More about the city
Country: Bulgarian
Veliko Tarnovo is a Bulgarian cultural, historical, educational, and tourist center. One of the oldest cities in Bulgaria, it is often referred to as the Old Capital because between the years 1187 and 1393 it was the capital of the Second Bulgarian Empire. It’s located on a very important crossroad in the center of northern Bulgaria and it is also the administrative center of the Veliko Tarnovo District. The city population is 68,859 as per the National Statistical Institute data as of 31.12.2018. In 2009, Veliko Tarnovo was officially named the Balkan Capital of Cultural Tourism and in April 2019 the city was given the official status of Bulgaria's historical and spiritual capital.
History
Veliko Tarnovo is a city of rich and colorful history dating back to 7,000 years ago. The first evidence of life dates back to the third millennium BC and bares the mark of the traditional Thracian culture. In I century AD, the Romans invaded the region and established the Moesia Province, known for its important transportation roads. In Early Byzantine times, the city was a fortified settlement with a big agricultural and cultural importance. In 1185, the brothers Asen and Peter put an end to the Byzantine rule and named Veliko Tarnovo the capital of the new Bulgarian Empire. The city turned into a unique and powerful administrative center and it became the hearth of the Second Golden Age of Bulgarian education and culture. Every stone there tells a story about the heroic journey of the Bulgarian nation throughout the centuries. In 1393, the city was invaded after a series of attacks by the Ottoman armies. During the five centuries under Ottoman rule, Veliko Tarnovo remained a center of the Bulgarian spirit, tradition and culture, as well as one of the key centers of the National Revival. Arts and crafts flourished, trading thrived, civil engineering and architecture were developing, the national self-awareness of the enslaved Bulgarians awakened and as a result their will to fight for spiritual and national independence grew. The city was liberated from the Ottoman rule on July 7, 1877. Two years later the Constituent Assembly election was held in the city where the first Bulgarian Constitution—the Tarnovo Constitution—was ratified. It was considered one of the most democratic constitutions in Europe at the time.
Geography
Veliko Tarnovo can be found between the hills of Tsarevets, Trapezitsa and Devingrad (Momina krepost) that rise proudly above the Yantra riverbank. The altitude of the city is between 200 and 300 meters. The distance from Veliko Tarnovo to other big Bulgarian cities is almost the same — 222 km to Sofia, 222 km to Varna, 220 km to Plovdiv, and 216 km to Burgas. Тhe steep hills of the Balkan mountain range rise to the south and the vast Danubian Plain stretches in the north. Tarnovo is situated on a key geographical and communication spot and it is an administrative center of one of the 28 Bulgarian districs. The total area of the Veliko Tarnovo District is 4,662 sq.km and it includes 10 municipalities with a total of 14 towns and 322 villages.
Infrastructure
The city is proud of its low unemployment rate and its favorable demographic and educational tendencies. The city is home to the second biggest university in Bulgaria—St. Cyril and St. Methodius University of Veliko Tarnovo—and its economy is highly influenced by the companies in the area of manufacturing. There are multiple different transportation options in the municipality—by road, train, and air (there is an international airport in the neighboring municipality—Gorna Oryahovitsa). The percentage of young people is high due to the large number of students coming to study here from all over the country. The urban environment is also of very high quality—flower parks, playgrounds, modernized parking lots and a large number of preserved and restored cultural buildings and monuments. The city is peaceful, green and full of life, glory and variety!
Development
Absolutely charming and unique, Veliko Tarnovo is a temple for the nation’s confidence and identity, sacred to all Bulgarians. The city can offer you all you need for a perfect and unforgettable holiday—rich historical heritage, exciting adventure through past, present and future times, dynamic nightlife, and the unbelievable nature of the area will let you relax in the best way possible. The city continues to develop at a fast pace, and it presents both its residents and visitors with a variety of entertainment opportunities, magnificent historical sights, unique atmosphere and amazing cultural experience. You will fall in love with the houses perched on top of the steep city slopes, the bridges passing over the river, the palaces, the towers, the wonderful museums, the ancient monasteries with colorful fresco paintings and the fortress houses of Arbanasi! Veliko Tarnovo is fully open to innovations and modern technologies but at the same time it proudly preserves its identity and roots. All year around the city presents the phenomenal show called Sound and Light comparable to just a few such shows worldwide.
