square A large mosaic depicting Emperor Charles IV and life in the 14th century was installed during the communist era in 1985 as part of the station’s art It was designed by Radomír Kolář and František Tesař Mosaic in the Karlovo náměstí metro / via Raymond Johnston Plaques on buildings circle the entire square pointing out significant people who lived there adjacent to the New Town Hall and facing the park who taught at what is now the Czech Technical University in Prague (ČVÚT) He lived in a building on the square in 1842 while he was researching the Doppler effect — shifts in light or sound waves due to motion Plaque for scientist Christian Doppler / via Raymond Johnston Another plaque for him is at U Obecního dvora A red granite plaque at Ječná 550/1 marks where writer Karolina Světlá died another plaque on the same building says it is the House at the Stone Table (dům U Kamenného stolu) That plaque is by sculptor Jaroslav Horejc House at the Stone Table sign by Jaroslav Horejc / via Raymond Johnston Poet Karel Hynek Macha wrote his famous poem Májat Karlovo namesti 551/37 Baroque sculptor Matyáš Bernard Braun died at Karlovo náměstí 671/24 The composer Leoš Janáček has a plaque with a bust at Karlovo namesti 319/3 has a marker with a relief portrait at Karlovo náměstí No Dissident Politician and philosopher Václav Benda lived and died at Karlovo náměstí 287/18 There is metal image of his face on the plaque there The inventor of the screw press and propeller is remembered at the entrance to Karlovo namesti 293/13 The same university building has a plaque for ČVÚT rector Viktor Felber 2020 at the bombing memorial plaque / via Raymond Johnston St. Ignatius Church and ČVÚT both have markers for victims of Nazi and communist totalitarianism, and at Karlovo náměstí 500/37 there is a plaque erected in 2015 to remember the victims of bombings in 1944 and ’45. The base of the plaque comes from part of a bomb casing The most recent addition is at Karlovo náměstí 555/31 for Croatian writer and journalist August Šenoa The city plans to undertake a large rebuilding of the park in 2025, and plans have already been approved New crosswalks have been completed at Karlovo náměstí the largest square not only Prague but the entire Czech Republic people had go under the street using the metro lobby or jaywalk through tram stops to cross at the intersection with Resslova Street The first stage of adjustments to the streets and sidewalks around the square was finished a few days early by the city’s Technical Roadway Administration (TSK) on August 27 “We completed the much-needed reconstruction of the intersection of Resslova Street and Karlovo náměstí … Our largest square in Prague has been a disgrace for quite some time and it finally doesn’t force us to go into the subway when we just need to get from one side of the street to the other,” Prague Deputy Mayor Adam Scheinherr (Praha sobě) it is completely natural to maximally support the most natural movement around the city drivers in cars and passengers in public transport have played the biggest role at Karlovo náměstí pedestrians also applied for their place in the sun We simply want to remove the maximum amount of barriers that the city has long unnecessarily put in people’s way,” he said Scheinherr said the railings at the intersection had been like a “punch in the eye,” and the new intersection was now safer and was “a public space that corresponds to the 21st century.” the construction work to modify the corners of the intersections included new barrier-free crossings for pedestrians with dividing islands Unnecessary railings were removed and the overall width of the traffic area was adjusted together with the integration of bicycle traffic Part of the construction included the drainage modification and new traffic signs Three pedestrian crossings have been newly created at Karlovo náměstí at the intersection with Resslova Street People can now cross on the surface along the west side of the square A new crossing was also created at the junction from the Charles Square office building to the tram stop The third crossing is on the west side of Ječná Street The railing that divides the park has partially disappeared from the square The railings along Resslova Street have been preserved the Prague Institute of Planning and Development (IPR Praha) proposed rebuilding most of the streets around the square adjacent sidewalks and boarding islands were renovated in 2015 In the long term, Karlovo náměstí will undergo a large renovation. A proposal for the park’s revitalization was selected in 2018 after a competition Renovation work could begin in late 2022 or 2023 Visualization of renovations to Karlovo náměstí / via IPR Praha The area beneath the square could also become a stop on a planned commuter rail system