Bulgaria Inside

Elena is considered one of the most beautiful Bulgarian towns. It is situated in the northern part of Bulgaria, on the bank of Elenska River. The town is situated 38 km away from Veliko Turnovo.

Much of Elena’s history is still unknown. Ancient remains have been found in the region, showing that it was probably populated in antiquity. The first data concerning the modern settlement appeared in 1430 when the town was known under the names Eliana and Strumena.

During the revival period, Elena turned into a craftsmen center. It was also a cultural center. Many Elena residents participated in Bulgaria’s liberation struggles.

Elena acted as the only major Bulgarian town that had three churches. Because of their history, the three churches enjoy strong visitor interest today.

St. Nikola church is the oldest one. It existed back in the 16th century. The church kept many important manuscripts. In 1800, Elena suffered an attack and the church was set on fire. The manuscript collection was entirely burned.

Locals started collecting funds and constructed a new building to replace the burned down church. According to the legend, the new sanctuary appeared in 40 days. Yet, Ottoman authorities learned of the secretive development. They found out that the forbidden construction of a church was taking place. Elena residents masked the new building so that it looked as an old, shaggy edifice. The church got its wall paintings in 1817 and was named a monument of culture of national importance.

Ouspenie Bogorodichno is Elena’s second church, which initially functioned as a chapel. The chapel was constructed in 1800. Locals decided to expand the building. To provide construction material, they destroyed a nearby fortress. Construction ended in 1837. In 1912, the church got its bell tower.

The third church in the town is called Rozhdestvo na Presveta Bogoroditsa. It was also a chapel in the beginning. Since its construction in 1812 was also illegal, locals masked the chapel whenever official inspections were to take place. A fire destroyed the monastery in 1859. Renovation works started in 1865. A girls’ school opened doors there in 1866. It existed until 1894.

Elena has various other landmarks. The town was the birthplace of many well-known Bulgarians among which the poet Stoyan Mihailovski and the cultural activist Nikola Mihaylovski.

The first Bulgarian class school also opened doors in Elena in 1844. Its building features interesting architecture. The ground floor had its shop, while two classrooms were found on the second floor. The school made use of modern for its time equipment. Many students of the so called Daskalolivnitsa started teaching after their graduation. A revival-time museum can be seen there today.

Hadzhi Razsoukanov house is a complex of five buildings. Hadzhi Dimitur Razsoukanov constructed them in the end of the 18th and the beginning of the 19th centuries. Each house has something unique that differentiates it from the others, yet they all feature similar style.

Kambouroviat Han is an interesting building set up in mid-19th century. An ethnographic museum functions there today. Ponikolova house has three floors and was constructed in 1830. It houses the paleontology museum of the Sofia University.