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THE BULGARIAN CONTRIBUTION TO WORLD HERITAGE
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For several decades now, under UNESCO aegis, attempts have been made to preserve the planet's most valuable cultural and natural heritage.
We are proud of the Bulgarian contribution to the world's heritage and would like more people to get to know it:
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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.
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There is a supposition that the relief glorifies khan Tervel as a winner. The Greek inscriptions give information about the events which occured in Bulgaria and Byzantium during that period. |
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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. |
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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. |
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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
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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.
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Boyana Church
(13th century)
Marking the beginning of portrait painting in European art, the portraits of the Sebastocrator Kaloyan and his wife Dessislava
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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.
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Rila Monastery
(10th century)
The largest monastery in the Balkans, monument of the mediaeval Bulgarian culture, Rila Monastery is a genuine treasure-house of
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artworks, valuable frescoes and historic documents.
The monastery church is famous for its splendour, woodcuts and icons.
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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
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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.
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Ivanovo Rock Monasteries
(13th - 17th centuries)
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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.
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Pirin National Park
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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.
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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.
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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.
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UNESCO SITES IN BULGARIA tours
Our private guided cultural tours include visits to a number of cultural and historical monuments, featuring the sites in Bulgaria, listed by UNESCO.
These specialty cultural tours are upon request. They are recommendable for 2 or more participants because of the better tour price for you.
Special discounts apply for groups of minimum 6 travelers.
The tours are customizable and may be tailored upon request.
We would recommend you to extend your tour and visit the most impressive UNESCO heritage sites in Romania, Macedonia, or Albania, as well. We would be glad to assist you in customizing the itinerary according to your preferences.
Featured tours (see below):
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GRAND tour
10-days / 9-nights
This UNESCO SITES IN BULGARIA tour includes visits to all 9 Bulgarian cultural and natural sites.
Tour operators, travel agencies or corporate clients, please, ask
tour details or .
If you are private traveler(s), please, ask
tour details or .
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STANDARD tour
8-days / 7-nights
This UNESCO SITES IN BULGARIA tour includes visits to the 7 Bulgarian cultural UNESCO sites only.
Tour operators, travel agencies or corporate clients, please, ask
tour details or .
If you are private traveler(s), please, ask
tour details or .
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SHORT tour
5-days / 4-nights
This UNESCO BULGARIA WORLD HERITAGE tour includes the three most visited Bulgarian cultural UNESCO sites only.
Tour operators, travel agencies or corporate clients, please, ask
tour details or .
If you are private traveler(s), please, ask
tour details or .
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WEEKEND
3-days / 2-nights
This UNESCO WEEKEND escape includes visits to only two UNESCO sites around Sofia.
Tour operators, travel agencies or corporate clients, please, ask
tour details or .
If you are private traveler(s), please, ask
tour details or .
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Guaranteed departure tours
For 2 and more travelers
These UNESCO SITES IN BULGARIA tours are special private guided cultural tours upon request. They are recommendable for 2 or more travelers because of the better price for you.
Special discounts apply for groups of minimum 6 travelers.
The tour price includes land services only. It may vary depending on the type of hotel accommodation, transportation and guide service.
The tours are customizable and may be tailored upon request.
Guaranteed departures daily (March - November).
Tour operators, travel agencies or corporate clients, please, ask
tour details or .
If you are private traveler(s), please, ask
tour details or .
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UNESCO News
Irina Bokova, a former foreign minister and Bulgaria's ambassador to France and UNESCO, was elected on Sep 22, 2009, as the new Director General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
Ms. Bokova is the first woman and the first Eastern European to run the agency, which deals with culture, architectural protection, education, press freedom and many other issues.
She said she would strive to give UNESCO a more prominent role in talks on climate change and would focus more resolutely on gender roles, the financial crisis and other issues. As the first Eastern European director of UNESCO, she said she would help improve the region's prominence in cultural affairs.
Since the elections, we were nicely surprised by the increased interest in Bulgaria and in our cultural tours covering world heritage sites under the protection of UNESCO.
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