Arbanasi is a settlement located in Veliko Tarnovo Municipality, Veliko Tarnovo Province, central northern Bulgaria. It is situated on a high plateau between Veliko Tarnovo (four kilometers distant) and Gorna Oryahovitsa. The town has breathtaking views of the Tsarevets and Trapezitsa mountains. Arbanassi’s history is rich and full of fascinating facts and occurrences. Today, 144 homes, churches, and monasteries retain their beautiful architecture and interior architectural décor, wall painting, and thread as a legacy. These one-of-a-kind historical monuments draw visitors from all around the globe.
The village’s name is derived from the medieval Bulgarian term Arbanas, which means „Albanian.“ During the Ottoman period, the settlement was also known as Arnavud, which means „Albanian“ in Turkish. Arbanasi has a population of 291 as of 2005, and its mayor is Tosho Krastev. It is located 400 metres above sea level at 43°6′N 25°40′E.
Sights & Landmarks In Arbanasi
The Konstantsaliev House, The Birth of Christ Church, and The Church of the Archangels Michael and Gabriel are the most noteworthy museums in Arbanasi.
The Konstantsaliev home is one of the biggest remaining examples of a beautifully adorned mansion. It dates all the way back to the 17th century. Atanas Konstantsaliev eventually acquired and refurbished the home, and it bears his name to this day. It was destroyed by an earthquake in 1913. Following then, it was acquired and made into a museum once again. In 1958, the home hosted an exhibit of nineteenth-century antiquities.
The Birth of Christ Church is one of Arbanasi’s oldest churches. It is split into a men’s portion (the narthex), a women’s section (the vestibule), and galleries on the north and west sides that encircle these sections. The church is next to The Saint John the Baptist Chapel on the east. The narthex, which may still be seen today, was once a church in its own right, and the paintings on its walls were completed in 1597. Additionally, the paintings The Last Judgment and The Birth of Christ date from this era. Murals adorn the walls and entrance to the women’s area. The chapel’s paintings are devoted to its patron saint, John the Baptist. In 1978, the 61st edition of the State Records designated the church as an architectural and artistic-cultural monument.
In 1978, the 61st edition of the State Records designated the Holy Archangels Michael and Gabriel Church as an architectural and artistic-cultural monument. The church is divided into a men’s part (the narthex) and a women’s section (the vestibule), as well as a chapel dedicated to Saint Paraskeva and galleries. The Descent into Hell and The Birth of Christ are two of the most intriguing paintings in the chapel.
In 1969, the 57th edition of the State Records designated the Saint Dimitar Church as an architectural and artistic-cultural monument. It is situated in what is now Arbanasi’s central business district. The chapel dates from the sixteenth century, making it Arbanasi’s oldest surviving cultural landmark. The church was built in its entirety in 1621. Conservation and repair of the paintings that adorn the walls of the church continue to this day. The church is not accessible to the general public.
Saint George Church (designated an architectural and artistic-cultural monument in the 61st edition of the State Records in 1978) is situated in Arbanasi’s southwestern section and consists of a huge stone building measuring 21 meters by 10 meters. The construction comes from the late 17th or early 18th centuries. Archaeological excavations suggest that the site of the current narthex was formerly occupied by a 16th-century cathedral. The church is not accessible to the public.
Saint Atanas Church is situated in Arbanasi’s northeastern section. It was constructed in the 1630s. The church’s icons were built in 1667. This church is accessible to the public. In 1978, the 61st edition of the State Records designated it as an architectural and artistic-cultural monument.
The Convent of the Holy Mother of God is situated on the outskirts of Arbanasi, about 5 kilometers from Veliko Tarnovo in the direction of Gorna Oryahovitsa. It is one of a handful of sanctuaries in Bulgaria’s old capital that bear bitter memories of the Ottoman period. A visit to this convent might add to the enjoyment of a day or weekend in Arbanasi. The convent is home to the miraculous icon of the Three-Armed Virgin, sometimes referred to as the Weeping Virgin. According to historical reports, after the Ottomans’ (1396) destruction of Tsarevets, the nuns abandoned the monastery and buried the icons. Years later, a shepherd heard what sounded like sobbing from from under the soil. That is how he discovered and returned the icon to the monastery. The monastery celebrates its annual feast on August 15 — the Feast of the Virgin.
The Saint Nikola Monastery is located at the other end of the hamlet. It was established during the reign of the Asen tsars (around the end of the 17th century) and was destroyed by the Ottomans after the fall of the Bulgarian capital Tarnovo in 1393. In 1680, the monastery was rededicated, and the church that currently remains was erected at that time. Additionally, the Saint Iliya Chapel was constructed at same time, and its paintings have been maintained to the current day.
Another miraculous image of the Virgin is housed at The Saint Nikola Church. According to folklore, the symbol is especially beneficial for fertility. Women seeking motherhood must do the following ritual: after praying before the Virgin, they must leave a penny (stotinka) on the image. If the penny remains in place, it indicates that the Virgin has heard their prayers. If the coin falls, they will be unable to realize their wish to become mothers.
Arbanasi provides a choice of lodgings — guests may stay in traditional guesthouses, contemporary hotels and huge hotel complexes, or in villas and lodges around the area.