linking the city center to the suburbs Karlovo náměstí was part of the original 1348 plan for the New Town (Nové Město) district He had planned for it to be the main square of the district Prague passengers will be faced with yet another long-term metro exit closure — if you’re commuting through the center of the Czech capital take note entry and exit vestibules for the B line metro station at Karlovo náměstí will close for escalator maintenance Entrance to and exit from the Karlovo náměstí station will be accessible only via the Palackého náměstí entrance the repairs should last until approximately August of next year The closures will also affect bus connection 148 at Palackého náměstí — the stop will be relocated to Na Moráni Street at the crossroads of Dittrichova Street Similar long-term closures recently took place along the busy transport hubs of Náměstí Republiky and Anděl stations Karlovo náměstí station on the Prague Metro Line B was built in the mid 80’s which is about 40 meters below ground level For more information see the DPP website. Teams of the gendarmerie are involved in the protection of the settlements in Karlovo region Additional police units will arrive at 2 p.m from where they will be distributed and take over their tasks The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Internal Affairs Ivan Demerdzhiev will visit the area to re-monitor the restoration activities Minister Demerdzhiev will also participate in the investigation into possible illegal logging The second Bulgarian citizen who had been unaccounted for following the floods in the Valencia region has made contact with his family search efforts are ongoing for those still missing after deadly floods in Valencia and the surrounding area claimed more than 200 lives Five Bulgarian citizens were initially reported missing following recent floods in Valencia Spain is observing three days of national mourning as rescue teams continue efforts to locate dozens of missing persons following catastrophic floods Contacts +359 2 9262 210 By accepting cookies you can enjoy a better experience while browsing pages Foreign Minister Georg Georgiev has left for Washington where he will participate in the Munich Leaders Meeting (May 5-7 The forum is organised by the Munich Security Conference The foundation Unity- Kočani has sent an open letter to key Bulgarian institutions expressing gratitude for the support and humanitarian assistance provided by Bulgaria after the tragedy of the fire at a nightclub in Kočani The foreign ministers of Bulgaria and Greece Georg Georgiev and Giorgos Gerapetritis signed a joint declaration on the use of the waters of the river Arda on 2 May the BNR reports citing an announcement published by the Greek Foreign Ministry.. people will be able to withdraw money  from ATMs only in the new currency according to the website of the Bulgarian. helicopters of the Bulgarian Air Force will fly at low altitude over Sofia in preparation for a military parade marking the Day. The Bulgarian student teams that participated in the European Olympiad of Experimental Sciences EOES 2025 in Zagreb have returned with. International Jazz Day will be celebrated in Prague this week a tribute to jazz musicians and fans of the genre in its many forms the day is marked with a free open-air event on Sunday organized by the Young Tunes Jazz festival (Mladí ladí jazz) and featuring stars of the Czech and international scene Headlining the event at Prague's Karlovo náměstí is the British group Molotov Jukebox is a singer and actress known for her roles in the Harry Potter franchise and the Game of Thrones series the festival will offer refreshments and merch the director of the Mladí ladí jazz festival "It's fascinating to see how today's musicians boldly absorb various other musical styles into jazz we will present the leading representatives of contemporary jazz from the international and domestic scenes." Another highlight of the festival will be the premiere of a musical project created for the 100th anniversary of Czech Radio in which the legendary Gustav Brom Radio Big Band will join forces with musician and producer Aid Kid The energetic concert will also feature the Irish soul singer Nigerian roots will bring a blend of R&B and experimental electronic music to the stage The Czech scene will be represented by the young pop duo Blue Uandi oscillating between R&B and experimental electronica Line-up for Open Air Karlovo náměstí2:40 p.m Gustav Brom Radio Big Band & Aid Kid/CZ5:10 p.m The General Conference of UNESCO established International Jazz Day whose ambassador is Grammy award-winning American musician The Open Air event organized by the Mladí ladí jazz festival at Karlovo náměstí is an official International Jazz Day event under the patronage of UNESCO and is one of