Arbanasi

Arbanasi is a small village, it is located in the Velikotyrnovsk region of Bulgaria. A small village, with a population of about 350 people, is sometimes called a city in respect of its history. The inhabitants of the country and tourists are very interested in ancient buildings that have settled here since the 13th century.

History

Since the 15th century, the Turkish authorities have actively resettled Albanians who bothered them with frequent unrest. The Albanians were then called "arbanasi", hence the name of the settlement.

The village was donated by Sultan Suleiman to his son-in-law Rustem Pasha in the 16th century, since then it has not been subject to local taxes and had the right to duty-free trade. This state of affairs has favorably affected the welfare of local residents. They practiced various crafts and achieved great success in this. And they conducted trade, not only domestically, but also abroad.

With good income, the inhabitants of Arbanasi built themselves spacious, very durable and reliable dwellings, which have survived to this day.

Sightseeing

Almost more than 80 houses have been preserved in their original form, some of them are recognized as monuments of national culture of regional significance.

Constants' house is a great opportunity to get acquainted with the life of the inhabitants of Arbanasi. The house was built in the 17th century, from the street it is more like a well-small fortress, but the territory is very cozy, there is a garden, a well, a place for recreation and farming. The dwelling itself is very thorough, thick stone walls protected their inhabitants from possible robbers or robbers. Despite the favorable climate, the house has a large furnace capable of fully heating the home. Traditionally, for those times, living quarters are located on the second floor, and on the first they contained cattle and stored tools. By the setting, you can easily guess the purpose of the premises, here is the kitchen and guest room, bedroom and even nursery, there is a restroom.

Monastery of the Blessed Virgin Mary

On the outskirts of Arbanasi there is a female Orthodox monastery. The monastery is functioning, a flowering garden and a vineyard adorn its courtyard. The main temple, built in the 17th century and consecrated in honor of the Virgin. One of the main shrines is the Troruchnitsa icon. Her acquisition is connected with a legend. The local shepherd, the chasing herd, heard a voice from underground, began to dig and found an amazing icon on her was a mother of God with three hands, in which one held the baby. The icon was taken to the monastery, it is revered as a miraculous icon, helps believers in worldly affairs, and heals from diseases.

Church of the Nativity

The construction of the church took place in the 16th century, today it is two-thirds hidden underground. The main attractions here are ancient frescoes on the walls, made by unknown masters.

Today, the village of Arbanasi is an original resort with comfortable hotels, restaurants and coffee for every taste. Tourists from all over the world can not only touch the history of Bulgaria, but also relax from the bustle and noise of large cities.