Bulgarian Revival Architecture 

The sheer number of historic homes and cobblestone lanes made us think we were back in the days when Bulgarian’s ideas of independence first took hold. It was a time when they desperately wanted to reclaim their heritage and build something that is uniquely theirs. The style of buildings built at the time of the uprising are called Bulgarian Revival Architecture and they proudly represent this period in the country’s history.

This proud Bulgarian spirit was not far from the surface during the last century of the 500-year Ottoman rule when a ground level movement for Bulgarian independence began. By the 19th century, still under the Ottoman rule, Bulgarian merchants were becoming wealthier. They brought in goods as well as ideas from neighbouring countries. These wealthy merchants began to show their prosperity by building large, lavish mansions that showcase the skill of local tradespeople in woodworking and masonry. Even smaller homes were built in the same style.

During the revival, churches were also built larger and more grandiose. They had ornate interiors with walls and ceilings covered in frescoes and altars embellished with gold.

Bulgarian Revival Homes

There are a few good examples of Bulgarian Revival Architecture throughout the country, but the towns of Koprivshtitsa and Tryavna are known to have the greatest display of these homes. The town of Arbanasi has examples of the ornamented revival churches. We visited these three towns to see these buildings for ourselves.

Bulgarian Revival Towns
Bulgarian Revival Towns

Revival houses were often built with stone on the main floor and an overhanging wooden upper floor. Often the upper levels are colourfully painted with large windows, wooden shutters and decorated chimneys. The rooms at street level were usually barns or workshops. Living spaces, kitchens and bedroom were on the upper levels. To us, they still looked quite similar to the Ottoman houses we saw in Turkey. The main difference were the curved support beam that supported the second floor and the vivid colours on the walls.

Inside they are elaborately decorated with painted walls, murals of floral motifs, and carved wooden ceilings.

Koprivshtitsa
Koprivshtitsa

Koprivshtitsa 

There was a chill in the air as we walked through the mountain town of Koprivshtitsa on an October morning. The main or rather only thing to do in this small town is to wander the streets without a plan and enjoy the Bulgarian Revival Architecture.

Koprivshtitsa citizens were very involved in the liberation movement and in fact the April uprising of 1876 began in the town. It seems no coincidence then that it is the perfect place to see revival homes. The rugged homes in this town are not mansions, though. They are smaller, less opulent versions of the buildings we saw in Plovdiv. Most of the homes have stone bases and wooden, oversized second floors. Some were painted in bright colours but most were white or brown. Literally every house in this part of town is a historic revival house making it a great place to explore.

Apparently Koprivshtitsa is still in quite good condition because local traders paid bribes to the ruling Ottoman to spare the town and not torch it as they had done to other towns. On the other side of the creek is the newer part of town. Most of the homes in this area are built in the traditional style making it all feel more connected.

Koprivshtitsa
Koprivshtitsa
Koprivshtitsa
Koprivshtitsa
Koprivshtitsa
Koprivshtitsa
Koprivshtitsa
Koprivshtitsa

It was dusk when we arrived in Koprivshtitsa the night before. Google Maps told us our guesthouse was on the other side of town. We had no idea that the streets were so narrow and bumpy, so off we went in our low-riding rental car as if these were normal streets. How naïve we were. After scratching the front bumper on the first projecting rock, Maggie got out and walked in front to point out hazards. The old stone lanes have all sorts of potholes and high points that Richard had to cautiously avoid hitting with the car. Both sides of the lanes were bordered by tall, stone walls that made the narrow lanes even tighter. Or at least it felt that way.

On top of all of that, Google Maps doesn’t know these roads at all and had no idea how to navigate through the labyrinth. It was getting darker and darker. Slowly we worked our way up one street, down the next all the while sweating in fear of scratching the rental car. A few times we even pulled in the side view mirrors to avoid scratching them on the stone walls. Eventually, we decided to ditch the car in a random spot and walk to find our guesthouse.

In the end, Google was wrong again. The guesthouse was just off the main, easy to drive, road. We had spent almost two hours searching for it in a small town of only 2,500 people. The moral of the story is to park near the main plaza that is easily accessed from the highway. The other lesson is, don’t trust Google Maps.

