4th Century Bishop’s Basilica with Marvelous Early Christian Bird Mosaics Opened for Visitors Bulgaria’s Plovdiv in Big Restoration Project with US Funding
The partly restored ruins of the 4th century Bishop’s Basilica, or Great Basilica, of the Ancient Thracian and Roman city of Philipopolis, with its almost fully restored fabulous Early Christian flood mosaics with birds and other motifs, has been opened…
19th Century Cathedral in Bulgaria’s Danube City of Vidin Gets Restoration Funding from Government
Bulgaria’s outgoing Cabinet has allocated nearly BGN 1 million (app. EUR 500,000) in funding for the conservation and restoration of the St. Great-Martyr Demetrius of Thessaloniki Cathedral in the Danube city of Vidin, one of the largest churches in the…
Rare 5th Century AD Late Roman Marble Table Discovered in Petrich Kale Fortress near Bulgaria’s Varna
Archaeologists have discovered a beautiful white marble table from the 4th – 5th century AD, i.e. the Late Roman and Early Byzantine period, during excavations in one of the towers of the Petrich Kale Fortress near the Black Sea city…
Archaeologists Find Holy Well of Early Christian Monastery on Top of 2,500-Year-Old Apollo Temple on Bulgaria’s St. Ivan Island
Archaeologists have discovered the 1,500-year-old holy well, or ayazmo, of the Early Christian monastery on the St. Ivan Island off the coast of Bulgaria’s Black Sea town of Sozopol, which was built on top of an Ancient Greek temple of…
Bulgaria to Turn Former Black Sea Island near Sozopol into Archaeology Museum with Aid from Louvre, France, OAE
Bulgaria’s Ministry of Culture is planning to use help from the Louvre Museum in Paris, France, and its affiliate in Abu Dhabi, OAE, in order to turn the St. Cyricus Island, formerly a small Black Sea island off the coast…
Scandal Erupts as Roman Mosaics Get Trampled On in Villa Armira Mansion near Bulgaria’s Ivaylovgrad
A wedding ceremony involving guests trampling upon invaluable and protected Ancient Roman floor mosaics in Villa Armira, a famous 1st century AD mansion of a Thracian – Roman aristocratic family, near Ivaylovgrad in Southern Bulgaria, has caused a public outrage.
Bulgaria’s Black Sea City Varna Starts Restoration of 134-Year-Old Golden-Dome Cathedral
Bulgaria’s Black Sea city of Varna, successor of ancient Odessos, has started the restoration of its largest church, the Dormition of the Holy Mother of God Cathedral, whose construction was completed 134 years ago.
14th Century Murals with ‘Warrior Saints’ Found in Newly Discovered Church in Medieval City Cherven in Northeast Bulgaria
A previously unknown church from the major medieval Bulgarian city of Cherven has been discovered and excavated over the past three archaeological seasons, exposing surviving church murals from the 14th century containing a scene with “warrior saints”.
