EXPLORING SHUMEN
Quest Bulgaria Property Magazine
Wednesday, 15 October 2008 00:00
Bulgaria
At first sight Shumen looks no more than a mass of concrete
ex Communist buildings, however the town has much in the way
of historical sites. Within the city there are several important
cultural institutions including a theatre, philharmonic orchestra,
a large library, art galleries and a splendid historical museum with
many modern-day exhibitions.
There are some extremely well-preserved architectural monuments like
Bezistena, the oldest building in Shumen and the Dobri Voynikov
People’s Cultural Centre, which was built in 1898 by a French
architect, as well as the House of the Kutsarovi brothers, which
is a classic example of Bulgarian Revival architecture. The Kurshun
Cheshma is rather unique in that it was built in 1774 from limestone
rocks. It’s richly decorated facade was covered with ugly slabs until
quite recently.
The centre of town holds much to see and do. The 18th century city
clock runs on a manual mechanism and is ornately decorated with Turkish
script. The Elena Karamihailova Art Gallery founded in 1956 has a
permanent exhibition of over 70 works whilst the Gallery of Society
of Shumen Artists houses exhibitions of local and visiting artists.
Religious Sites tombul mosque Shumen is rich in religious sites;
the Armenian Saint Asvizazin Church often called Saint Bogoroditsa
is well worth a look. It was built in 1834 by Armenian refugees. The
original design was modified somewhat in 2001 when a new bell tower
was added. The courtyard has some interesting marble gravestones
belonging to some of the wealthy 18th and 19th century Armenian
donors. The Bulgarian Orthodox Holy Three Saints Cathedral and Holy
Ascension Basilica are also well worth visiting as is the Saint
Vuznesenie Church, which was built during 1829. Inside there are some
amazing mural paintings dating back to 933, a gold fabric shroud with
pearls from 1776 and an icon of Saint Cyril and Saint Methodius. Some
important historical figures are buried in the church’s temple – among
them are two heroes of the Renaissance period, Dimitar Muruzi 1766-1812
and Valerian Grigorievich Madatov 1782-1829. Perhaps Shumen’s most
famous religious site is the Tombul Mosque, the largest of its kind
in Bulgaria. The mosque was built between during the 18th century in
what was originally the town centre. As the town has developed and
grown in size it now lies in the south western part of Shumen. The
mosque has a spectacular spherical dome, 25 m in height and a 40 m
high minaret. It also consists of a main prayer hall, a yard and
a twelve-room extension. The interior is crammed full of murals
of geometric figures and vegetable life along with lots of Arabic
inscriptions from the Koran.
Museums regional history museum Shumen’s Regional History Museum
houses over 150,000 exhibits in eight halls covering Shumen’s rich
history from antiquity to the end of the 19th century. Amongst the rich
collection of exhibits, there is a large assortment of icons as well
as coins, stamps and Thracian tombs from the 4th century. Shumen also
has many living museums; the Panayot Volov House Museum houses exhibits
from the life and times of one of Bulgaria’s notable revolutionaries
from the April Uprising, Panayot Volov. The Dobri Voynikov House
Museum used to be the home of the writer Dobri Voynikov. It is
another architectural monument from the Renaissance period. Inside
this living museum there are letters, photographs and exhibits from
Dobri Voynikov’s life. The Pancho Bladigerov Museum Complex focuses
on the life of Pancho Bladigerov, one of the country’s most prominent
fiction authors. The house contains exhibits from the early part
of the 20th century as well as musical exhibits from this time –
many concerts are staged in the complex both in the large hall and
in the courtyard. The Layosh Koshut House Museum is another monument
of Renaissance architecture with a three tier courtyard and high
walls. This house belonged to Shumen businessman and once Mayor
Dimitraki Hadjipanev. The main significance of this house is that
Hadjipanev gave refuge to the leader of the Hungarian revolution
Layosh Koshut. The house shows how a rich Bulgarian businessman
lived as well as providing interesting documentary evidence about
the Hungarian revolution.
On the Outskirts of the Town the madara horseman Perhaps the most
famous historic site in the area is the renowned Madara Horseman,
which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is an ancient bas-relief that
features on the back of the Stotinki coins and has been chosen as the
country’s national symbol. The relief is believed to have been carved
into the bare rock in the 8th century; some scholars believe it to
be even older. Over time the relief has been attacked by the elements
but you can still make out a faint outline of a horseback rider that
some believe to be the nameless rider god of the Thracians, trampling
a lion. A greyhound tails him. In one hand, he holds the reins to
control his horse and in the other he holds a goblet of wine. Next
to this faint yet impressive rock carving, there is an inscription,
which records a debt owed by the Byzantine Emperor Justinian II to
Bulgar leader Khan Tervel.
The area around the Shumen Plateau is also home to some interesting
caves including the Golyamata Peshtera cave located beneath the giant
rock overhang, which forms the base of a 14th century rock monastery,
although there is little left to see of it. Many pieces of ancient
pottery, flints and bones have been found here.
Undoubtedly one of the town’s most impressive sites is the Monument to
1,300 Years of Bulgaria, which lies on top of the Shumen Plateau. From
the roadside it looks no more than another concrete carbuncle, however
it holds many surprises including the 1,300 steps that lead up to
it. The monument depicts the history of Bulgaria from its creation
to the present day and is regarded as the only one of its type in the
world. It was built solely from concrete in 1981 and is dedicated to
the Founders of the Bulgarian State. It has a Cubist touch to it, yet
the sculptures of revolutionary fighters, monks, Khans and heroines
are fantastic. Within the monument there is an impressive replica of
the Horseman of Madara, which many find is better than the real thing.
shumen fortress The 5th century Shumen Fortress on the Shumen Plateau
has been partially restored since its devastation by the Turks in 1444
and is a prime example of medieval Bulgarian architecture. It lies on
top of the Shumen Plateau and can only be accessed by a major hike to
the top via a rough-hewn path. The views from here are spectacular, but
it is not for those with a fear for heights or a desire for safety as
there are no barriers between you and the vertical drop. The fortress
is one of the most explored archaeological sites in the country and
is a great example of life in the second Bulgarian Kingdom.
Nearby Pliska was once the capital of the first Bulgarian state
established by Khan Asparouh. It is home to an archaeological museum,
which houses many of the archaeological exhibits found in the area as
well as displays focusing on the life within the villages during the
7th to 10th centuries. Shumen Municipality is also home to another
former Bulgarian capital, Veliko Preslav. This town was the capital
of the Bulgarian state from 893 to 972. Today, the town has a museum,
which displays masterpieces from the Bulgarian Golden age. There is
some wonderful Preslavian gold including a golden stamp collection
and many authentic documents from the 9th to 11th centuries. There
have been many interesting archaeological finds in the Shumen area;
one recent treasure is the discovery of a Thracian tomb complex near
the village of Ivanski. The complex consists of two tombs dating back
to the 4th century B.C.
The village of Koniovec is home to Bulgaria’s oldest stud breeding
farm. The Kabiuk Stud Farm was established in 1864. Today the farm
has a museum dedicated to horses. It is also possible to tour the
grounds in a with hansom carriage.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress