 |
|
|
BULGARIAN ARCHITECTURE - go back Bulgarian churches & monastery Bulgaria accepted Christianity in 863 A.D. Many Christian temples and churches were built during the Second Bulgarian kingdom. Having survived the times with the self-confidence of the most zealous guards of the Bulgarian culture and language, the Bulgarian Monasteries still fascinate the present-day visitor with the pure and harmonious line of the buildings' exquisite colonnades, arches and vaults, spacious rooms richly decorated with wall paintings. In the first centuries under Turkish occupation from 1396 to beginning of 18th century, the Bulgarian architecture had primarily a religious character. Most parts of the churches had to be sunken under the surface, because the Muslims did not want to see them from far away. They were places where many Bulgarians could escape the harsh reality of slavery. There are nearly 120 monasteries on the territory of Bulgaria nestled in the most private parts of the mountains, surrounded with virgin nature. The story of each monastery is quite intriguing and full of heroic moment. Bulgarian residentia architecture Residential buildings from the Bulgarian Renaissance period are the most popular and common architectural monuments. In many Bulgarian towns there are whole areas with houses from the 18th and 19th century. These places are usually very popular among visitors because they represent the unique Bulgarian architecture from that period. The houses are usually with two or three stories, as well as a basement that is used for storing provisions. The first floor is made mainly of stone and has fewer windows. The reason for that is the Bulgarians wanted to make their homes as little castles where they can protect themselves from their current enemies, the Turks. Some Bulgarians also used the first floor for domestic animals. The second floor is made of wood and has much more windows. It is protruding over the street supported by elegantly curved wooden beams and provides bigger room area. A typical fixture in the Bulgarian renaissance architecture is the large stone chimney that stands on the roof. Some of the houses from that period have small yards surrounded by thick stonewall that have large wooden decorated doors. After the Liberation from the Turkish Occupation in 1878 modern architecture and development took place in many of the Bulgarian cities, especially in the new capital, Sofia. Many buildings were constructed in the centre of Sofia –the National Parliament, the National Theatre, “St. Alexander Nevski” church. In the beginning some of the buildings were designed by foreign architects, but in the end of the 19th century the new generation of Bulgarian modern architects started to create various architectural projects in whole Bulgaria.
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|