Bulgaria Inside

Most people fail recognizing the town of Omourtag as a popular tourism destination. It is located 26 km away from Turgovishte, 66 km away from Shoumen and 78 km away from Veliko Turnovo. Although it is located in the beautiful eastern fore part of Stara Planina Mountain Omourtag remains generally unknown.

The earliest signs of settlers in the area date back to the 6th century BC. Later, during the reign of the Byzantine emperor Justinian, the region became part of a larger fortified area.

The first written evidence concerning the appearance of the town appeared in an Ottoman register where Omourtag was mentioned as Kaza Osman Pazar. The evidence dates back to the 17th century. During the revival period, the town was blooming. That is when it became a trade center. The settlement was called Osman Pazar until 1934 when it was renamed after the Bulgarian khan Omourtag. That happened because in a nearby area called Irindzhik archaeologists discovered the remains of a fortress that was probably reconstructed by Omourtag.

One of the most important landmarks in the city is St. Dimitur church that was built in 1851. It was small and dug into the ground like the laws of the Ottoman Empire ordained. During the Russo-Turkish Liberation War, the Ottoman army used the church as a store for provisions and military materials. When they retreated, Ottomans burned down the church and part of the city. The view of the burning holy place really upset the Russian soldiers. The commissary of 11th infantry, Nikolai Vladimirovich Blagovo donated to the church a golden gospel. Until 1973, the gospel was preserved in St. Dimitur but was later on moved in the Omourtag history museum. Since 1998, the gospel is protected in the police office and can be seen only after obtaining a permit. This unique relic is hiding between its covers the signatures of donors. That bears record for the events in these times.

Omourtag’s history museum is also hiding surprises. It opened doors in 1967 as a humble museum collection. The history museum itself appeared in 1994. Nowadays, it consists of three buildings that form an architectural complex. The museum has an ethnographical, archeological and common history expositions. A woman named Ivanka Hadzhiyska owned one of the houses that is part of the museum today. During the Liberating War, she hid in her house 200 women and children. This house was built in 1876 by Ousta Gencho Kunev and is recognized as a monument of architecture.

Another interesting fact is that Omourtag is the place where you can see the space suit of the second Bulgarian astronaut Alexander Alexandrov. He was born in this very city.

Right at the entrance of Omourtag, by the side of the road from Sofia to Varna, you will spot the museum of the aviation and astronautics. It is open-air museum that preserves aircraft among which MIG-19, MIG-21, BIS, SU, a the vertical-rocket launcher M-11 and a radio-location station.

Omourtag has various hotels and good restaurants where you will experience local hospitality.