Kalofer- a town with beautiful nature and rich history

If you are by any chance visiting Bulgaria or you are planning to so, you should know that there is a lot more to see in the country than Sunny Beach. Bulgaria is a country with beautiful nature and rich history. One town, which combines both, is Kalofer.

The town is located in South Centre of Bulgaria, between the Stara Planina and Sredna Gora Mountains, about 160km, from the capital Sofia. While traveling to the town, don’t rush it. Take your time on the road and enjoy the majestic mountains, which are on both sides of the road. If you are traveling by car, stop to enjoy the view and take some photos.

Once you have reached the town, start your journey from the city center. There you can see the building of the men's class school. The school was built entirely with donations and voluntary help from the people of Kalofer and opened its doors for students in 1848. In 1980, the architecture of the building was restored to its 1865 appearance and the school was turned into a museum. It traces the development of education in Bulgaria and specifically in Kalofer. At the school was taught the new of its time so-called "Mutual Method" - the children were divided into groups depending on their age and level of knowledge. The older students were the teacher's main assistants, and they taught the younger students the lessons. On the desks were placed boxes, filled with sand. The students wrote on the sand with a stick or soil. On the second floor of the school building, you can see the exact replicas of the classrooms.

After visiting the school museum, continue your journey with the memorial complex of Hristo Botev. Kalofer is the birthplace of the great Bulgarian poet and revolutionary Hristo Botev.

The memorial complex is located on a hill near the city center and the town square, and from the site under the statue of Botev reveals a beautiful view of the city. The memorial consists of a 14,4 meters high figure of Hristo Botev, made of granite. Together with the pedestal, also made of granite, the height reaches an impressive 25 meters. Near the main statue is the composition "200 rifles" in honor of all participants in the Botev detachment. In the approaches to the monument of Botev, there is a relief of a Bulgarian lion with a size of 3.2 meters, which is also carved from granite, and which significantly strengthens the patriotic suggestion of the memorial. 

If you don`t know who Hristo Botev is and what was his role in the Bulgarian revolution, Kalofer has the solution for that. In the town is located the national museum of Hristo Botev. The museum complex is situated in the center of the town of Kalofer, in Boteva Gradina (Botev Garden) park. It includes several objects – a memorial museum house, an exhibition hall, a monument of Hristo Botev since 1930, and a monument of Ivanka Boteva – the mother of the poet. In the museum house, you can see personal belongings, documents, publications, and work of the Bulgarian artist, along with other materials, associated with the life and work of Hristo Botev and his family. Quite a lot can be learned there about the revolutionary history of Bulgaria and one of its main participants. 

Also quite interesting to visit in Kalofer are the multiple existing churches, monasteries, and chapels. The Male and Female monasteries of Kalofer are the most important ones. The Female monastery is located about 5-10 minutes walking from the center of town and is surrounded by a beautiful garden. The Male monastery is located about 15-20 minutes by car or 1 hour by foot from the town center and is located on the bank of Byala Reka, surrounded by beautiful mountains.

And after you have visited all those beautiful places and have learned some interesting facts about Bulgaria, don`t forget to sit at one of the typical Bulgarian restaurants and grab a bite of some of the Bulgarian dishes - shopska salad, moussaka, kufte and kebapche. :)