the largest events worldwide fearlessly mixes Romani melodies with swing and disco to create a unique and energetic blend that has won over music fans at prestigious festivals such as Glastonbury The group is led by the well-known actress Tena who played the quick-witted Nymphadora Tonks in the Harry Potter fantasy series and Osha of the Free Folk in the cult Game of Thrones series She can currently be seen in Czech cinemas in the action film "John Wick: Chapter 4." an artist who draws inspiration from three places he calls home – Nigeria's main city Lagos A brief history of jazz in CzechiaJazz has a long history in the Czech Republic dating back to the First Republic era.Big bands played swing music at clubs such as Lucerna and provided music for Czechoslovak films in the 1930s.Jazz went underground during World War II but a few bands could still perform openly if they followed some restrictions.Jazz was better tolerated than rock music in the communist era and instrumental bands had the best luck.The jazz club Reduta opened in 1958 and is still in operation.Jazz musicians could still get state-sanctioned licenses even after the 1968 Soviet-led invasion Some Czech jazz musicians went to the West and remained abroad serves up a relaxed mixture of modern funk Their songs are often interpreted by rising Irish stars including a limited edition of Braasi backpacks with original Mladí ladí jazz designs Guests can also have an original motif embroidered onto their own clothing or a t-shirt from the Crashily thrift store in collaboration with the Něžný rebel brand Just like Plovdiv and quite a few other Bulgarian towns The narrow cobble-stone alleys lead up to beautiful houses built out of wood and stone in the style typical of the Bulgarian National Revival period have been restored and now form the Ancient Karlovo tourist complex Karlovo municipality used European funding to restore them turning five dilapidated buildings into a veritable tourist attraction In the 17th-19th century Karlovo was a boomtown with thriving commerce That is the reason why the Buhalov Inn in the town is a structure on such a grand scale In our day the building has been adapted as an artisan workshop and a venue for demonstrations and reenactments of old-time traditions What other attractions do the Buhalov Inn the Patev House and the other elements of the Revival-time complex hold for tourists The answer from ethnologist and animator Atanaska Zelyanova at the artisan workshops visitors can marvel at the skills of the craftsmen Demonstrations are organized at the Inn of weaving What tourists seem to be interested most is how the famed Kalofer lace is made And they can watch as the artisan makes it and even join in There are quite a few school-goers who come here to learn the trade Woodcarving and weaving are the two crafts they are interested in most They too marvel at the Kalofer lace but it is more difficult to make and so the process is harder to master Our aim is to preserve each craft and pass it down from generation to generation so it may not be lost forgotten and replaced by factory manufactured goods Crafts are important because they are our bond with our ancestors.” Each one of the artisans in Karlovo readily passes his trade to the younger generation The crowds here are biggest on or just before major holidays because people come here to make gifts the kind of gifts children love to give their parents Flowers and herbs are also an essential part of the reenactment of life of olden times at the Ancient Karlovo complex All of the restored houses have gardens in which different herbs are grown; geranium – the typical Bulgarian house plant – blossoms on the window sills “The Patev House is the home of herbs and essential oils so it also goes by the name of House of Wood-nymphs It is the place where the Karlovo oil-yielding rose reigns supreme visitors can see the herbs that grow in these parts and learn all about their curative properties The house animator provides information about the traditions of rose growing and the application of essential oils in cosmetics Some of the herbs presented in the House of Wood-nymphs grow in the gardens of the other houses as well – sage There is a mini-distillery inside the house an exact replica of the town’s rose distilleries of long ago visitors can see the oil-extraction technology in action; depending on the season the blossoms used in the process may be rose This is one of the reasons we grow different kinds of aromatic herbs right here the fragrance that has always been associated with any house in Karlovo or the herb rakia (brandy) made out of tutsan or marjoram it is the rose rakia that people invariably ask for We also offer a variety of beauty products all of them made using oil-yielding roses.” Another one of the many