Koprivshtitsa
Koprivshtitsa
Koprivshtitsa
Koprivshtitsa
Koprivshtitsa
Koprivshtitsa

On the main highway into town you’ll find the main square which is surrounded by several restaurants. There is plenty of parking around the square and it’s best to park your car here and walk through the town.

Koprivshtitsa can be visited on a day trip from Sofia.

Koprivshtitsa
Koprivshtitsa
Koprivshtitsa
Koprivshtitsa

Tryavna

The old Central Square in Tryavna looks like a living history museum. The entire square is completely surrounded by Bulgarian Revival buildings. On one side of the square is Church of St. Michael the Archangel. Its exact origins are unknown, but it is believed to have been built in the 12th century. An 18th century fire destroyed much of its wooden features, but the stone walls were not damaged. Also in the square is a cute, although rather short, clock tower.

Tryavna
Tryavna
St. Michael the Archangel
St. Michael the Archangel
Central Square
Central Square
Clock Tower
Clock Tower

An old stone bridge allows you to reach the other side of Old Town.

Tryavna
Tryavna

On this side of the creek, several cute streets intersect; each lined by white houses with brown trim and wooden shutters.

Tryavna
Tryavna

The old mansion called Daskalov’s House is a now museum showcasing the skill of revival era woodcarvers. The building is a lovely 2 story home with a typical jutting out top floor. Inside are excellent examples of the carvings from the Bulgarian Revival. The best part of the museum are the wonderfully carved wooden ceilings. Each is a work of art.

Daskalov’s House
Daskalov’s House
Carvings
Carvings
Carved Ceiling
Carved Ceiling
Carved Ceiling
Carved Ceiling

The rest of the city outside of Old Town is quite run down, but it is worth a day trip from Veliko Tarnovo.

Arbanasi

In addition to building unique, elaborate houses during the Bulgarian Revival, churches were also re-built. Three kilometers from Veliko Tarnovo are a number of 17th and 18th centuries churches that are excellent examples of Bulgarian Revival Architecture.

The church exteriors in Arbanasi seemed rather plain, composed of simple stone and mortar. The insides however were more decorative with ornate ornamentation and elaborate frescoes.

Church of The Nativity
Church of The Nativity
Monastery of St. Konstantine The Miracle Worker
Monastery of St. Konstantine The Miracle Worker
St. Mary's Monastery
St. Mary’s Monastery
Monastery of St. Konstantine The Miracle Worker
Monastery of St. Konstantine The Miracle Worker

Pictures were not allowed inside most of the churches. St. George Church, however, did not have that policy so we can show you the fantastic original and restored murals that adorn the walls inside this small church. The frescoes were depiction of icons, saints and even of hell. They seemed to tell a story more than the stand alone frescoes as we had seen in other Bulgarian Orthodox churches. The scenes from hell are particularly amusing.

St. George Church
St. George Church
St. George Church
St. George Church
St. George Church
St. George Church
Depictions of Hell
Depictions of Hell
St. George Church
St. George Church

Scattered throughout the hilly village are a few nice examples of Bulgarian Revival houses.

Arbanasi
Arbanasi
Arbanasi
Arbanasi
Arbanasi
Arbanasi

Entrance Fee – Each church has its own fee. They range between 6 and 10 BGN each. ($3 to $5.50 USD)

Not all of them were open since we visited during the off-season.

How to visit the Bulgarian Revival towns

It would be difficult to visit this area by using public transit. There are a few tours offered locally but the easiest way to visit is to rent a car. Tryavna and Arbanasi can be visited on day trips from the larger city of Veliko Tarnovo; Koprivshtitsa on a day trip from Sofia. A better way to really enjoy these communities is to stay in a small hotel or guesthouse along the way. We stayed in Koprivshtitsa and found a few good restaurants in the main square. It is a small town though and businesses seem to close quite early in the evening.

If you do rent a car, visitors from almost any country outside of the EU need to show a physical copy of their international driver’s permit. A digital copy is not enough. Car rental agencies are very strict with this rule.

Tip – There is not a lot of English spoken in Bulgaria and they use the Cyrillic Alphabet. It would be wise to have your destinations written in Cyrillic before leaving your hotel. Google Lens is very helpful to translate written material such as menus.

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To read more of our adventures in Bulgaria, click here.

Coming Next – Bulgaria’s Black Sea Resorts

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To read about more of our adventures go to Destinations.

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