100 Tourist Sites of Bulgaria

"100 Tourist Sites of Bulgaria" is a Bulgarian national movement established in 1966 to promote tourism among Bulgaria's most significant cultural, historic, and natural landmarks.

As part of this program, sites of cultural and historical significance have been selected, ranging from historic places and monuments to archaeological and architectural sanctuaries, museums, monasteries, as well as national parks, mountain peaks and other geological phenomena. Each of the chosen landmarks has its own individual seal, which is stamped onto pages of an official passport-like booklet issued by the Bulgarian Tourist Union (BTU). A booklet can be purchased at any tourist union center or on location at any of the sites and it costs a symbolic 1 lev. The booklet comes with a separate map which includes a list of the sites, their addresses and working hours. The maximum number of collectible stamps per booklet is 100 and, contrary to the movement's title, the exact number of official sites exceeds the number 100.

A reward scheme has been developed to encourage collection of as many stamps as possible. Depending on the number of stamps collected, participants may receive bronze, silver or gold badges. 25 stamps earn bronze, 50 stamps earn silver and 100 stamps (a complete booklet) earn gold. The National Organizational Committee of the BTU holds an annual lottery for the previous year's badge earners every August. Prizes include domestic and overseas excursions, bicycles, tents, sleeping bags, and other travel-related items.

Some landmarks in the original program highlighted Bulgaria's Communist government, which collapsed on November 10, 1989. In 2003 the BTU removed many of these sites from the official list. Both the original and current lists appear below. The list has since seen minor changes in 2007, 2008 and 2009.

A variety of organizations and institutions participated in developing and promoting the 100 Tourist Sites of Bulgaria. These include:

• The Bulgarian Tourist Union
• The Ministry of Education and Science of Bulgaria
• The Ministry of Culture of Bulgaria
• The Bulgarian State Agency for Youth and Sports
• The Holy Synod of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church
• The Ministry of Environment and Water of Bulgaria
• The Union of Bulgarian Motorists
• The Bulgarian Red Cross
• The Bulgarian National Radio
• Bulgarian National Television.

Sites (as of 2009)