10th Century Cross with Jesus Christ Image, Peacock Ring Seal Found in Tuida Fortress in Bulgaria’s Sliven
A cross with an image of Jesus Christ from the 10th century, the time of the First Bulgarian Empire (632/680 – 1018) and a medieval ring seal from a peacock image are among the most interesting artifacts discovered during the…
5th Century AD Byzantine Thermae (Public Baths) Discovered in Downtown of Bulgarian Black Sea City Varna
The ruins of a building of thermae (public baths) from the 5th century AD, the time of the early Eastern Roman Empire, today more commonly known as Byzantium, have been discovered in the downtown of the Bulgarian Black Sea city…
Fundraising for ‘Rescue’ of 7 Stolen ‘Royal’ Icons under Way in Bulgaria’s Burgas
The Regional Museum of History in Bulgaria’s Burgas and the local bureau of the Bulgarian National Radio have launched a campaign to raise money for the restoration of a total of 7 large “royal” icons which were recovered from thieves…
Bulgaria’s Capital Sofia to Hold First Ever Antiquity Festival Named after Constantine’s Quote ‘Serdica Is My Rome’
The city of Sofia, which is celebrating its 140th anniversary as capital of Bulgaria in 2019, is going to hold its first ever Antiquity Festival dedicated to the heritage of its Ancient Roman predecessor, Serdica, which was known as Sredets…
Bulgaria’s Capital Sofia Finally Opens Second Part of ‘Sofia Largo’ Restoration of Ancient Serdica
For its official holiday, September 17, the Day of St. Sophia and her three daughters, Saints Faith, Love, and Charity, Bulgaria’s capital Sofia has finally opened the second part of the restored ruins of the Ancient Roman city of Serdica…
Culverin Cannonballs from Vlad Dracula’s 1461 Victory over Ottoman Turks Found in Danube Fortress Zishtova in Bulgaria’s Svishtov
Cannonballs from culverins – primitive early medieval cannons – most probably used in 1461 during the conquest of the Zishtova Fortress by Wallacian Voivode Vlad III Dracula, also known as Vlad the Impaler, from the Ottoman Turks have been discovered…
Ottoman Gunpowder Magazine Restored near Baba Vida Fortress in Bulgaria’s Danube City Vidin
A late medieval gunpowder magazine (storehouse) located near the medieval Bulgarian fortress Baba Vida in the Danube city of Vidin has been fully restored by the local authorities.
162-Year-Old Church with Valuable Original Iconostasis Gets Fully Renovated in Bulgaria’s Plakovo
A 162-year-old church with an original iconostasis built back when Bulgaria was still part of the Ottoman Empire has been completely renovated, and literally reborn, in the town of Plakovo, Veliko Tarnovo District, as a result of a 13-year-long effort,…
Wooden Buildings from Ancient Thrace, Colorful Roman Building Discovered at Nebet Tepe Fortress in Bulgaria’s Plovdiv
The foundations of wooden buildings from Ancient Thrace dating to the 1st millennium BC and a colorful Ancient Roman building above them have been discovered by archaeologists excavating a private property at the Nebet Tepe Fortress, a prehistoric, ancient, and…
Hellenistic Age Philipopolis Was Larger Than Known, Archaeologists Find in Eastern Gate Digs in Bulgaria’s Plovdiv
The ancient city of Philipopolis, today’s Plovdiv in Central South Bulgaria, was larger than known back in the 4th century BC, i.e. at the start of the Hellenistic Age, archaeologists have discovered during ongoing digs at the city’s Eastern Gate.
Inscription Granting Roman Man ‘Front Row Seat Right’, Main Façade of Antiquity Odeon Discovered in Bulgaria’s Plovdiv
A fragment from a statue of a prominent Ancient Roman citizen who had been granted “proedria”, i.e. the right of occupying the front row of seats next to the orchestra at the dramatic performances, has been discovered during the excavations…
Archaeologists Find Late Roman Tomb with Murals, 26 Other Graves from Ancient City Augusta Traiana in Bulgaria’s Stara Zagora
Archaeologists excavating the main square in the southern Bulgarian city of Stara Zagora have discovered a total of 27 tombs and graves from a necropolis of the large Ancient Roman city of Augusta Traiana dating from the 2nd – 4th…
Archaeologists Find Traces of 251 AD Invasion of Roman Empire by Goths during Digs at Antiquity Odeon in Bulgaria’s Plovdiv
Archaeologists have unearthed part of an unknown Roman Era public building in the southern Bulgarian city of Plovdiv which bears traces from the Invasion of the Roman Empire by the Goths in 250-251 AD when the Goths went as far…
1910 Mineral Baths in Bankya Suburb of Bulgaria’s Capital Sofia to Become Largest Spa Facility in Balkans after Restoration
The historic building of the Mineral Baths built in 1910 in Bankya, a suburb of Bulgaria’s capital Sofia, is going to become the largest spa facility in the Balkans, according to the local mayor.
