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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...