Bulgaria Inside

The old Blagoevgrad district of Varosha holds the town’s history museum. Regional History Museum Blagoevgrad has a rich collection, presenting developments in the Pirin Mountain region.

Several collections make up the museum, which was put together in 1952. The main sections are called Archaeology, Ethnography, Bulgaria from the 15th to the 20th Century, New History, Nature and Art. A modern conservation and restoration lab function alongside the museum. Its library includes over 17 000 books.

Nearly 116 000 exhibition items present the Pirin region. Some of the unique collections include cult figures from the prehistoric period, Thracian weapons, masks and coins, findings from the ancient necropolis near Roupite, artifacts from medieval Melnik and Samouil fortress, jewelry and revival period documents.

An ethnographic collection includes clothing, ceramics, metal and wood artifacts from the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries. The museum preserves 24 letters of revolutionary Gotse Delchev and personal belongings of other revolutionaries.

Other must-sees include 23 paintings of Zlatiou Boiadzhiev and 86 drawings of Vladimir Dimitrov, one of the best known Bulgarian painters.

In 1999, the museum opened a Rila park nature preservation center.

Since its creation, the museum protects the regional historic heritage and tries to popularize it through conferences and seminars. A modern conference hall has been created for that purpose.

The museum has received a number of awards, among which distinction for the development of Blagoevgrad municipality and the specialized award for the preservation of Zlatiou Boiadzhiev’s complete collection.

Blagoevgrad Regional History Museum is situated on 1 Rila street and welcomes visitors each week day from 9 am to midday and from 1 pm to 6 pm.