Site Map
Explore Bulgaria:
History,
Monasteries,
UNESCO sites,
Maps of Bulgaria,
Belogradchik Rocks 
Travel Guide:
General Information,
Travel Information
Unique Tours:
Temporary unavaliable 
Towns:
Major Cities,
Sea Resorts,
Ski Resorts 
Hotels:
Photo Gallery:
Miscellaneous,
Monasteries,
Towns,
Mountains,
Sea Resorts,
Ski Resorts
Bulgarian UNESCO Sites
Bulgaria have 9 landmarks in the UNESCO World Heritage List:
Cultural:
- Ancient City of Nessebar (1983)
- Boyana Church (1979)
- Madara Rider (1979)
- Rila Monastery (1983)
- Thracian Tomb of Kazanlak (1979)
- Thracian Tomb of Sveshtari (1985)
Natural:
- Pirin-National-Park (1983)
- Srebarna Nature Reserve (1983)
Ancient City of Nessebar
Nessebar is one of the
oldest towns in Europe, more than 3000 years old. At the
beginning of the 6th century BC, the city became a Greek
colony. The city’s remains include the acropolis, a temple
of Apollo, an agora and a wall from the Thracian
fortifications. Among other monuments, the Stara Mitropolia
Basilica and the fortress date from the Middle Ages, when
this was one of the most important Byzantine towns on the
west coast of the Black Sea. Wooden houses
built in the 19th century are typical of the Black Sea
architecture of the period.
Nessebar have impressive number of
churches, some of the most famous are: the Church of
St Sophia (6th century), the Holy Mother of
God Eleoussa Basilica (6th century), the
Church of John the Baptist (11th century), the
Church of St Stephen (11th century), the Church
of St Theodore (13th century), the Church
of St Paraskeva (14th century), the Church of the
Holy Archangels Michael and Gabriel (13th–14th century).
See more Bulgarian Sea Resorts
Boyana Church
During the Middle Ages the strong
Bulgarian fortress of Boyana (Batil) stood on the lower
slopes of Mount Vitosha in what is now the Sofia suburb of
Boyana. This name is mentioned for the firs time in 969.
Boyana was one of the thirty-five fortresses and
settlements, which formed the fortification systems of the
city of Sredets (Sofia).
The Boyana Church was build within the
fortress and is a magnificent example of medieval
architecture and monumental art.
The Boyana Church is about 900 years old.
During its existence, the Church has undergone many
transformation and extensions, and thus its present complex
volume differs considerably from the original. New buildings
have been added to the First (East) Church, architectural
transformations have been made, the decoration has been
changed. At present the Boyana Church consists buildings -
from the 11th, 13th and 19th centuries. Only the first two
churches, built during the Middle Ages, possess significant
aesthetic and architectural value.
Madara Rider
The Madara Rider is a large rock relief carved on the Madara Plateau in northeastern Bulgaria. The relief depicts a majestic horseman 23 m above ground level in an almost vertical 100-metre-high cliff. The horseman is thrusting a spear into a lion lying at his horse's feet. A dog runs after the horseman. The monument is usually attributed to the ancient Bulgars, a nomadic tribe of warriors which settled in northeastern Bulgaria at the end of the 7th century and after merging with the local Slavs gave origin to the modern Bulgarians. The monument is dated back to 710 and by looking at it you can really perceive the flowing of millennia.
Rila Monastery
Rila Monastery is historical and cultural site in the
Rhodope Mountains of southwestern
Bulgaria. It is situated
in a valley of the Rila massif, 70 miles (110 km) south of
Sofia. Rila is a symbol of Bulgarian national identity, and
it is the most prominent monastery of the Bulgarian Orthodox
Church.
This is the first Christian monastery in Bulgaria, founded
by the hermit John of Rila (Ivan Rilski on Bulgarian), who is the traditional patron saint of Bulgaria. Rila grew rapidly in power and influence from the 13th to
the 14th century. After a devastating fire, it was rebuilt
and fortified at 1334. During
the Ottoman Turkish occupation (14th–19th century) and the
accompanying cultural domination of
Bulgaria by Greece, Rila
again flourished, in part owing to its isolation from
Ottoman power centers. In the 18th and 19th centuries Rila
was a cradle for the "National Revival" of Bulgaria. The
monastery supported book publishing, a library and archives,
and various educational institutions.
