Every nation has its sacred monuments. For the Bulgarians, Shipka is one of them. One of the most decisive battles was fought here during the 1877-1878 Russian – Turkish War, a battle which determined the victorious outcome of the war and which liberated the Bulgarians from five centuries of Ottoman rule. Some 6000 Bulgarian volunteers also fought alongside the Russian soldiers.
Not many museums in the word are located right in the theatre of war. The Shipka Museum Park is an exception. It encompasses all historical sites related to the defence of Shipka Pass (26 July 1877) – The National Monument of Liberty at Shipka Peak, Orlovo Gnezdo Peak, the church-monument “Birth of Christ” near the town of Shipka, and Sheinovo village. The memorial church Birth of Christ was erected to commemorate the volunteers who lost their lives and designed by architect Tomishko in the style of 17 th century Russian church architecture.
The peak of Orlovo Gnezdo became an arena of the decisive and dramatic battle for the pass from the 21 st to the 23 rd August 1877 and later inspired the national poet Ivan Vazov to write the immortal “Opalchenzite na Shipka”. In the village of Sheinovo there is a monument at the place of the battle in which Veisel Pasha was defeated.
As a geographical concept Shipka is the peak which commands a perfect view of northern a southern Bulgaria. On a historic plan it is the boundary marking the start of Bulgarian’s recent history. In a moral aspect, it is an expression of gratitude for the sacrifice in the name of Bulgaria’s freedom.
Shipka peak – the symbol of liberty, the symbol of a future prospering Bulgaria
The Monument of Liberty rises atop Shipka peak. It was built with the donation of the Bulgarian people. It was designed by Atanas Donkov and by the sculptor Alexandar Andreev. The National Park was officially opened in 1934. A stairway of 894 steps lead to the 31.5 meters long monument. Over its main entrance one can see the proud figure of a bronze lion – the symbol of the Bulgarian state. The other 3 sides of the entrance bear the inscribed names of Shipka, Sheinovo and Stara Zagora – the battle fields. On the ground floor of the monument in a marble sarcophagi the bones of the heroes lost their lives in the battle for the pass are kept.
The exposition on the other 7 floors illustrates the heroism of the Russian soldiers and the Bulgarian volunteers that took part in the 5 months long defence of Shipka. The collection comprises medals and orders, pictures and document, arm. There is a great panorama from the last platform, which reveals not only the restored details of the battle, but also the monuments and the common graves. They keep the memory of the sacrifice of the heroes.

1 day
07:00h

Sofia – Shipka National Museum

11:00 h Arrival. Guided tour .
Lunch basket

14:00h Visit into the Russian Church ,,Rojdestvo Christovo”


The Shipka Memorial church (or Church of the Nativity) is located only 12km north of Kazanlak, at the south foot of the Stara Planina mountains near the town of Shipka. It was errected after the Liberation as a monument to both Russian and Bulgarian dead. The golden domes and the green and pink coloured facade loom against the mountains and attract the attention of the travellers in the Shipka pass. The project design following the seventeen-century Russian church architecture with arks, friezes, pediments, and gold-plated ornaments, was the work of the Czeck architect A.I. Tomisko. The main entrance has three arks, topped off with the distinctive 50m-high spire of the bell tower. There are 17 bells, the heaviest of them weighs about 12 t.

15:00h . Departure to Kazanluk. ( 12 km )
The town of Kazanlak is located in the pretty Valley of Roses at the foots of the Balkan mountains. That’s why Kazanlak is called the “town of roses”. For centuries the fragrant Bulgarian rose has been grown there and the rose oil has been extracted. The rose has an important role in the history of Kazanlak region. The rose cultivation and rose industry have been kept by generations of people from Kazanlak.

Kazanlak has strong cultural and educational traditions. The area of Kazanlak is rich in historical places of interest such as Shipka National Park, Shipka Memorial Church, Kazanlak`s Thracian Tomb (It is on UNESCO`s World Heritage list), Buzludzha Park. Kazanlak hosts the annual Festival of Roses which is a pageant of beauty in the unique Valley of the Roses.
The fresh Balkan air, clear mountain water, silence and calmness attract a lot of visitors and investors yearly

Accommodation in traditional Bulgarian houses.
Free time

20:00 Dinner in typical Bulgarian restaurant.

2 Day
08:30 h Tracian Tomb
Thracian Tomb is situated in the town of Kazanlak and it was discovered accidentally under a huge mound in 1944. It comprises camera in the form of beehives, with height 3.25 m and diameter of 2.65 m and narrow corridor with length of 1.55 m, 1.20 m width. The tomb was built with bricks and the exterior features stone cover. The Thracian Tomb is unique with its wall painting dated in the end of 4th B.C and the beginning of 3rd century. The wall paintings are uniquely found on the walls of the camera and the corridor and its 40 sqm.
The camera features’ painting of burial ceremony, in the central part is a painting of a Thracian king and his wife. Another feature of the painting is a cupbearer and two musician’s women with long tubes. Behind the king in the painting is a chariot with two horses, a young man hold four horses. By the right hand side of the king’s wife there are two maids with a box of jewelers and a mist. The second smaller paintings feature dynamic competitors of cart.
The wall paintings are of high professional quality. After the discovery of the tomb, above it was built a protective gather, featuring an air conditioner with perfect ventilation. There is a duplicate of the tomb close to the main original tomb, and tourist could visit the duplicate in place of the original, and it was added to UNESCO World Heritage List.

10:30 Departure from Kazanluk to Etara ( 50 – 60 km )
Arrival. Guided tour.

The Ethnographic museum Etar is the first open air museum of this kind opened in Bulgaria. It was established on September 7th, 1964. The museum is situated 8 km South of the town of Gabrovo. The preliminary design and methodology were done by the Gabrovian Lazar Donkov (1908 - 1976) who was also the first director of the museum. "In the museum exhibitions so far the visitor was not placed in an immediate contact with the past - Mr. Donkov writes. That is how I came to the idea of establishing an active museum in the open air ... so that the past becomes visible, easy for perception and understanding and the vast national wealth in kept."
Do you want to feel the whiff of the past, to see the miraculous power of the water, flowing in a chute, to enjoy the Renaissance architecture, to observe ancient national customs, then visit the Ethnographical Open Air museum "Etar", 8 km. Southwards from the town of Gabrovo.
The museum territory covers an area of 7 ha and comprises 50 sites - water technical equipment, houses with craftsman`s workshops, places with social importance. The aim of the museum display is showing the architecture, the life style and the economic past of Gabrovo region during the Revival period - the second half of 18 and the 19 centuries. More than 26 main crafts were developed in the town and the goods were sold in different parts of the country and in the region - Bucharest, Vienna, Marseille, Anatolia and other.
The first secular New Bulgarian school was opened in 1835. During the 30-ies of the 19th century under the favourable economic and political changes in the Ottoman empire Gabrovo grew as an important economic, educational and commercial center in the country.
The Ethnographic museum Etar was build and organazed by means of three methods;on site restoration; on site preservation; transportation of originals and restoration of buildings

13:00H Lunch
14:30 Accommodation in typical Gabrovo houses. Free time.
20:00 Dinner .