attractions of the Buhalov Inn is the coffee made as it used to be made so long ago – coffee on sand The coffee is boiled in a copper pot on hot sand so it can warm up from all sides and that gives it its unique flavor in Karlovo coffee goes with white jam or jam made out of rose petals or figs 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. the Queen Rosa will officially be crowned in Karlovo the most beautiful girl of the city is chosen to represent the town for the year and plays a special role in the celebration of the rose on the way to the village of Sokolitsa and Plovdiv Among the beautiful and fragrant oil-bearing roses will officially receive her crown Hristina Karakoleva from last year’s winner Marina Svilenova in Karlovo will start the festive program with the procession of the Rose Queen on General Gurko Street On the 20th July Square in the center of the city will officially be given to the new Queen the symbol of Karlovo and the Rose Valley – the Golden Rose The festive program will include Chinari Ensemble Folk Dance Ensemble “Rose Valley” and representatives of the National School of Dance Art A demonstration of rosary can be seen at the History Museum of Karlovo from 11:30 a.m besides loading with a fragrant aroma that separates itself from the processing of rose leaves you can also see the museum’s collection will begin a festive program with the participation of the rock groups “Renegade” “Competitor” and “Horizon” Undoubtedly there are a lot of amazing places around the world worth visiting at least once in life Bulgaria is such a place where you will wish to come back again and again In every season and every region of this small country memorial events will continue to honor the 151st anniversary of Vasil Levski's death The culmination will take place this evening in front of the monument to the "Apostle of Freedom" in Sofia The memorial ceremony will be attended by Defense Minister Todor Tagarev and Defense Chief Admiral Emil Eftimov Citizens will be granted access through three points with National Security Service personnel conducting checks for dangerous items a memorial procession will take place in front of the Apostle's monument In front of the monument of Levski in the town reviewed the formation of representative units from the Karlovo garrison The events concluded with a commemorative firework show the traditional National Memorial Torchlight Procession in memory of the Apostle of Freedom will be held under the slogan "151 years of immortality" a city-wide ceremony commemorating the 151st anniversary of Vasil Levski's death will also take place in front of his monument at the central square of Sliven The announcement was made by the organizers from Sliven Municipality residents and visitors of Sliven will have the opportunity to pay their respects to the Apostle by laying wreaths and flowers children in Bulgarian Saturday-Sunday schools in Cyprus commemorated the 151st anniversary of the death of the Apostle of Freedom during their school days over the weekend the Bulgarian school "Vasil Levski" in the town of Dali commemorated the day and memory of its patron The Bulgarian girls recreated a scene from the interrogation of the Apostle and gave a recital Students and parents together participated in the "Lion's Leap" (Levski jump) competition The largest Bulgarian school in Cyprus - "Nikola Vaptsarov" in Nicosia dedicated its entire school day to Levski's heroism and ideals children from first to fourth grade filled out thematic worksheets about the life and work of the Apostle of Freedom The little performers from the vocal group "Do The Apostle was also honored with the "Lion's Leap" at the "St Kliment Ohridski" Saturday-Sunday School in Limassol In it and in the other Bulgarian school in the coastal city - "Paisiy Hilendarski" poems and songs about the Apostle were heard Two places in the Cypriot capital Nicosia are associated with the hero of Bulgaria built with donations from Bulgarians and Cypriots has been placed in front of the Bulgarian embassy building "Vasil Levski" Sofia Airport has earned the prestigious title of "Best Airport in Europe with 5 to 15 million passengers" for 2024 Sofia Airport officially unveiled its new name Bulgarian President Rumen Radev has officially renamed Sofia Airport Bulgaria is marking the 147th anniversary of the Shipka epic commemorating the historic battle at Shipka Pass In an affirmation of Bulgaria's commitment to NATO highlighted the nation's unwavering support for the alliance during its 75th anniversary NATO foreign ministers convene in Brussels to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the alliance's establishment marked by the signing of the North Atlantic Treaty in Washington on April 4 Desktop version Bulgaria’s national hero and organizer of the