UNESCO sites in Bulgaria

THE BULGARIAN CONTRIBUTION TO WORLD HERITAGE

For several decades now, under UNESCO aegis, attempts have been made to preserve the planet's most valuable cultural and natural heritage.

The UNESCO World Heritage List now features over 800 landmarks with 9 Bulgarian wonders (7 cultural and 2 natural sites) included among them.

Madara Horseman
(8th - 9th century)

The only one of its kind in Europe, the magnificent bas-relief is cut into the sheer rock at a height of 23 m. A horseman can be seen followed by a dog and a lion pierced by a spear, in their natural size. The composition is comparable to the East Iran triumph scenes and the Ancient traditions as well. The details speak in favour of the Bulgarian origin of the bas-relief.

There is a supposition that the relief reflects khan Tervel as a winner. The Greek inscriptions give information about the events which occured in Bulgaria and Byzantium in that period.

Madara Horseman (8th - 9th century)

Kazanluk Thracian Tomb
(4th - 3rd century BC)

A Thracian beehive-type tomb from the end of the 4th and the beginning of the 3rd century BC. It consists of an antechamber, a stone corridor (dromos) and a domed chamber, built of stone and brick.

The murals on the walls are of great artistic value. They reflect battle scenes and the symbolic farewell with the Thracian ruler accompanied by three racing chariots.

Kazanluk Thracian Tomb (4th - 3rd century BC)

Sveshtari Thracian Tomb
(3rd century BC)

Discovered in 1982 under a large hill. Richly ornamented, the central chamber was decorated as a facade of a temple with

depicted horseman who takes a golden garland from the hands of a goddess with a religious procession following her.

The three walls have high reliefs with 10 carriatides.

Sveshtari Thracian Tomb (3rd century BC)

Boyana Church
(13th century)

Marking the beginning of portrait painting in European art, the portraits of Sebastocrator Kaloyan and his wife Dessislava

are the oldest realistic images of monumental art in Mediaeval Europe.

The wonderfull frescoes were created by a Bulgarian artist a century before the Italian Renaissance, before Giotto.

Boyana Church (13th century)

Rila Monastery
(10th century)

The largest monastery in the Balkans, monument of the mediaeval Bulgarian culture, Rila Monastery is a genuine treasure-house of

artworks, valuable frescoes and historic documents.

The monastery church is famous for its splendour, woodcuts and icons.

Rila Monastery (10th century)

Nessebur
(2nd millenium BC)

The ancient museum town is situated on a rocky peninsula, linked with mainland by a narrow isthmus. Founded by the Thracians more

than 3,000 years ago, the small town is a genuine treasure-house of architectural and artistic monuments.

The town's more than 40 ancient churches are a splendid example of Byzantine architecture.

Nessebur (2nd millenium BC)

Ivanovo Rock Monasteries
(13th - 17th centuries)

A natural museum of Bulgarian painting, with 20 mediaeval churches, chapels and monastic cells hewn into the craggy gorge of the Roussenski Lom river by the village of Ivanovo, near Rousse. In the Covered-up church one can see many inscriptions, portraits of saints, and other surviving items, among which the church-donor's portrait - most likely the czar Ivan Asen II.

Ivanovo Rock Monasteries (13th - 17th centuries)

Pirin National Park

Alpine relief, 176 mountain lakes, white-fir and black-pine forests and about 100 varieties of endemic, endangered and rare plants, including the edelweiss and the famous Baikusheva fir, almost 1,300 years old.

Pirin National Park

Sreburna Wildlife Reserve

Sreburna is a fresh-water lake, located near the Danube and extending over an area of 600 hectares, at 16 km to the west from the town of Silistra.

The lake's animal world is represented by 6 kinds of fish, 14 species of amphibians, 160 bird varieties, 35 species of mammels and 120 pairs of Dalmatian pelikans which nest here.

It is believed that their number throughout the world does not exceed 1,200 pairs.

Special monitors have been installed among the thick reeds for undisturbed wildlife observation.

Sreburna Wildlife Reserve

We are proud of the Bulgarian contribution to the world's heritage and would like more people to get to know it.
Our guided tailored tours include visits to a number of cultural and historical monuments, featuring the sites listed by UNESCO:

UNESCO SITES IN BULGARIA 10-days/9-nights cultural guided tour - covering all 9 cultural and natural sites;

UNESCO SITES IN BULGARIA 8-days/7-nights cultural guided tour - covering the 7 cultural sites only.

The cultural guided tours are upon request, customizable, and recommendable for 2 or more participants because of the better tour price for you. Special discounts apply for tour groups of minimum 6 participants.

The tour price includes land services only. It may vary depending on the type of hotel accommodation, transportation and guide service. Guaranteed tour departures daily (March - November).

Tour operators, travel agencies or corporate clients, please, ask tour details or email us.

If you are private traveler(s), please, ask tour details or email us.

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