TSAREVETS FORTRESS NEEDS URGENT REPAIRS

The historical fortress ‘Tsarevets’ in the old Bulgarian capital, Veliko Turnovo needs urgent repairs, says Ivan Tsarov, the director of the regional museum of history of the city. The original foundations of the fortress are in a critical condition and are crumbling away.

The old mortar that holds together the fieldstone foundations is crumbling as a result of climatic influences. Most worrying is the condition between the first and third gate of the fortress.

The restoration of ‘Tsarevets’ complex  was completed in 1981, on the occasion of the 1300th anniversary of the establishment of the Bulgarian State. The ancient ruins in the complex need constant maintenance. The director of the history museum is convinced that repairs are required. He says that at places the original stone walls have crumbled to a degree they may fall apart.

The premises of the barracks located near the third gate of the historical fortress also need urgent restoration.

The director of the museum says it is not the first time he has informed the local municipality in the city of Veliko Turnovo and the Ministry of Culture about the worrying condition of ‘Tsarevets’. He prepared a detailed report on the condition of all state-owned monuments that the museum manages. Approximately 300 000 BGN will be needed for the fortification works of Tsarevets.

The deputy mayor of Veliko Turnovo, Gancho Karabadzhiev says the amount of funds is correct, but the municipality has to look for financing as it does not have the funds readily available. One option is to ask the Ministry of Culture to provide them, but it has to withhold funding from other projects.

‘Tsarevets’ complex is the most visited tourist site in the region. The profit made for 2013 is nearly two million BGN. According to the deputy mayor, part of the profit has to be reinvested for the maintenance of the complex.

‘Tsarevets’ is a medieval stronghold situated on a hill (also called Tsarevets) in the former Bulgarian capital Veliko Turnovo. The whole hill is surrounded by thick stone walls. The fortress had three entrances, served by gates. On the top of the hill is the Patriarchate and the Royal Palace is situated below it. Excavations have uncovered the foundations of residential buildings, homes of aristocrats, temples and monasteries. After the establishment of the Second Bulgarian Empire in 1185, with its capital in Veliko Turnovo, the fortress became the primary fortress in Bulgaria, often compared with Rome and Constantinople in magnificence. For more than 200 years Veliko Turnovo was the most important political, economic, cultural and religious centre and was one of the largest cities of Southeast Europe. In 1393, the stronghold was besieged by Ottoman forces and in three months was conquered and burnt down on 17 July. This marked the fall of the whole Bulgarian Empire.

Today the Tsarevets hill is a place of interest visited by tourists for its cultural value and historical significance. It offers a unique audiovisual show, called ‘Sound and Light’, using numerous coloured lights, music and sounds of church bells as a background to reflect key moments of the Bulgarian history.

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