In June 2015, I visited my friend Plamena in her country for the first time. She lives in Plovdiv, a beautiful city with many antique sites, but also a bubbling activity and lots of innovative actions. If I had to live in Bulgaria, I would probably choose Plovdiv. During my first stay, we went on a road trip. First, we stopped in the blue village of Koprivshtitsa. Then, we headed to Veliko Tarnovo.
A Little Bit Of History About Veliko Tarnovo
Located on the top of three hills (Tsarevets, Trapezitsa and Sveta Gora) and on the Yantra river, Veliko Tarnovo is quite ancient. Actually, it’s one of the oldest settlements in Bulgaria. According to remains found on the Trapezitsa hill, experts can say that the city has been inhabited at least since the 3rd millennium B.C.
During the Middle Ages, Veliko Tarnovo was a major centre of culture in Europe. As we can easily imagine it from its location offering a great view on its surroundings, Veliko Tarnovo was a powerful fortress (from the 12th to 14th centuries). After the liberation of Bulgaria from Byzantine rule in 1185, it became the capital of the Second Bulgarian Empire. Veliko Tarnovo remained the capital of Bulgaria until Ottomans invaded Europe.
In 1877, Russian troops liberated Veliko Tarnovo, that regained its political importance. The first Bulgarian constitution was written in Veliko Tarnovo. In 1879, Sofia became the capital of Bulgaria. However, Veliko Tarnovo remains an administrative, educational and cultural centre.
We did a free walking tour to know more about the history of the city. Again, I do recommend walking tours, as they are fun, educational, and a great way to meet people and discover the best places to eat.
What I Loved About Veliko Tarnovo
First, the way it looks. It is really charming, with its houses up and down the hills (tell your calves and knees to be ready!) and colours, and cats walking everywhere… I don’t know, there is just a nice atmosphere. Then, the inhabitants. All the people we met there were welcoming and eager to talk about their history, their traditions…
I loved walking outside at the top of the city at night and during the day, to see the city from above and the lights. Veliko Tarnovo is urban, but there is also a lot of green around it. You can breathe. Around the old city, there’s the river and trees everywhere. It was quite hot in June and we appreciated these shaded areas, and the taps in the streets offering free drinkable water. The architecture of the old centre is beautiful too. We enjoyed wandering in the streets (there was some nice street art).
The Kukeri Tradition
While buying souvenirs (and I bought a lot of cute things), we often saw Kukeri masks or costumes. My friend told me it was used to scare away bad spirits. In a shop, the woman told us we could try it on. I couldn’t resist, and my friend took a picture. If I remember it correctly, that was quite heavy.
To explain the concept a little bit more, Kukeri are costumed men who perform rituals to make evil spirits go away. The Kukeri walk and dance through villages around New Year and Lent. Supposedly, they are also bringing good harvests and happiness all year long. The origin of this tradition seems to be linked to Thracians, and there are similar rituals in Romania and Serbia.
The costumes are not only masks (like the one I wore), but cover also the bodies. The masks are usually made of wood and represent animals. They can include fur. Sometimes, masks are even double-faced. The men also wear big bells attached to their belt, to make noise and chase away bad spirits. The costumes are not the same everywhere. Do not hesitate to browse Google to look at the Kukeri costumes, some are extraordinary!
I only spent two days in Veliko Tarnovo, and I would gladly go back. I hope I made you want to visit that wonderful city too!
Some street art:
To see more photos of Bulgaria, you can visit the gallery Bulgaria.
