SHUMEN
www.shumen.bg
Founded 3200 years ago, Shumen is the capital of an
historical region keeping the memory of the Thraces, the
Romans, the Byzantines, but also of the 2 capitals of the
First Bulgarian Kingdom - Pliska and Véliki Preslav. The
city is located in the North-East of the country : it is
the ground where the Asparoukh Khan inserted its lance
while saying: “it is here that will be Bulgaria! ”.
It is at the time of the National Awakening that the city
knows its very great effervescence. In Shumen were created
the first school of classes, the first public library and
the first symphony orchestra in Bulgaria.
It is still in Shumen, just as in Lome and Svichtov where
the first hearth of reading was inaugurated. It is
precisely in Shumen where the first stage performance took
place in Bulgaria and the High figures of the Bulgarian
Rebirth developped their activities.
The first Bulgarian dramatic work was written in Shumen. It
is still in Shumen that on May 11th, 1813 was held the
first public celebration of the festival of the writing and
the Bulgarian culture, called Saints Cyrille and Method.
It is also the place where the first brewery, whose beer of
Shumen is even today among most required.
On the territory of the municipality several cultural and
natural, historical, archaeological and architectural sites
are located:
- The Fortress where the city was located until the 15th
century.
- The regional Museum of History - a true heritage of
single objects being also one of the first museums in
Bulgaria.
- The monument of the Founders of the Bulgarian State built
at the time of the 1300th birthday of Bulgaria.
- The Tombul mosque, largest and best preserved monument of
the Moslem culture in Bulgaria, is at the same time a
tourism site and a muslim temple.
- The archaeological and historical national Reserve
“Madara” is famous for its rider cut in the rock. Single in
Europe, the Rider of Madara is registered in the list of
UNESCO world heritage.
Pliska was the first capital of Bulgaria from its
foundation into 681 by the Asparouh khan. Its name is
related to the conversion of Bulgarian to Christianism in
864 and the diffusion of the Slavic alphabet,
Véliki Preslav is the second Bulgarian capital. It affirms
itself like one of the most powerful Christian and literary
centers, for the period named "the Golden century" of the
Bulgarian culture.
It is a unique city, with pedestrians alleysand green
areas, relayed by terraces of coffees, fountains and shops.
The dramatic Theatre, the Art gallery, the puppet Theatre,
the regional Library, the Orchestra develop cultural
activities in the city.
You should not miss he Carnival of Fertility, the
Re-enactment of the battle delivered by the armies of
Ladislav III in 1444 close to the Fortress, the
International competition of young pianists and violins,
the International Biennial of sculpture in Madara...
