Bulgaria Inside

Velianova House
Velianova house is one of the best preserved edifices in the resort of Bansko from its revival-time period. It was constructed in the end of the 18th century and was presented as an award to locals by the craftsman Ousta Velian Ognev, one of the people who worked on the decoration of Sveta Troitsa church.

The house itself is a typical enforced edifice. It has two floors. The ground floor has a hiding place, comprised of two connected chambers. The second floor has a residential part and a chardak (a type of a covered terrace that is typical for old Bulgarian houses). Only wood and stone were used in the construction.

Interior decorations are the most notable part of the house. Wall paintings in the so-called blue room happen to be the most attractive, as they present landscapes from Venice and Istanbul. The house’s chardak features beautiful woodcarvings mostly comprised of geometric and floral patterns.

At present, the house has turned into the home of an ethnographic exhibition that describes the typical Bansko lifestyle. A small gifts shop welcomes visitors on the ground floor. The museum Velianova Kushta (house) opened doors in 1977 and its wall paintings and decorations were named a monument of culture of national importance. Velianova house is one of the Bansko landmarks that are part of the 100 national tourist sites.

The museum is open for visitors each day apart from Saturday and Sunday from 9 am to midday and from 2 pm to 6 pm. Entrance costs three leva and if you would like to get explanations about the expositions, you will need to pay additional two leva. The house is situated on 5 Velian Ognev street and its phone number is 0749/88 274.


Neofit Rilski Memorial House
The house is interesting with its architecture typical for the end of the 18th and the beginning of the 19th century. It was constructed in the 18th century and Neofit Rilski lived there from his birth in 1793 till 1911. Another name under which the memorial house is known is Benina house. The museum is open for visitors every day from 9 am to midday and from 2 pm to 6 pm.

To learn more about this site, click here.

Nikola Vaptsarov Memorial House
The famous Bulgarian poet lived there after 1912. Vaptsarov's relatives, namely his mother, sister and brother, opened the museum there. They donated numerous belongings, among which manuscripts and the clothes that Vaptsarov was wearing when he was shot down in 1942.

The museum is open for visitors every day from 8 am to midday and from 2 pm to 6 pm.

To learn more about the memorial house, click here.

Sveta Troitsa Church
Sveta Troitsa church is yet another Bansko landmark. It was constructed between 1835 and 1837 by locals under the guidance of Lazar German. Before the construction of St. Alexander Nevski Cathedral in Sofia, it was the biggest church in the country.

A Christian cross and an Islamic crescent moon can be spotted near the entrance, representing tolerance and understanding.

The bell tower was added later, probably in 1850. It is 30 m tall and acts as Bansko’s most recognizable symbol. In 1866 the tower got a clock that was created by the self-taught craftsman Todor Hadzhiradonov.

Rich paintings and wood carvings decorate the interior.

The church, its bell tower and the wall that surround the yard have been named an architectural landmark of national importance. Visitors can explore every day from 7:30 am to midday and from 2 pm to 6 pm.

Permanent Icon Exhibition of Bansko Art School
The permanent exhibition of the Bansko school of art can be seen in one of the oldest Bansko houses, constructed in 1749. In the past, the building acted as a convent of the Hilendarski and later on of the Rila Monastery.

Six rooms have been turned into exhibition halls and trace the development of Bansko iconographic and wall painting schools. Toma Vishanov – Molera was its founder. Three generations of Molera’s family followed the iconographic traditions.

The museum is situated at 3 Yane Sandanski street and its telephone is 0749/88 273. It is open for visitors every day apart from weekends and its working time is from 9 am to midday and from 2 pm to 5 pm.

 

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