June 4th, 2010 by Bulgarian Properties in Guide Bulgaria
Previous: Bulgaria – Land and cultural heritage (Part 3)
In the western part of Europe the elite wrote, talked and thought the Hellenic language spread in the east. It is indicative that the new writing, called “Cyrillic alphabet”, gained ground, bloomed and became extremely fruitful right in the Bulgarian lands: it is official for the Bulgarian church and state since 893.
The scholar of Curilus and Methodius St. Clement of Ochrid created the so called School of Ochrid, where he managed to teach “3500″ students within 10 years. This number gives a hint of only part of measure of the Bulgarian educational program, which was realised by Tsar Simeon “the Great” (893-927).
Through the following centuries Bulgarians stuck to their Faith and kept on raising, decorating and endowing churches and monasteries.
Fusing millennial traditions, Bulgarian lands offer nowadays the exceptional chance of seeing many unique monuments in museums, galleries and on the terrain. Nine of them have been inserted by UNESCO to the List of the World-wide cultural and environmental heritage.
With its 3 national and 10 natural parks, 90 reserves and over 500 natural landmarks, which cover 5.1% of the land territory, Bulgaria takes the third place in Europe in the total area of the protected places.
With its great variety of natural and cultural landmarks and widely developed system of tourist complexes, Bulgaria (“The land of spirit” as acad. Dmitriy Lichachov called Bulgaria on account of its mission to civilize the Slavic world in the Middle Ages) offers nowadays conveniences to everyone, who has decided to become acquainted with its amazing land and millennial culture.
February 21st, 2010 by Bulgarian Properties in Guide Bulgaria, History and culture
Previous: Bulgaria – Land and cultural heritage (Part 2)
Only the Romans managed to wipe out the might of the Ancient Thracian political alliances in the 1st century. Two peaceful countries followed: the Roman Emperors strengthened the Danube border, which is that time separated the civilized European south from the barbarian north and set up the military, town and road systems. Big town centres were built in the separate inner areas; economic boom and cultural ennoblement were achieved, which ensured prosperity for an unprecedented big part of population.
From the 1st century on Christianity spread over these lands. After it become the official religion in the Roman Empire in 313, heavy construction began and the land was literally strewed with monumental ecclesiastical temples.
Most indicative is that such were erected not only the town centres, but in the village areas as well. The significance of the land grew harshly after Constantinople (today’s Istanbul) became the “New Rome” and the Thracians were given an opportunity to maintain the new Christian capital of the civilized world of that time. It was the Christian idea that led the forming of the new big communities in Europe.
The Bulgarian also reckons among these new communities, managing to create the independent European state Bulgaria in the old historical-geographical areas Misia, Threce and Macedonia in the year 681. The land’s identity was established by Khan Asparuh through a respective treaty that he made with Constantin IV “the Bearded” – the Emperor of the East Roman Empire in 681.
Two writings and two official state, church and cultural languages dominated in Europe until the Bulgarians officially accepted Christianity with St. Prince Boris I Michail at the head and the St. Equal to the Apostles and patrons of Europe Cyrilus and Methodius created the new European alphabet.
Continue: Bulgaria – Land and cultural heritage (Part 4)
December 12th, 2009 by Bulgarian Properties in Guide Bulgaria, History and culture
Previous: Bulgaria – Land and cultural heritage (Part 1)
The lands of this place are also the centre of the most ancient European stock-agricultural community – the Thracian: according to the “father of history” Herodotus it was the most populous in the world next to the Indian. The Thracians formed 90 “tribes”, the biggest part of which tried to unite the kings of the Odrisian dynasty under their scepter.
It was founded in the 6th century BC by King Teres I and the following centuries his proud subjects carried on the traditional of creating many architecture works: rock sanctuaries and complexes, menhirs, dolmens and beehive tombs. The Thracians have raised about 150 000 funeral tumuli, many of which overlaid big sub-tumulus temples.
The first special male communities, connected to the cult to the kings, priest and God Orpheus “the brilliantly celebrated”, performed their mysteries and secret rituals in there. Some of the royal tombs have preserved marvellous sculptural decoration up to the present while the walls of other tombs are covered with unique paintings.
As for the tomb of Alexander it preserves maybe the most ancient known self-portrait, signed 2400 years ago with “Kodzhimases Chrestos”. Together with the deified remains of high-born Thracians many marvellous creations of Thracian masters have been buried in the tomb and the sub-tumulus complexes, among which the exceptional gold and silver vessels from the Odrisian royal services and the shiny horse accoutrements of the heavily-armed Thracian aristocracy are to be distinguished.
Continue: Bulgaria – Land and cultural heritage (Part 3)