This document provides a summary of activities from a trip involving preliminary exams, sightseeing at historical sites from different eras in Thracia and Bulgaria, meetings with local leaders and students in Erlangen, Germany, activities like bowling and enjoying Bavarian food, and culminating in a final concert upon returning to Bulgaria. Key locations mentioned include an ancient Thracian home, a Bogomil building, the Golden Church in Preslav, castles in Bavaria, Nuremberg, Bamberg, and cities in Bulgaria like Plovdiv and Veliko Turnovo. The trip involved learning about the past and present through examinations, sightseeing, and cultural exchanges to help work towards the future.
The Turkish Yoke period from the late 14th to late 19th century saw Bulgarian lands occupied by the Ottoman Empire. Bulgarians were subjected to high taxes, violence, and oppression. Uprisings organized to liberate Bulgaria, including the Uprisings of Konstantin and Fruzhin in 1408-1413 and the First and Second Tarnovo Uprisings in 1598 and 1686. Despite the hardships of the period, Bulgarian traditions and national identity endured.
Simeon I the Great ruled Bulgaria from 893 to 927 during its Golden Age. He received an excellent education in Constantinople and sought to make Bulgaria the most powerful nation in Europe. Under Simeon, Bulgaria expanded significantly in territory and its borders reached the Adriatic and Aegean Seas. Simeon also oversaw cultural development, establishing Preslav as his new capital city with churches, monasteries, and scholars translating texts to build up Christianity in Bulgaria. His reign marked the peak of medieval Bulgarian culture and power.
The document discusses the Celts and Thracians, two ancient Indo-European groups that inhabited Europe. It provides examples of Celtic monuments like burial mounds and graves containing rich equipment. It also shows images of Thracian treasures and weapons. The Celts were pushed back to the outskirts of Europe by Romanians and German tribes in 50 BC and eventually accepted Christianity. Both Celts and Thracians were known for being brave warriors with shared Indo-European roots, and later fell under Romanian slavery.
The Slavs were a group of peoples who inhabited Eastern Europe until the 7th-10th century BC and spoke similar languages. They lived in villages near water and farmed crops like millet and wheat. Their basic social unit was the clan. In the 7th century, the Bulgarians moved to the Balkan Peninsula under Kubrat and Asparuh, uniting with the Slavs and Thracians to form the First Bulgarian Empire. During the reign of Khan Krum in the 9th century, Bulgaria expanded its territory. Prince Boris converted the Bulgarians to Christianity in the 9th century to unite them with the Slavs. The First Bulgarian Empire ended when it was conquered by the Byz
The document summarizes the relationships between the Roman Empire and neighboring groups including the Celts, Thracians, and Germanic tribes. It provides details on the territories and kingdoms of the Celts and Thracians. It also describes how over time, Germanic tribes migrated south and east, settling along the Roman Empire's borders. Additionally, it discusses the Roman province of Thrace and the legionary headquarters at Novae located in modern-day Bulgaria.
The document summarizes several notable natural landmarks found across Bulgaria, including its highest mountain Rila Mountain which contains the seven Rila lakes, Pirin Mountain, the 125m high Raisko pruskalo waterfall located in Stara Planina, Trigrad gorge in the Rhodope Mountains, rock formations with drawings in the Rhodopes, the beautiful rock bridges in the east Rhodopes, the 200m high Belogradchishki skali rock formations, and the sand pyramids near Melnik in Pirin mountain. Bulgaria is also known for its Rose Valley region.
Before Bulgaria was established as a state, Greek and Roman civilizations left remains including beautiful sculptures, mosaics, and the well-preserved Roman theater in Plovdiv. This theater, built in the early 2nd century AD under Emperor Trajan, is one of the best preserved ancient theaters in the world with its amphitheater divided into two marble tiers of 14 rows each and a stage building with side wings.
The Bulgarian language is an Indo-European language that originated from Proto-Slavic. Proto-Slavs inhabited parts of Europe in the 1st century AD but dispersed across a large territory starting in the 4th century AD, contributing to differences between Slavic languages. However, Bulgarian and other Slavic languages like Russian, Polish, and Serbian still retain common features from their Proto-Slavic roots that make them analogous. Specific characteristics of Bulgarian include having definite articles at the end of words and unique sounds like and .
Bulgarian treasures, churches and monasteries by Lili and ElenaNelly Tsvetkova
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The Rila Monastery is the largest Eastern Orthodox monastery in Bulgaria, located in the Rila Mountains south of Sofia. Founded in the 10th century, it is one of Bulgaria's most important cultural and historical sites. Bachkovo Monastery is another important monument located on the Chepelare River, known for combining Byzantine, Georgian and Bulgarian influences. Troyan Monastery, Bulgaria's third largest, is situated on the banks of the Cherni Osam river near Oreshak. The Boyana Church was built in three stages from the late 10th century to the mid-19th century, decorated with ceramic ornaments. St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in Sofia has a gold-pl
There are six main folklore regions in Bulgaria, each with distinctive musical styles and costumes. The Dobrudja region features two folklore styles and harvest songs accompanied by gadulka, kaval and gayda. The Moesia region has a wealth of folk dances played on local instruments. The Pirin region features varied songs from past migrations and harvest festivals, along with the Macedonian horo dance. The Rhodopes region is known for slow, emotional songs and dances performed gracefully with few instruments. The Thracian region has powerful and natural songs, especially Christmas carols. The Sofia region features various styles and the lively Shopi dance.
Bulgaria is located in Southeastern Europe, bordering Romania, Serbia, North Macedonia, Greece, and Turkey. It has a land area of around 111,000 square kilometers and varies greatly in topography from plains to mountains within small areas. The country lies between continental and Mediterranean climate zones, causing sharp weather contrasts over short distances. The landscape consists of alternating high and low east-west bands, including the Danubian Plain, the Balkan Mountains, the central Thracian Plain, and the Rhodope Mountains in the south.
Pleven - our hometown by Manuela and TemenuzhkaNelly Tsvetkova
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Pleven is one of the largest and most beautiful cities in Bulgaria, located in the northern part of the country. It has a population of around 123,880 and serves as an important economic and administrative center. Pleven has a long history dating back to Thracian settlements over 5,000 years ago. During its later development, Pleven was an important military fortress for both the Roman and Ottoman Empires. Today, Pleven is known for its many museums preserving the city's cultural heritage and also serves as an industrial and educational center.
Historical monuments in Pleven by Eleonora and IvaNelly Tsvetkova
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Skobelev Park is a museum park located near Pleven, Bulgaria that commemorates the Siege of Pleven during the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-78. The Pleven Panorama, located in Skobelev Park, depicts through six large canvases the pivotal five-month Siege of Pleven. The Pleven Regional Historical Museum, founded in 1953, is located in Pleven and houses over 180,000 artifacts related to the history of the region, including the Siege of Pleven.
The State School of Finance and Management "Intellect" in Pleven, Bulgaria was established in 1990 and provides training in eight specialties to students from grades 8 through 12, with an emphasis on economics, foreign languages, and intensive study. Over 90% of graduates continue their education at universities in Bulgaria or abroad, most commonly in Germany, the UK, or US. Teachers use innovative and interactive teaching methods for their subjects as well as extracurricular activities. The school has participated successfully in several European Union educational programs and projects. It also operates a student company called "Junior Achievement" since 1998 that provides hands-on business experience and has achieved recognition in national and international competitions. The school aims to prepare students for life