anti-Ottoman movement in the 19th c has always been one of the most visited memorial museums in this country The building itself is modest and its style is typical for the early Revival period from the 18th c The house was abandoned and became subject of self-destruction around the Liberation years but in 1933 it was restored and 4 years later opened up as a museum life and deed have been collected there for many years Nearly all research biographical researches and literature works devoted to the Apostle of Freedom are kept there Citizens of Karlovo have donated a significant part of those the lovely garden and the high stone walls have been all restored in their authentic outlook The Vasil Levski Museum in Karlovo has been included in the 100 National Tourist Sites List and some 35,000 per year visit the place The guides’ story begins with the house’s history and the fact that it was “lifted up from ashes” as the subject has been abused for many years chief curator at the museum Dora Chausheva says “One of the versions has spread the rumor on the deliberate setting of the house on fire "The place has been abandoned by the Apostle’s entire family in a natural manner Both his brothers Hristo and Petar left their hometown and share the unhappy fate of Bulgarian emigrants his old mother Gina Kuncheva was accommodated by her daughter’s family in the last years of her life not a single house abandoned in such a manner would make it When the youngest brother Petar returned to Karlovo after the Liberation when the people of Karlovo managed to bring back its original outlook Historian Dimitar Strashimirov was invited to consult the restoration process by a special committee alongside many relatives of Levski and common patriots A nice life-size stone sculpture of his mother Gina Kuncheva has been placed at the entrance exhibited at the museum are really interesting for me and for the visitors as well They show the most important moments from the revolutionary activity of our national hero Many Bulgarian artists from different generations have created various versions of the Apostle’s image.” The house has been a museum for nearly 80 years now and today it is the center of an entire museum complex that has preserved the memory of the Apostle relatives and revolutionary activities back in those days The flag of the Karlovo revolutionary committee is one of the interesting exhibits of the memorial display This year we mark the 140th anniversary of the start of the April Uprising Dora Chausheva gives us more details on the curious destiny of this precious relic: During a visit to Karlovo the apostles of the 4th Revolutionary District saw the flag left behind after the Apostle’s death and they ordered the sewing of another one On the day when the Blood Letter of Todor Kableshkov was read the revolutionaries hurried to attach it to a stick and so the April Uprising in Panagyurishte kicked off… One of the most precious things at our museum is a lock of hair of the Apostle preserved by his mother and later on – by his sister Yana as we don’t actually know for sure where the grave of Vasil Levski is,” curator Dora Chausheva says in conclusion An architectural and cultural monument of national importance the church of Saint George the Victorious in the town of Kyustendil is located at the foot of the nearby Osogovo Mountain We do not need to travel thousands of kilometers to reach holy Christian places and “drink from the miraculous well” of Orthodox faith Hundreds of churches and monasteries were built on Bulgarian territory with the faith and the hope. A hard-to-reach fortress rose on a solitary ridge which was towering above the Asenitsa River This place built high in the rocks was once sheltering Thracians The rose flower also known as the Queen of Flowers bears great symbolism According to the traditional Bulgarian concepts elegance and the female beauty in the folklore songs In traditional folklore the rose is the favorite flower of the young Bulgarian ladies They give it to the young lads as a symbol of their love The fragrant flower is part of the wedding wreaths during the local wedding rituals The thorny rose stem is used to chase evil spirits away People also use it to make a wedding flag and the bridal veil is placed over the rose bush after the wedding ceremony The rose flower is part of the traditional Bulgarian embroidery wood carvings and decorations of ritual breads Chief Curator of the Historical Museum Karlovo told Radio Bulgarian details about the symbols and the rituals of the forthcoming Rose Festival: but it is of particular importance for the inhabitants of the Stremska Valley It is a symbol of a centuries-long livelihood of the local population The rose picking campaign sets the beginning of a very hard work the production of rose oil and