Archaeologists Find Medieval Grave with Skeleton with Arrow in Chest at Antiquity Odeon in Bulgaria’s Plovdiv
A medieval grave from the 11th-12th century with an arrow in or at the chest of the buried person has been discovered by archaeologists at the start of rescue excavations at the Antiquity Odeon, an ancient performance facility, in the…
Abandoned 1910 Mineral Baths Building in Bankya Suburb of Bulgaria’s Capital Sofia to Be Restored by 2019
The presently abandoned building of the Mineral Baths in Bankya, a suburb of Bulgaria’s capital Sofia, which dates back to 1910, is going to be restored in order to become a large spa center, the local mayor has announced.
Bulgaria’s Plovdiv to Buy Back Roman Forum of Ancient Philipopolis 15 Years after Selling It
The local authorities in the southern Bulgarian city of Plovdiv have struck a deal to buy back a property containing the southern part of the Ancient Roman Forum (main square) of the Antiquity city of Philipopolis, a property that was…
Medieval Byzantine, Bulgarian Fortress Tuida in Bulgaria’s Sliven Generating Growing Interest among Tourists
The Tuida Fortress in the eastern Bulgarian city of Sliven, a major archaeological, historica, and cultural landmark, is gaining popularity as a destination for cultural tourism even though it was opened for visitors just three years ago, according to a…
Bulgaria’s Best Preserved Medieval Castle, Baba Vida Fortress, to Be Managed by Vidin Municipality
Bulgaria’s Cabinet has granted the northwestern Danube city of Vidin 10-year management rights for the Baba Vida Fortress, the country’s best preserved medieval castle which was built on the spot of a large Ancient Roman fortress.
Museum of Sofia History in Bulgaria’s Capital Attracted 60,000 Visitors in 2016
The Sofia Regional Museum of History, more widely known as the Museum of Sofia History, in the Bulgarian capital, welcomed a total of 60,000 visitors in 2016.
Ottoman Era ‘Turban’ Gravestone Discovered during Renovation of 16th Century Arch Bridge in Bulgaria’s Svilengrad
An Ottoman Era gravestone has been stumbled upon in the southern Bulgarian town of Svilengrad during the renovation of a famous 16th century arch bridge with Norway/EEA money.
Veliko Tarnovo Museum to Raise Bulgarian Flag on Trapesitsa Fortress after Successful Crowdfunding Campaign
The History Museum in Bulgaria’s Veliko Tarnovo has raised enough funds from donations in order to buy a sizable Bulgarian flag for the new open-air museum at the Trapesitsa Fortress.
Archaeologists Find Roman Fortress Wall, 2nd Century BC Colored Plaster in Nebet Tepe Fortress in Bulgaria’s Plovdiv
A previously unknown part of a fortress wall from the Roman Era and numerous fragments of plaster which are even older are the latest archaeological discoveries from the 2016 excavations of Nebet Tepe, the prehistoric, ancient, and medieval settlement and…
Bulgaria’s Pavlikeni Marks 40 Years since Discovery of Large Ancient Roman Silver Coin Treasure
One of the largest hoards of Ancient Roman silver coins to have ever been found in Bulgaria was discovered at a Roman ceramics factory and villa estate in the northern town of Pavlikeni 40 years ago.
Bulgaria’s Pavlikeni Revamps Road to Ancient Roman Ceramics Factory, Villa in Restoration Project
An Ancient Roman veteran’s villa estate and ceramics production center in the town of Pavlikeni in Central North Bulgaria has been made more easily accessible for tourists with the local authorities revamping a 1-kilometer-long road leading up to it.
Huge Roman Gravestone Found in Field Leads to Discovery of Tomb with Gold Amulet near Bulgaria’s Pavlikeni
A huge gravestone from the grave of a prominent Roman citizen has been found by accident in a field near the town of Pavlikeni in Central North Bulgaria spurring emergency excavations which led to discovery of a tomb containing golden…
‘Unseen Treasures’ Showcased for 35th Anniversary of History Museum in Bulgaria’s Shumen
A new exhibition entitled “Unseen Treasures” has been opened by the Regional Museum of History in the northeastern Bulgarian city of Shumen to celebrate the 35th anniversary since the opening of its present building and permanent display.
