Viva la Revolucion

Traditional dress

Koprivshtitsa a beautiful historic town in Central Bulgaria and was the scene for our second day trip. As there was also going to be a kind of folk festival happening in town, we thought it would be a good time to visit. Although the town was in fact rather beautiful and a fascinating place from an historical perspective, the performances at the festival left a little to be desired. Unfortunately, the singing, which was very poorly amplified by the loudspeakers was pretty ear piercing. The dancing though, at least was something a bit different and got my attention for a few minutes!

This small town was one of the main centres of the uprising of April, 1876. The failed revolution was pretty much the start of the end of the Turkish occupation of Bulgaria. Although it was unsuccessful, the leaders of the revolution are considered heroes in the country and they provide a great source of pride to the population. Koprivshtitsa has pretty much become a 'museum' town - rather than a town full of museums, the town itself is a bit of a museum. Many of the houses of significant figures from the revolution are open to the public, and most of them are presented in such a state that they show how the various figures and their families lived. They also form a kind of informational museum where one gets a good idea of the history and significance of the place.

Apart from the history of the town, it is quite a beautiful place. It is more of a village than a town. Koprivshtitsa sits on two hills with a river running between them. Many of the streets are old, windy cobblestone streets, and the many of the houses are beautiful 19th century villas with gorgeous views. It is a place I can highly recommend for a day trip, and if you like mountain hiking, maybe a few extra. The air is crisp and clean, the people are smiling, and the food is tasty and cheap!

A relatively modern house with a beautiful view from the garden