4. A view of Melnik and its sand pyramids

6. Malko Tarnovo – centre of the Ilinden-Preobrazhenie Uprising – Museum of History

7. The fortifications at the entrance of Nesebar

11. Veliko Tarnovo, capital of the Second Bulgarian Empire between 1185 and 1393

13. The мedieval Bulgarian fortress of Baba Vida in Vidin

15. Belogradchik Rocks

24. The medieval fortress on Kaliakra headland

29. Seven Rila Lakes in the Rila mountains

33. Saeva Dupka Cave in the Balkan Mountains

41. Plovdiv Roman theatre

45. Hristo Botev’s house in Kalofer

47. The Bachkovo Monastery

58. Boyana Church

58. National Museum of History

71. The 6th century Saint Sofia Church in Sofia

74. Stone river in Vitosha

85. The Wonderful Bridges

91. Thracian Tomb of Kazanlak

96. Pliska, the first Bulgarian capital between 681 and 893

1. Bansko — Velyanov House, Neofit Rilski Museum, Nikola Vaptsarov Museum, Art School of Bansko Icon Museum, Holy Trinity Church of Bansko.
2. Pirin — Vihren Peak.
3. Dobarsko village — Theodore Tyro and Theodore Stratilates Church.
4. Melnik — Historical Museum of Melnik, Kordopulov House, Rozhen Monastery.
5. Petrich — the Rupite Area, St. Petka Church, Samuil's Fortress.
6. Malko Tarnovo — Petrova Niva Site, Museum of History.
7. Nesebar — Architectural Reserve, Archaeological Museum.
8. Sozopol — Archaeological Museum.
9. Varna — Museum of History and the Maritime Museum.
10. Devnya — Museum of Mosaics.
11. Veliko Tarnovo — Tsarevets architectural reserve, Museum of History, Arbanasi architectural reserve.
12. Svishtov — Aleko Konstantinov’s House.
13. Vidin — Baba Vida Fortress
14. Magura Cave.
15. Rocks and Fortress of Belogradchik, Museum of History.
16. Vratsa — Ledenika Cave, Regional Museum of History.
17. Okolchitsa — the place of Hristo Botev’s death.
18. Kozloduy — Radetzky steam ship-museum, Monument of Hristo Botev.
19. Gabrovo — Etar Architectural-Ethnographic Complex, Museum of Education
20. Bozhentsi village — Architectural Reserve.
21. Tryavna — Museum of the Wood-Carving and Ethnographical Arts.
22. Dryanovo — Dryanovo Monastery, Kolyu Ficheto Museum, Bacho Kiro Cave.
23. Dobrich — House of Yordan Yovkov, Art Gallery.
24. Balchik — University Botanic Garden, Architectural Park "Dvoretsa", Kavarna — Kaliakra Headland, Kaliakra Archaeological reserve.
25. Kardzhali — Ruins of Perperikon, Regional Museum of History, Monastery of John the Precursor (Св. Йоан Предтеча).
26. Kyustendil — Vladimir Dimitrov - Maistora Art Gallery, House of Dimitar Peshev.
27. Ruen Peak in Osogovo Mountain.
28. Rila Monastery.
29. Skakavitsa Hut and the Seven Rila Lakes.
30. Lovech — Museum of Ethnography, Kakrina Inn, Vasil Levski Museum.
31. Troyan — Cherni Osam village — Natural Science Museum, Troyan Monastery.
32. Teteven — Museum of History.
33. Brestnitsa village — Saeva Dupka Cave.
34. Berkovitsa — Kom Peak, Museum of Ethnography.
35. Pazardzhik — Church of Virgin Mary, House of Stanislav Dospevski, Regional Museum of History.
36. Panagyurishte — Oborishte locality, House of Rayna Knyaginya.
37. Peshtera — Snezhanka Cave
38. Batak — Museum of History.
39. Tran — the Gorge on the Jerma River.
40. Pleven — St George the Conqueror Chapel Mausoleum, Pleven Panorama, Regional Museum of History.
41. Plovdiv — Roman Amphitheatre, Old Plovdiv architecture reserve, Ethnography Museum, Museum of History, St. Konstantin and Elena Church.
42. Perushtitsa — Museum of History.
43. Sopot — the Nunnery, House of Ivan Vazov.
44. Karlovo — Vasil Levski National Museum.
45. Kalofer — Hristo Botev National Museum.
46. The Botev Peak.
47. Asenovgrad — The Bachkovo Monastery, Asenova krepost fortress.
