The village of Bozhentsi near Gabrovo - the only settlement in Bulgaria that has completely preserved its environment from the National Renaissance Period of the 19th century, celebrates the 60th anniversary of its designation as a historical architectural reserve.

The village owes its status as a time capsule to a special convergence of historical circumstances.

Bozhentsi experienced its heyday in the 18th and 19th centuries, when it was a bustling craft center with 100 houses and a population of 500 inhabitants.

His merchants took their goods to all parts of the Ottoman Empire, Russia, Austria-Hungary, Italy and others. places. However, after the liberation of Bulgaria from Ottoman rule in 1878, the locals moved en masse to Gabrovo and the cultural, economic and social development of the settlement stopped.

Legend has it that Bozhentsi was founded in 1393 by a boy named Bozhana, who escaped with his family here from the siege of the capital Tarnovo during the Ottoman occupation of Bulgaria. The refugees settled in a wooded area on the northern slopes of the Central Balkan range, on the banks of a small river.

The State Committee for Construction and Architecture noted the unique atmosphere of Bozhentsi and decided to designate it a historical architectural reserve, effective September 6, 1964.

The wonderful architectural monuments of the period can be visited in Bozhentsi. The Baba Rayna Museum House is one of the oldest surviving in the village, built in the second half of the 18th century.

The Dancho Popa House Museum, dating from the early 19th century, belonged to one of the richest local fur and leather merchants. It now hosts an ethnographic exhibition of the 19th century. Mengema is a beeswax refining workshop, also from the beginning of the 19th century. The Old School, built in 1870, is used as a place for temporary exhibitions.

The Church of Saint Elijah the Prophet was built in the years 1839-1841 as the first major public initiative of the local residents. The project was funded by generous cash and in-kind donations, including a house and a beehive. The impressive structure is all stone with 80 cm thick walls. A 17-meter-high bell tower was added in 1895. The interior is lavishly decorated with wood carvings and frescoes.

The geographical location and climate make it an attractive resort and tourist destination.

Visitors can be accommodated in six guesthouses, dating between the 18th and 20th centuries, with all modern comforts and 48 beds in total. A gift shop is also available.

The 60th anniversary of the reserve will be marked by a combined concert of children's dance and folklore by two Gabrovo-based ensembles at noon in the village square and, in the evening, with a special theatrical performance - a joint project of the Bozhentsi Museum and Raço Stojanov Drama Theater in Gabrovo.

The show tells about real stories and personalities associated with the village and related legends against the backdrop of inimitable architectural heritage. /BTA