rose water is a traditional business For all residents of the Stremska Valley the Rose Festival is a festival of beauty It is among the most beautiful festivals in our valley The Rose Festival has been celebrated since the beginning of the 20th century It is marked in May or June (the period of the fastest vegetation of the rose flower) on the Holy Spirit Feast it became a traditional festival and attracted the interest of many Bulgarians and foreign guests This year the programme abounds with various initiatives and events On May 10 the Queen of the Rose Karlovo 2019 contest was held Sixteen year-old Yana Tsvetkova became this year’s winner of the contest The culmination of the Rose Festival will be on May 18 It begins with the rose-picking ritual in the rose gardens when we take all our guests to the rose fields The ritual is accompanied with performances of folk songs Last year’s “Queen of Rose” gives her crown to the new laureate the procession moves to the central square in Karlovo under the accompaniment of bag pipers from the town of Kalofer and Mummers groups The image of Bay Ganyo with the traditional phials of rose oil is also part of the Rose Festival the concert of amateur folklore ensembles from Karlovo Rozova Dolina ensemble and other groups begins on “July 20” Square In the afternoon of May 18 a demonstration of rose products begins: rose distillation under ancient methods and technologies at the Historical Museum and Buhalovski Inn- Ancient Karlovo complex The festival also envisages degustation of rose products such as rose tea A workshop for traditional crafts will also open on the main street in Karlovo The residents and the guests of Karlovo will have the opportunity to enjoy the performance of a military brass orchestra and Duft rock band the programme will end with a concert of Diana Express band on the town square Karlovo Municipality tried to take care of all guests of the festival so they can feel its beauty and touch the local traditions and feel the joy of the well-done job Welcome to Karlovo to spend an unforgettable and exiting day Bulgarians commemorate the 151st anniversary of the death of Vasil Levski who dedicated his life to the liberation of Bulgaria from Ottoman rule marked a significant moment in Bulgaria's fight for independence a commemorative ceremony will be held at Vasil Levski Square attended by the Speaker of the National Assembly The event will include speeches and performances by students from the "V Similar ceremonies will take place across the country where a military ritual and civil worship will be held at Levski's monument visitors can explore the prison museum where Levski spent his final days Educational initiatives and exhibitions are also being organized to honor Levski's legacy with schools and libraries hosting lessons on patriotism and displaying documents related to his life and work citizens will pay tribute to Levski's sacrifice and dedication to the country's freedom ensuring that his memory continues to inspire generations Bulgaria commemorates one of its most significant national holidays – the Day of Saint George the Victorious and the official Day of the Bulgarian Army all retailers in Bulgaria will be required to display prices in both leva and euros a major British tour operator specializing in holidays to Bulgaria has halted all its operations effective April 24 Wage growth in Bulgaria is projected at 9.3 percent for 2025 a 15.4 percent rise in the minimum wage since January The World Bank has revised down its forecast for Bulgaria’s economic growth in 2025 Subscribe to newsletters to receive our hottest offers: 180th anniversary of the birth of the Bulgarian national hero Vasil Levski will be celebrated in Karlovo on 18 July The festive events began at the beginning of the month will start the bicycle race for the Vasil Levski Cup in Vassil Karaivanov Hall will be validated a postage stamp on the occasion of the anniversary awards will be officially presented on the occasion of the celebration of the town of Karlovo which coincides with the birthday of the revolutionary and is chosen in honor of the hero The summons of  20 July 20 square will be followed by a holiday concert of Bulgare Ensemble a solemn world Liturgy will be served at the St followed by the flower procession to the grave of the mother of the hero Gina Kuncheva and a lithium procession is the start of the literary and musical program at the National Museum “Vassil Levski” begins a literary salon in the “Vasil Karaivanov” Hall on the 20th July Square is the start of a concert of the Amateur Groups of the Union of Officers and Sergeants from the reserve The premiere of “The Interrogation ” with the participation of Vesselin Plachkov and Hristo Mutafchiev will take place at 6 p.m The flag of the Karlovyian Revolutionary