Our Time in Ruse, Bulgaria

Passage to Eastern Europe: Trip Introduction
Flight Review: LOT Polish Airlines 797-9 Business Class, ORD-WAW
Lodging Review: Hampton by Hilton Krakow
Our Time in Krakow, Poland
Flixbus from Krakow to Budapest
Lodging Review: Corinthia Budapest Hotel
Our Time in Budapest, Hungary
Our Time in Kalocsa, Hungary
Our Time in Osijek and Vukovar, Croatia
Our Time in Belgrade, Serbia
Our Time in Golubac, Serbia
Our Time in Vidin, Bulgaria
Our Time in Ruse, Bulgaria
Our Time in Bucharest, Romania
Lodging Review: JW Marriott Bucharest Grand Hotel
Flight Review: SWISS Airlines 777-300 ZRH-ORD

While the ship docked in Ruse, Bulgaria (pronounced like ROO-say by our Bulgarian tour director), we did not spend any time in the immediate area. Instead we boarded motor coaches and, after a rest stop, our first real cultural site was the Konstantsalieva house in the town of Arbanasi (ar-bahn-AH-see). After that we stopped by the amazing Church of the Nativity, followed by a lunch stop and ended our tour at the Tsarevets Fortress.

Arbansi was considered a “privileged settlement” during the Ottoman rule that began in 1396. That meant it had certain tax exemptions and bit of autonomy because its residents provided certain military-related services. This status attracted wealthy merchants, craftsmen, and clergy and they, in turn, built fortified homes and ornate churches.

Konstantsalieva House

This house dates to the late 1600s, right in the middle of the Ottoman rule which lasted for five centuries. It’s a home typical of a wealthy Christian: the thick stone walls and small windows provide a defensive front, it has an inner courtyard for privacy, it’s fairly unassuming from the street view, yet inside it’s rather lavishly decorated with a Turkish flair.

Photo: museumvt.com

The photos mostly speak for themselves. There were a lot of beautiful woven blankets and coverings.

The windows between rooms could be opened to allow the breeze or the heat to flow throughout the house.

They even had an indoor privy!

Church of the Nativity (Рождество Христово)

We then walked across the street and up a lane to this church which is quite plain on the outside.

While we were waiting for everyone to assemble I noticed an old fresco near the door.

Across from me the entrance was this small cemetery that is (per the internet) largely untouched since it was in use in the 16th and 17th centuries. The headstones are all hand-carved by local stonesmiths and are similar to medieval Balkan grave markers as they go for simplicity over more detailed carvings.

And then we stepped in the church and, oh my! The only other time I recall being blindsided like this was stepping into the upper floor of Sainte Chappelle in Paris. In both cases I had no idea of what I was about to see which just made it all the more glorious.

There are four rooms and frescoes featuring over 3500 saints and Biblical scenes.

The frescoes cover nearly every inch of the wall and ceiling. It’s just spectacular.  Along the top of the photo below is “Apostles Row”. It features Jesus and the Apostles, although some locally favorite saints, like Nicholas, are also included.

This is the Wheel of Life which depicts how fleeting a human’s time on Earth is. It shows the stages of human life from birth, to the pursuit of wealth and power, all the way to death. The angels spin the wheel to illustrate how much of our lives is out of our hands.

The long, ribbon-like thing flowing through the next two photos is the River of Fire and at various points on it you’ll see people who’ve been judged and are heading down into hell.

Raychev’s Inn (Raychev Khan or Райчев хан)

Our lunch stop was at this inn where we enjoyed a traditional Bulgarian meal like this shopska salad and flatbread. There was more food but I don’t have photos.

Some dancers dressed in traditional garb also danced throughout the restaurant while a small set of musicians played traditional music.

The inn is somewhat crescent-shaped with restaurant all along one wing. In the center is a menagerie that included several peacocks, some rabbits, and some goats.

Tsarevets Fortress

Our final stop was in the town of Veliko Tyrnovo where we walked to the gates of the Tsarevets Fortress. Unfortunately our tour did not include the fortress itself so we had to settle for looking up at it from the gates.

This hill has been fortified since the 5th century but its heyday was in the 12th to 14th centuries when it was the HQ for the Second Bulgarian Empire. This was not only the royal residence of the tsars, but it also housed the cathedral and the homes of both nobility and clergy. After a three-month siege, the Ottomans eventually captured the fortress in 1393, which marked the end of the Second Bulgarian Empire.

Remains of the fortress wall still stand.

Off in the distance was this large white building known locally as Zhivkov’s House.  It was built as a home for Todor Zhivkov, Bulgaria’s communist leader from 1954 to 1989.  It was used not only as his residence when he was in the region but as a state guesthouse and a retreat for visiting dignitaries. Later it was repurposed into a hotel, government offices, an event venue but currently it’s known as Tsarevets Residence, a hotel.

This lion stood guard near where tickets were being taken.

We ended the day with a bit of free time in Veliko Tyrnovo where we walked the picturesque streets and picked up a few souvenirs.

In the end

I would have loved to have gone up and explored the fortress. I don’t suppose I’ll ever make it back here but if I do, that’s on the list. The home was interesting but the church was an unexpected thrill. I’m so glad I got to spend time here and that we had wonderful weather during our visit.