Description of the attraction
Arbanassi is a village on a high mountain plateau, four kilometers from Veliko Tarnovo. The village is considered an architectural monument.
The name of the village goes back to the Albanians. They were the first to occupy these territories, after the Turkish authorities evicted them for the constant uprisings in South Epirus. The settlement in these places was founded in the XII-XIV centuries, when the boyars of Tarnovo set up summer residences here, this was the era of the Second Bulgarian Kingdom. The Fermana (that is, the decree) of 1538 by Suleiman the Magnificent, the Turkish Sultan, contains the first mention of the village of Arbanassi.
During the Turkish occupation, the inhabitants of Arbanassi were mainly engaged in cattle breeding and trade, and some also mastered crafts. Since the 17th century, Arbanassi has been a trade center, which the entire Turkish Empire had to reckon with. During this period, wealthy merchants built houses that resemble small fortresses: solid basements, strong walls, window bars, firmly walled doors and no balconies or verandas. Such houses are fully equipped for an autonomous life, when their owner goes out into the courtyard only for well water. The houses inside were richly decorated with stucco and carvings.
Today they are one of the key attractions of Arbanassi. 80 houses have survived to this day, 36 of which are national cultural monuments. Some of the houses have now been turned into museums. The most popular today is the house of Konstantsaliev of the 17th century, where today you can see the life of the Bulgarians of the 19th century.
Among the national cultural monuments there are five churches: St. George, Nativity of Christ, St. Dmitry, St. Atanas, St. Archangels Gabriel and Michael. Not far from the village there is a nunnery, which is also an interesting attraction.
For accommodation and entertainment in Arbanassi, tourists are offered a variety of opportunities. You can stay both in a guest house, furnished in the style of the Bulgarian Revival, and in ultra-modern hotels and hotel complexes. The village has restaurants and trattorias serving typical local cuisine.