Committee will be brought out at Vasil Levski’s Museum at 08.20 p.m. to smell the air of the past times and to feel the legends in the air And I'm lucky to have been born in a country with a glorious past and a lot of stories to tell Bulgaria was founded more than 1,300 years ago and has never changed its name their music and their art have changed over the centuries I invite you to take a walk through the different ages of Bulgaria and to get to know it better residents of the flood-damaged villages in the region of Karlovo can be immunized against tetanus diphtheria and whooping cough if they wish Health authorities warn that floods can bring various infections as well as the disinfection of houses in Bogdan Electricity has already been restored in all affected villages and water supply has been partially restored The village of Bogdan is still without water supply as the old network is almost completely destroyed The water in the entire municipality of Karlovo continues to be unsuitable for drinking and cooking Interior Minister: There is illegal logging above the flooded villages in Karlovo Region a national symbol of the fight against Ottoman domination spent his childhood years in a modest home in the town of Karlovo The Revival-time one-storey house of his family was built in the 18th century by his grandfather Kuncho Ivanov To the right of the stone staircase was his hideout the house fell apart around the time of the country’s liberation (1878) It was restored in 1933 after the design of architect Dimitar Ivanov while the people of Karlovo and the local garrison helped with the work and with materials Levski’s nieces helped recreated the authentic interior of the house In 1937 Vasil Levski’s home was turned into a museum and for more than 80 years it has kept its doors open to visitors wanting to see valuable exhibits bearing evidence of the life and work of Bulgaria’s national hero Find out more about the home where the Apostle of Freedom grew up from Radio Bulgaria’s Gergana Mancheva here. the entire Christian world celebrates the Bright Resurrection of Christ this is the most radiant and joyful day - the Feast of Feasts - which proclaims the victory of life over death With a scent of spring and anticipation of the great Resurrection of Christ Palm Sunday is among the most beloved holidays in Bulgaria people fill the churches and share their joy through prayer at the festive. The day of Saint Theodore known in Bulgarian as Todorovden is a significant Bulgarian holiday which is celebrated on the Saturday after Cheesefare Sunday - this year its date is March 8 Todorovden combines pagan beliefs and Orthodox canon. A discovery made a few days ago by a young curator from the museum in Karlovo caused a real sensation for the general public and for researchers of the life and work of the great Bulgarian revolutionary and fighter for the Liberation of Bulgaria during his brief scientific trip to the State Archives in Istanbul found previously unknown for Bulgarian researchers photo of the Apostle of Freedom It is supposed that this was the photo used when Ottoman Empire authorities were searching for Levski is that on the back of the photo there is also a description of Levski Apart from the fact that the man is from Karlovo distinctive facial features are also described - "medium-sized one tooth shows a little outside as he slightly lifts his lips; his eyes are big and blue/green in color." Together with the photo but they certainly contain more information about the Apostle and his revolutionary organization," researcher Viktor Kombov says "We assume that this picture is the original from which a small oval portrait was later made," Dora Chausheva director of the Vasil Levski National Museum in Karlovo says and adds: "It was most likely taken after the General Assembly held in Bucharest from 29 April to 5 May 1872 but apparently the Apostle did not manage to get a copy of those portraits he had ordered How this photo reached the hands of the Ottoman authorities is unknown I think this happened through their intelligence agents in Wallachia photographic studios were not that many back then Here we have the image combined with this first verbal description which was heard during the questioning of Ivan Furnadzhiev a member of the Teteven Revolutionary Committee on October 26 After that they already have enough information about him.” This finding confirms the researchers' view that there are more documents related to the personality and the work of Vasil Levski which so far have not been known for the Bulgarian community as well as for the scientific community as a whole "Today we can clearly say that there is a need to continue working with the archives kept in Turkey and not only there In Bucharest and Belgrade there are still many things