The town
of Koprivshtitsa is located in the heart of the Sredna Gora mountain range. It
is 110 km from Sofia, 24 km from Pirdop, 22 km from Strelcha, and 90 km from
Plovdiv. In 1952, it was declared the only city-museum in the country, and
since 1971 it has been an architectural and historical reserve, with a total of
388 architectural, historical, artistic, and ethnographic monuments. In 1978,
it was recognized as a national architectural reserve of international
importance and as an international tourist destination.
There
are many legends concerning the town’s beginnings. One relates that the
location boasted a plentiful store of kop, and that it was particularly
fertile, a popular resting place for caravans and shepherds herding their
flocks. It was here that proto-Bulgarians settled with their herds – people
known as “Zhupa” – and that was the origin of Koprivshtitsa.
Another
legend has it that Koprivshtitsa was the base for the “lords of Rila” who
settled the area with their livestock and petitioned the Ottoman sultan to
proclaim them the rulers of Koprivshtitsa. He issued a decree granting them
wide-ranging privileges. In the decree the sultan referred to Koprivshtitsa as
the “Woman’s Field” – and that is what the Ottomans called Koprivshtitsa in the
years that followed.
A third
legend claims that the village was settled by Bulgarian fugitives, heirs of the
numerous Bulgarian tribes of Bolyari, herdsman, and tenders of livestock, who
removed to the region after Bulgaria came under Ottoman rule (at the end of the
16th century). Among them were three shepherds – Lambo, Toroman, and Arnautin,
who founded the enclaves that today bear their names.
All of
the legends agree that Koprivshtitsa was founded at the end of the Second
Bulgarian Empire (the end of the 14th century).
From
1793 to 1819, Koprivshtitsa was engulfed in flames three times. The third time
the town was almost completely destroyed, and after that the current city
foundations were laid. The new community gradually expanded as the local
population of merchants and artisans contributed to its development.
Koprivshtitsa has always been of historical interest, since it is associated
with the rise of the Bulgarian people during the country’s Age of Awakening
(18th – 19th centuries).
The
architecture in Koprivshtitsa reflects the historical development growth of
Bulgarian traditional architecture that can still be observed in its various
forms at present. The first stages of its development closely resemble the
architecture found in the communities of Zheravna, Tryavna, Samokov, Etropole,
Tetevan, and other locations. In 1956, a museum directorate was established in
Koprivshitsa with the goal of saving, preserving, and popularizing the town’s
cultural and historical heritage. Among the museums and local attractions are
The Oslekov House, The Lyutova House, The Todor Kableshkov Museum, The Dimcho
Debelyanov Museum, The Georgi Benkovski Museum, and The Liuben Karavelov
Museum.
The
Oslekov House was built in 1856 by the wealthy Koprivshtitsa merchant Nencho
Oslakov. Of particular interest are the richly decorated walls and columns that
suggest the lifestyle enjoyed by a wealthy Koprivshtitsa family during the 19th
century. The museum exhibit includes unique items, such as women’s and men’s
clothing, a collection of Koprivshtitsa decorative embroidery (lacework), and
knitted stockings.
The
structure that is now The Lyutova House Museum, also known as The Topalova
House, was built in 1854 by the family of the influential Koprivshtitsa tax
collector Stefan Topalov, then sold to a wealthy Koprivshtitsa merchant, Petko
Lyutov. On the ground floor can be seen authentic Koprivshtitsa felt objects of
uncarded wool. On the second floor is a collection of murals and woodcarvings.
A fountain of rosewater freshens the air in the upper salon. The guestroom is
appointed with Koprivshtitsa wall hangings and women’s clothing, recalling a
traditional lifestyle.
The
Todor Kableshkov House and Museum was built in 1845 in the Plovdiv style. In
1932 the first museum in Koprivshtitsa was opened there, and in 1954 it became
an independent museum, taking the name of the revolutionary leader who was born
there, Todor Kapleshkov (1851-1876). The exhibition on the first floor is a
display of the authentic household objects owned by the large family of Todor’s
father Luchlo Kableshkov, an influential resident of the town. Here were the
rooms where the women in the family worked, including the kitchen, dressing
room, and the room where Todor was born. The last exhibition in the house,
mounted in 2005, displayed the riches owned by Koprivshtitsa’s influential
residents. Among the museum’s holdings are Kableshkov’s school books, two new
guns, the hat he wore as the Belova railway stationmaster, and his unfinished
translation of The Count of Monte Christo.
