National History Museum Sofia

National History Museum Sofia - The National History Museum is one of the largest and richest history museums on the Balkan Peninsula. It houses over 700,000 cultural monuments, presenting the history of today's Bulgarian lands from 8000 years ago to the present day. Only 10% of all these values ​​and monuments are exhibited in the halls of the museum. The National History Museum was established in 1973.

 

The main exposition of the museum is located in five halls: Prehistory, Ancient Thrace, Middle Ages - First (VII-XIV) and Second Bulgarian Kingdom (XII-XIV centuries), the Bulgarian lands in the XV-XIX centuries and the Third Bulgarian State (1878 - present). . The collection dedicated to prehistory (VII-II millennium BC) presents various bone and flint tools, idol figurines, ornaments and ceramics.

In another hall are presented the unique treasures from the time of the Thracians. The museum preserves the world-famous Panagyurishte, Rogozen, Summer treasure, as well as the treasure discovered near the village of Duvanlii. Here you can see the numerous grave gifts and ornaments discovered during the study of mounds throughout the country.

 

The medieval history of Bulgaria is presented in a special hall. The collection includes items from the era of the First (VII-XIc) and Second (XII - XIVc) Bulgarian kingdom - jewelry, coins, decorative pottery, icons, reliquaries and more. Another hall tells the history of the Bulgarian lands during the Ottoman rule (1396-1878). This period of the history of Bulgaria is divided into two parts - Late Middle Ages (XV-ХVІІv) and Bulgarian Revival (ХVІІІ-ХІХв). The struggle for church and national independence, the activity of the revolutionary organizations, the outbreak of the April Uprising of 1876 and the liberation of Bulgaria in 1878 are presented with various objects.

 

Visitors can learn more about the history of the country after the Liberation until 1946 in the next hall. With over 600 exhibits the development of the new Bulgarian state is shown. A special place is given to the Bulgarian monarchs - you can see things that belonged to the royal family, a lot of material evidence of the restoration of Bulgarian statehood (1878-1946).

 

Ancient coins are exhibited in a separate hall - among the valuable exhibits are coins from the time of Tsar Ivan Asen II (1218–1241) and Tsar Ivan Alexander (1331–1371), Byzantine coins and others. In the ethnographic collection of the museum a reconstruction of a Revival school was made. In the yard of the museum there is a rich collection of stone columns, monuments from different periods - Greek, Roman, Byzantine. The museum sells souvenirs, information materials, specialized literature. A library is also available to visitors.