we have not reached and that could open a new window in the research of Vasil Levski," Dora Chausheva points out "I feel lucky and I am very glad that our museum has made such a substantial discovery related to Levski," Viktor Kombov says: "I went to the Ottoman Archives in Istanbul on October 9 this year and on the same date I came across the valuable find The colleagues from the Ottoman Archives have very well structured their systems and it is very easy to find archival units The story of this discovery is quite interesting We have a lot of visitors and we keep in touch with scientists from all over the world we talked to them and it turned out that they were working on the period of the Ottoman Empire and the events related to the Liberation of Bulgaria I realized that something new about Vasil Levski in the Ottoman archives in Istanbul could be found Together with the museum’s director we decided to make a scientific expedition to Istanbul I came across a curious archival unit with a photograph of Vassil Levski I admire Vasil Levski and he is a role model for each of us This is a person with a clear purpose in his life - the noble mission dedicated to the liberation of the Bulgarian people Until his death he constantly followed this mission He did everything he could to achieve it." who felt his companions were completely equal to him and in no way took advantage of his power as a leader of the revolutionary organization is another prominent characteristic He wanted future liberated Bulgaria to be 'a democratic republic in which all people and religions live under a common law in peace and understanding” "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 puzzle of Bulgarian history is being put together New and unexpected discoveries fill in the missing places adding more and more details to the events and portraits of the most prominent sons and daughters of Bulgaria In 2018, a previously unknown photo of the Deacon caused a sensation one of the most prominent researchers of Vasil Levski's life and work came across an old register of the male population of Karlovo from those years It shows that Vasil Ivanov Kunchev was born in 1840 three years later than what was known in the history books neither a baptismal certificate of young Vasil This is the main reason for the big discrepancies in the date and year of the Apostle's birth - explains Nadezhda Petrova curator at the National Museum "Vasil Levski" in Karlovo - The date of 18 July 1837 was given by a wide council of relatives around 1895 on the occasion of the opening of the monument to the Deacon in Sofia we should refer to it and perhaps gradually 1840 will be established as the year of Vasil Levski's birth," says Nadezhda Petrova There are other interesting facts about Levski's childhood and adolescence that are little known to the general public Vasil was the second of five children in the family of Ivan and Gina Kuncheva His paternal lineage is less well researched one of the largest and wealthiest families in Karlovo on his mother's side Vasil was sent as an apprentice to learn to sew kaftans (a long sleeveless garment fastened at the front) He was 10 years old when his father died (according to new records of the year of his birth) "He sent him to singing lessons to learn the sacred singing with the most famous teacher in Karlovo Rayno Popovich who founded one of the first secular schools in Bulgaria - says Nadezhda Petrova.- Vasil had a very beautiful singing voice and besides the church hymns he also loved to sing folk songs which he learned from his mother and later from the people in the village of Voynyagovo In Karlovo it is said that at that time children often held competitions in which Vasil was always the best jumper - he jumped the farthest and the highest of all That is why they called him "Levski" (of a lion) Others think he got this name while he was part of the First Bulgarian Legion in 1862 "It's well known that he paints well - he himself sketched and then embroidered two lions on his vest that's why people started calling him Levski Later in his life as a revolutionary he often disguised himself took on different roles - that of a rich merchant And these are some serious acting talents - believes the curator of the museum in Karlovo Various folk legends tell of romantic stories of Vasil Levski with one girl or another "Whether there is a grain of truth in these folk tales or they are born out of people's desire to connect with Levski in this way but we should also keep in mind something else: at his ordination he took three vows: poverty whether he will serve as a monk or accept another vocation as is the case."All these facts complete the image of the revolutionary Levski show him with his joys and anxieties and help us to get to know Vasil as a human being