Since 1991 it has been
entirely subordinate to the Holy Synod of the
Bulgarian Orthodox Church.
The monastery offers accommodation while the area around it
has grown into a developed tourist centre with plenty of
restaurants and
hotels.
See more Bulgarian monasteries
Rock-hewn Churches of Ivanovo
The Rock-hewn Churches of Ivanovo
are a group of monolithic churches, chapels and monasteries
hewn out of solid rock and completely different from other
monastery complexes in
Bulgaria. The complex is noted for its beautiful and
well-preserved medieval frescoes. The caves in the region
had been inhabited by monks from the 1320s to the 17th
century, where they hewed cells, churches and chapels out of
solid rock. At the peak of the
monastery complex, the number of churches was about 40,
while the other premises were around 300, most of which are
not preserved today. The complex owes much of its fame to
13th- and 14th-century frescoes, preserved in 5 of the
churches, which are thought of as wonderful examples of
Bulgarian mediaeval art.
If you are doing a
tour of
Bulgaria, the Rock-hewn Churches of Ivanovo
are worth visiting.
Thracian Tomb of Kazanlak
The geographical center of Bulgaria - between the Stara Planina and Sredna Gora mountains - is known as the Rose Valley. For centuries the fragrant Bulgarian rose has been grown there and the attar of roses is extracted fro the production of rose oil. There, 40 years ago, in the town of Kazanluk a small Thracian Tomb was found, with murals which are of exceptional interest in the world's cultural heritage. The tomb dates from the Hellenistic period, around the end of the 4th century BC and is part of large Thracian necropolis. It comprises a narrow corridor and a round burial chamber, both decorated with murals representing a Thracian couple at a ritual funeral feast. The murals are memorable for the splendid horses and especially for the gesture of farewell, in which the seated couple grasp each other's wrists in a moment of tenderness and equality. The paintings are Bulgaria's best-preserved artistic masterpieces from the Hellenistic period.
Thracian Tomb of Sveshtari
The Thracian Tomb of Sveshtari is a 3rd century BC tomb that reflects the fundamental structural principles of Thracian cult buildings, discovered in 1982. The tomb's architectural decor is considered to be unique, with polychrome half-human, half-plant caryatids and painted murals. It differs from the Thracian Tomb of Kazanlak as it is a hypogeum, not a construction with a cupola. With its origins in the culture of the Getae, it fits a Hellenistic model that was common in Macedonia, Asia Minor and Egypt. The tomb is only one of several mogili (tumuli) in this area. It is the largest of a group of 26 tumuli about 2km from Sveshtari. The mound of earth was locally known as Ginina Mogila, today it is called the Royal Tomb. Two more tombs have been discovered near Ginina Mogila. A much larger mound named Omurtag closer to the village is currently excavated. Archeologists believe that around Sveshtari five necropoles with more than 100 mogili may have existed.
Pirin National Park
Pirin National Park covers a mountain range composed of limestone rocks with a granite nucleus, which is noted for its variety in flora and high scenic beauty. It encompasses the larger part of the Pirin Mountains in the southwest of Bulgaria. The huge relief diversity of the park is the reason for the variety of plant species on its territory. About 1300 species of higher plant species can be observed within the park, which constitute more than 30% of all higher plants on the territory of Bulgaria. Besides this, about 300 moss species and a large amount of algae have been determined. The park is a home to 18 local endemic species, 15 Bulgarian and many Balkan endemic and a large quantity of preserved species, such as the Edelweiss, a symbol of Pirin. Three plant belts are differentiated within the Pirin National Park, a forest one, a subalpine one and an alpine one, which is due to the relatively high location of the entire park.
Pirin National Park
Photo Gallery
Srebarna Nature Reserve
Srebarna Nature Reserve comprises Lake Srebarna and its surroundings and is located on the bird migration route between Europe and Africa. Srebarna is a wetland habitat for about 180 bird species many of which are rare or endangered. Among the most interesting bird species are the Dalmatian pelican, great egret, night heron, purple heron, glossy ibis and white spoonbill. The drive from Sofia which takes 5 hours gets nicer and nicer as you get closer to Srebarna with its beautiful countryside.
