BULGARIA | Travel | Cultural information
Bulgarian history
The History of Bulgaria as a separate country began in the 7th century AD with the arrival of the proto-Bulgarians from the territories in Asia north of Azov Sea to the Northern part of Balkan peninsula and the foundation of the First Bulgarian Empire together with the local Slavic and Thracian tribes, a union recognized by Byzantium in 681.
A country in the middle of the ethnically, culturally and linguistically diverse Balkan Peninsula, Bulgaria has seen many twists and turns during its long history. Medieval Bulgaria was a prospering empire stretching to a coastline on the Black, Aegean and Adriatic Seas, a cultural centre of Slavic Europe and one of the most prominent centres of European culture with many signs of beginning Renaissanse that appeared here earlier than they developed in Europe before Bulgaria fell under Ottoman rule. The main role in culture during those medieval times belonged to the Preslav Literary School – a centre of translation, as well as of poetry, painting and painted ceramics. The school is likely to have had a key role for the development of the Cyrillic alphabet used by all East and South Slavic languages and almost all languages in the former Soviet Union. After Bulgaria joined the European Union on January 1, 2007, Cyrillic became the third official alphabet of the EU.
Bulgaria regained its indepencence from the five-century Ottoman rule in 1878.
The country got its current official name Republic of Bulgaria after the fall of the Socialist regime in the late 1980's.
Tourism
With Byzantine churches symbolizing a strong Orthodox heritage, ancient Roman ruins scattered throughout the country, and monasteries and villages tucked away in the mountains, Bulgaria is a travel destination full of secrets and mystery.
Bulgaria is known for its picturesque beauty. The scenery changes from vast plains, to areas of rolling hills and high mountains. Large beaches and beautiful rocky shores stretch out along the Bulgarian Black Sea coast.
There is beautiful countryside and coastline to be explored by tourists. For information on tourism in Bulgaria visit:
- http://www.peakview.bg/
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tourism_in_Bulgaria
Signs
Signs are in either in Bulgarian or both in Bulgarian and English (usually on the motorways, as well as road and street signs, signs on stores and restaurants).
Facts & Figures
Population
7,888,600 (2004 census)
Capital City
Sofia (population: 1,270,010).
Official Language
Bulgarian
Currency
Lev (1 euro is approximately 2 leva)
Time Zone
Bulgaria is in the Eastern European Time Zone and uses Eastern European Time (EET) in winter and Eastern European Summer Time (EEST) in summer. EET is Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) + 2 hours. EEST is GMT + 3 hours. It begins on the last Sunday in March at 1:00 am GMT (clocks are put forward one hour) and ends on the last Sunday in October at 1:00 am GMT (clocks are turned back one hour).
Official Holidays
- 1st January New Year's Day
- 3rd March Bulgarian National Holiday,
- Liberation of Bulgaria from the Ottoman Empire
- Easter (varies) Easter Day, Resurrection of Christ
- Monday following Easter Sunday Easter Monday
- 1st May Labor Day
- 6th May St. George’s Day Day of Bravery and Bulgarian Army
- 24th May Day of Bulgarian Education and Culture and the Slavic Alphabet
- 6th September Day of the the Union of Eastern Rumelia with Bulgarian Principality
- 22nd September Independence Day
- 1st November Day of Bulgarian Revival Leaders
- 24th December Christmas Eve
- 25th December
- 26th December Christmas