48. Razgrad — Abrittus Archaeological reserve.
49. Isperih — Museum of History, Sboryanovo museum of history and archaeology, Thracian Tomb, the Thracian town of Chelis, Demir Baba Tekke — Sveshtari village.
50. Rousse — House of Zahari Stoyanov, Pantheon of National Revival Heroes.
51. Silistra — Museum of History, Medcidi Tabi fortress.
52. Srebarna Nature Reserve.
53. Tutrakan — Military Tomb Memorial Complex, Museum of Danube Fishing and Boat-Making.
54. Sliven — House of Hadzhi Dimitar, National Textile Museum.
55. Sinite Kamani Natural park, Karandila Hut.
56. Kotel — Georgi Sava Rakovski’s Panteon and the Museum of Famous People of the Bulgarian Revival Age, Natural Sciences Museum.
57. Zheravna village — Architecture and Ethnography Reserve, The House of Yordan Yovkov.
58. Sofia — The National Museum of History, Boyana Church National Museum.
59. Sofia — Alexander Nevsky Cathedral.
60. Sofia — National Church Museum of History and Archaeology of the Holy Synod of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church.
61. Sofia — National Palace of Culture.
62. Sofia — National Art Gallery, Institute of Ethnography and Museum maintained by the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences.
63. Etropole — Museum of History, Clocktower, Monastery of the Holy Trinity.
64. Sofia — Earth and Man National Museum.
65. Sofia — National Museum of Natural Science maintained by the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences.
66. Sofia — Museum of the History of Sport located inside the Vasil Levski National Stadium.
67. Hisarya — Starosel village — Thracian Temple.
68. Sofia — Institute of Archaeology and Museum maintained by the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences.
69. Sofia — the Zoo.
70. Bratsigovo — Town Museum of History.
71. Sofia — St. Sophia Temple.
72. Chirpan — House Museum of Peyo Yavorov, Nikola Manev Art Gallery, St. Athanasius monastery in Zlatna Livada village. (The Sofia Synagogue occupied this position prior to 2007.)
73. Dimitrovgrad — History Museum, the House of Penyo Penev.
74. Vitosha — Cherni Vrah.
75. Koprivshtitsa — Archaeology and History Reserve.
76. Sredna Gora — Bogdan Peak.
77. Klisura — Museum of History.
78. Osenvlag village — Seven Altars Monastery.
79. Samokov — Museum of History, the Nunnery.
80. Rila — Musala Peak.
81. Botevgrad — the Clocktower. (Slivnitsa town cemetery occupied this position prior to 2005.)
82. Skravena village — St. Nikolai Monastery, Holy Transfiguration Monastery, Ossuary of the members of Hristo Botev's detachment.
83. Smolyan — Smolyan Planetarium, Museum of History. (Uhlovitsa Cave has been removed from this position.)
84. Pamporovo — Uhlovitsa Cave, Snezhanka Peak.
85. Golyam Perelik Peak, The Wonderful Bridges.
86. Zlatograd — Ethnography Complex.
87. Shiroka Laka village.
88. Trigrad Gorge, the Devil's Throat Cave.
89. The Yagodina Cave, Buynovo Gorge.
90. Stara Zagora – the Neolithic Houses, the Roman Forum of Augusta Traiana, the Stara Zagora Defenders Memorial Complex, Museum of History.
91. Kazanlak – Chudomir Art and Literature Museum, Thracian Tomb of Kazanlak.
92. Shipka town — Shipka Memorial Church.
93. Shipka Pass — Shipka Memorial.
94. Shumen — Shumen Fortress Reserve of Architecture and History, Founders of Bulgaria Monument, the local Museum of History.
95. Shumen — Tombul Mosque.
96. Pliska — Archaeological Reserve.
97. Madara — Archaeological Reserve.
98. Veliki Preslav – National Reserve of History and Architecture.
99. Yambol — the Ancient town of Kabile, Museum of History.
100. Elhovo — Museum of Ethnography.