Arbanasi
Arbanasi
Arbanasi is a settlement located in Veliko Tarnovo Municipality, Veliko Tarnovo Province, central northern Bulgaria. It is situated on a high plateau between Veliko Tarnovo (four kilometers distant) and Gorna Oryahovitsa. The town has breathtaking views of the Tsarevets and Trapezitsa mountains. Arbanassi’s history is rich and full of fascinating facts and occurrences. Today, 144 homes, churches, and monasteries retain their beautiful architecture and interior architectural décor, wall painting, and thread as a legacy. These one-of-a-kind historical monuments draw visitors from all around the globe.
The village’s name is derived from the medieval Bulgarian term Arbanas, which means „Albanian.“ During the Ottoman period, the settlement was also known as Arnavud, which means „Albanian“ in Turkish. Arbanasi has a population of 291 as of 2005, and its mayor is Tosho Krastev. It is located 400 metres above sea level at 43°6′N 25°40′E.
Sights & Landmarks In Arbanasi
The Konstantsaliev House, The Birth of Christ Church, and The Church of the Archangels Michael and Gabriel are the most noteworthy museums in Arbanasi.
The Konstantsaliev home is one of the biggest remaining examples of a beautifully adorned mansion. It dates all the way back to the 17th century. Atanas Konstantsaliev eventually acquired and refurbished the home, and it bears his name to this day. It was destroyed by an earthquake in 1913. Following then, it was acquired and made into a museum once again. In 1958, the home hosted an exhibit of nineteenth-century antiquities.
The Birth of Christ Church is one of Arbanasi’s oldest churches. It is split into a men’s portion (the narthex), a women’s section (the vestibule), and galleries on the north and west sides that encircle these sections. The church is next to The Saint John the Baptist Chapel on the east. The narthex, which may still be seen today, was once a church in its own right, and the paintings on its walls were completed in 1597. Additionally, the paintings The Last Judgment and The Birth of Christ date from this era. Murals adorn the walls and entrance to the women’s area. The chapel’s paintings are devoted to its patron saint, John the Baptist. In 1978, the 61st edition of the State Records designated the church as an architectural and artistic-cultural monument.
In 1978, the 61st edition of the State Records designated the Holy Archangels Michael and Gabriel Church as an architectural and artistic-cultural monument. The church is divided into a men’s part (the narthex) and a women’s section (the vestibule), as well as a chapel dedicated to Saint Paraskeva and galleries. The Descent into Hell and The Birth of Christ are two of the most intriguing paintings in the chapel.
In 1969, the 57th edition of the State Records designated the Saint Dimitar Church as an architectural and artistic-cultural monument. It is situated in what is now Arbanasi’s central business district. The chapel dates from the sixteenth century, making it Arbanasi’s oldest surviving cultural landmark. The church was built in its entirety in 1621. Conservation and repair of the paintings that adorn the walls of the church continue to this day. The church is not accessible to the general public.
Saint George Church (designated an architectural and artistic-cultural monument in the 61st edition of the State Records in 1978) is situated in Arbanasi’s southwestern section and consists of a huge stone building measuring 21 meters by 10 meters. The construction comes from the late 17th or early 18th centuries. Archaeological excavations suggest that the site of the current narthex was formerly occupied by a 16th-century cathedral. The church is not accessible to the public.
Saint Atanas Church is situated in Arbanasi’s northeastern section. It was constructed in the 1630s. The church’s icons were built in 1667. This church is accessible to the public. In 1978, the 61st edition of the State Records designated it as an architectural and artistic-cultural monument.
The Convent of the Holy Mother of God is situated on the outskirts of Arbanasi, about 5 kilometers from Veliko Tarnovo in the direction of Gorna Oryahovitsa. It is one of a handful of sanctuaries in Bulgaria’s old capital that bear bitter memories of the Ottoman period. A visit to this convent might add to the enjoyment of a day or weekend in Arbanasi. The convent is home to the miraculous icon of the Three-Armed Virgin, sometimes referred to as the Weeping Virgin. According to historical reports, after the Ottomans’ (1396) destruction of Tsarevets, the nuns abandoned the monastery and buried the icons. Years later, a shepherd heard what sounded like sobbing from from under the soil. That is how he discovered and returned the icon to the monastery. The monastery celebrates its annual feast on August 15 — the Feast of the Virgin.
The Saint Nikola Monastery is located at the other end of the hamlet. It was established during the reign of the Asen tsars (around the end of the 17th century) and was destroyed by the Ottomans after the fall of the Bulgarian capital Tarnovo in 1393. In 1680, the monastery was rededicated, and the church that currently remains was erected at that time. Additionally, the Saint Iliya Chapel was constructed at same time, and its paintings have been maintained to the current day.
Another miraculous image of the Virgin is housed at The Saint Nikola Church. According to folklore, the symbol is especially beneficial for fertility. Women seeking motherhood must do the following ritual: after praying before the Virgin, they must leave a penny (stotinka) on the image. If the penny remains in place, it indicates that the Virgin has heard their prayers. If the coin falls, they will be unable to realize their wish to become mothers.
Arbanasi provides a choice of lodgings — guests may stay in traditional guesthouses, contemporary hotels and huge hotel complexes, or in villas and lodges around the area.
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