The old capital of Bulgaria

The Medieval Town of Tarnovo was the old capital of Bulgaria during the 12th - 14th cc. period and included the castles situated on the Tsarevets, the Trapezitza, the Momina Krepost and the Sveta Gora Hills and the downtown Hill. The two main architectural complexes are in the centre - the King’s town, called the New Town (the present Assenov Quarter) was built in the 13th c. along the two banks of the Yantra River between the two hills - the Tzarevetz and the Trapezitza.
In the 19th c. Tarnovo expanded to the west of the Medieval Town. The rugged rocky terrain, the Yantra River and the independent Bulgarian national spirit formed the unique Revial image of the town. Many new public and private buildings were erected - schools, libraries, community centers, churches and houses.
Most of them were designed and constructed by the master-builder Nickola Fitchev. Craftsmen’s bazaars including inns, store-houses, shops, workshops, architectural complexes, such as, the Varousha and the streets, for instance,
Gurko Street, Opalchenska and Kraibregna, appeared during the Revival period.
The modern town of Veliko Tarnovo develops dynamically. Its modern architecture is in harmony with old master’s traditions in the new housing estates to the west of the old town. Many schools and cultural institutions develop further the cultural traditions -
Veliko Tarnovo University of Sts. Cyril and Methodius, Vassil Levsky High Military School, Konstantin Kissimov Dramatic and Musical Theatre and the Palace of Sports and Culture.