1966-1989

List of the 100 Tourist Sites of Bulgaria from 1966 to November 10, 1989:

1. Bansko — the Nikola Vaptsarov Museum
2. Pirin — the Vihren Peak.
3. Melnik — the local Museum of History.
4. Burgas — the Petrochemical Plant.
5. Nesebar — Sunny Beach Holiday Resort.
6. Sozopol — the local Museum of History.
7. Varna — the Aladzha Monastery.
8. Varna — the Naval Museum and the Museum of Friendship among Nations.
9. Pobiti Kamani.
10. Kamchiya River’s debauchment – The Divers Monument.
11. Vidin — the Baba Vida Fortress.
12. Rabisha village – The Magura Cave.
13. Belogradchik — The Belogradchik Fortress and rocks.
14. Vratsa — regional historical museum.
15. The Ledenika Cave.
16. Kozloduy — the monument of Hristo Botev.
17. Okolchitsa — the place of Hristo Botev’s death.
18. Veliko Tarnovo — Museum of History, Tsarevets, Preobrazhenski Monastery.
19. Svishtov — Aleko Konstantinov’s House, the place where the Russian army crossed the Danube river.
20. Gabrovo — Mitko Palauzov’s House.
21. Gabrovo — Etar Architectural-Ethnographic Complex.
22. Dryanovo Monastery and Bacho Kiro Cave.
23. Tryavna — Museum of wood-carving.
24. The Balkan Mountains — Partisan Hut.
25. Kyustendil — regional museum of history, the Vladimir Dimitrov - Maistora Art Gallery.
26. The Rila Monastery.
27. Rila — the Seven Rila Lakes.
28. Kardzhali — The Lead & Zinc plant, the Kardzhali Dam.
29. Lovech — The Museum and Monument of Vasil Levski.
30. Troyan Monastery.
31. Teteven —Museum of History.
32. Kostina Area - Monument of Georgi Benkovski.
33. Golyam Izvor (Lovech Province) – The First Regional Revolutionary Committee in Bulgaria Museum.
34. Brestnitsa village – Saeva Dupka Cave.
35. Kakrina — Kakrina Inn Museum.
36. Berkovitsa — the House of Ivan Vazov.
37. Petrohan – Cascade and Monument of Georgi Dimitrov and Vasil Kolarov.
38. Pazardzhik — Stanislav Dospevski Art Gallery.
39. Mihaylovgrad – Museum of the September 1923 Uprising.
40. Batak — Museum of History.
41. Batak – Teheran Partisans’ Camp.
42. Velingrad — the House of Vela Peeva.
43. Bratsigovo — Museum of History.
44. Peshtera — Peshtera water power-station.
45. Panagyurishte — Museum of History.
46. Panagyurishte — the Oborishte Area.
47. Pernik — Regional Museum of History.
48. Kovachevtsi, Pernik Province – the House of Georgi Dimitrov.
49. Slishovtsi village – Partisans' ossuary.
50. Pleven — Military Museum, Kaylaka Park.
51. Plovdiv — Museum of Archaeology and Ethnography.
52. Perushtitsa — Local Museum of History.
53. Kalofer — the House of Hristo Botev.
54. Karlovo — the House of Vasil Levski.
55. Sopot — the House of Ivan Vazov.
56. Klisura — Museum of History.
57. The Balkan Mountains — Botev Peak.
58. Hisarya – Local Museum of History.
59. Bachkovo village — Bachkovo Monastery, Asen's Fortress.
60. Sredna Gora — Buntovna Commemorative Tourist Complex.
61. Razgrad — Abrittus Archaeological reserve.
62. Rousse — Tonka Obretenova’s House, Giurgiu-Rousse Friendship Bridge.
63. Silistra — Regional Museum of History.
64. Sliven — the House of Hadzhi Dimitar, the Art Gallery.
65. Kotel — History Museum.
66. Zheravna village — Architecture and Ethnography Reserve.
67. Karanovo — Karanovo tell.
68. Sofia — Museum of the Revolutionary Movement.
69. Sofia — Dimitar Blagoev’s House.
70. Sofia – Georgi Dimitrov Museum.
71. Sofia — Museum of Ethnography, Museum of Archaeology.
72. Sofia — Museum of the Bulgarian-Soviet Friendship.
73. Sofia — National Art Gallery, Alexander Nevsky Cathedral and the Crypt.
74. Vitosha — Cherni Vrah.
75. Kremikovtzi – the Metallurgic Plant.
76. Samokov — History Museum.
77. Rila — Musala Peak.
78. Koprivshtitsa — The Houses of Lyuben Karavelov, Todor Kableshkov, Georgi Benkovski, Yako Dorosiev, Dimcho Debelyanov, the Oslekov House.
79. Sredna Gora — Bogdan Peak.
80. Zherkovo Area - Museum and Monument of Chavdartsi.
81. The Balkan Mountains — Chavdar Hut.
82. Smolyan — Regional historical museum, the Smolyan Lakes.
83. the Rhodope Mountains — Pamporovo Holiday Resort.
84. the Rhodope Mountains — Persenk Peak, the Wonderful Bridges.
85. Stara Zagora — Regional Museum of History, Lenin Park.
86. Kazanlak — Museum of History, Thracian Tomb of Kazanlak.
87. Shipka Peak — Shipka Memorial.
88. The Balkan Mountains — Buzludzha Park-Museum.
89. The Balkan Mountains — Stoletov Peak, Monument of Liberty.
90. Maritsa-Iztok Energy Complex, Komsomolska Steam-Power Plant.
91. Balchik — The Castle, Albena Holiday resort.
92. Kavarna — Kaliakra headland.
93. Yastrebino village — Monument of the 18 Partisans and their supporters.
94. Dimitrovgrad — Museum of the socialistic construction, Nitric Fertilizers Plant.
95. Shumen — Regional Museum of History, House of Vasil Kolarov.
96. Madara — Museum of Archaeology and Madara Rider.
97. Pliska — Museum of Archaeology.
98. Preslav — Museum of Archaeology, Patleyna.
99. Yambol — Regional Museum of History.
100. A model co-operative farm of choice.

External links

• Official website of the Bulgarian Tourist Union - 100 Sites (in Bulgarian)
• Video presentation of the list