Another
interesting museum and birthplace is that of the great Bulgarian poet Dimcho
Debelyanov (1887-1916). The house was built in 1830. The museum exhibit follows
the brief life and the artistic development of the poet, and includes his crib,
his personal effects from the Front, examples of his handwriting, photographs,
and other items. In the house’s courtyard is the well-known sculpture of a
mother constantly awaiting, seated on the ledge of a Koprivshtitsa entrance.
Every year in August in this courtyard, the traditional Debelyanov Evening
takes place, when hundreds of poets and musicians gather to perform
Debelyanov’s poetry.
Visitors
shouldn’t miss the birthplace of Gavril Gruyev Haltev (1843-1876), a hero of
the April Uprising in 1876, known by his pseudonym Georgi Benkovski. The house
was built in 1831. In 1966 it was renovated and turned into a museum. Among the
most interesting items on display are the gun that Benkovski used during the
uprising, a cherry-wood cannon, his uniform, and the banner of the 4th
revolutionary detachment. The exhibit also includes numerous photographs. On
top of a nearby cliff is a monument to the revolutionary hero, erected in 1976.
Another
interesting site in the town is the museum and house of Lyuben Karavelov, near
the Topolnitsa River It was the birthplace of two important Koprivshtitsa
residents – the brothers Lyuben (1835-1879) and Petko (1843-1903). One was a
propagandist, writer, and revolutionary, and the other served as Prime
Minister, a minister, and a financier who helped build modern Bulgaria. The
house is a national architectural monument. Pride of place is given to the
printing press and publications produced by Lyuben Karavelov. An interesting
item on display is a flint-studded threshing board. The exhibit includes
household items used by the family, and outlines the three major periods of
Lyuben’s life – his sojourns in Russia, Serbia, and Bucharest.
On the
second floor in the summer kitchen are the statesman Petko Karavelov’s personal
effects and photos of his life. In the courtyard stands an old pear tree
planted by the writer in 1854, now preserved as a natural heritage.
Of
interest is the church Assumption of the Blessed Virgin, built in 1817 on the
site of an older church. Noteworthy is the fine woodworking of the bishop’s
throne and the altar with its authentic icons.
Another
interesting example of ecclesiastical architecture is The Saint Nikolay
Cathedral, built in 1842-1843. The cathedral is notable for its murals done on
Biblical themes.
Besides
visiting its historic houses and enjoying the invigorating natural
surroundings, visitors may refresh themselves at Koprivshtitsa’s more than 40
wells that were constructed during different eras. These wells are generally
decorated with stones carvings of six-sided stars, sea creatures, flowers, and
other images. Two of the oldest are the Benevska and Chalakova Wells.
Also
very attractive are the town’s many bridges, mainly vaulted stone, erected over
small brooks and streams that flow into the Topolnitsa River. The most popular
is the Kalachev Bridge, also known as The First Shot Bridge. It was here in
1786 that the first shot was heard that signaled the start of the April
Uprising, as Bulgarians fought to free themselves from Ottoman oppression.
In the
vicinity of Koprivshtitsa there are nature preserves for those interested in
eco-tourism. The Bogdan Preserve, as it has been known since 1972, is home to
an age-old beech forest, the historically important Clover Field, and the
highest peak in the Sredna Gora Mountains, Bogdan Peak (1604 meters). Another
nature preserve in the region is the Donkin Forest (declared a protected area
in 1979). Here it is possible to catch a glimpse of one of the world’s rare
endangered birds, The Eastern Imperial Eagle (Aquila heliacal).
The
Sredna Gora Range, which is easily accessible, has a temperate climate, and is
endowed with exceptional natural beauty, is preferred by a large number of
tourists and nature lovers. There are eleven clearly-marked hiking trails, and
the average time of the hikes is 3-4 hours. The difficulty of the trails
varies. The starting point for all trails is the Bogdan Tourist Center in
Koprivshtitsa, where complete information and advertising brochures are
available for tourist destinations and hiking trails, including accommodations
and eating establishments throughout the town.
There
are many hotels and guesthouses in Koprivstitsa that offer visitors an
authentic folk atmosphere. There are also numerous dining facilities offering a
wide range of Bulgarian dishes prepared according to local recipes.
