Description of the attraction
The Regional Historical Museum named after the famous Bulgarian historian, archaeologist and folklorist Yordan Ivanov was opened in 1897 in the city of Kyustendil. This is one of the oldest and largest museums in Bulgaria.
The funds of the museum are located in buildings that are cultural and historical monuments. The department dedicated to the history of the country's national revival and the national liberation struggle is located in the house of "Ilya the voivode" (circa 1870s). The ethnographic department is located in the Emfiedzhiev house (1874), and the archaeological department is located in a building erected in 1575.
The archaeological exposition of the museum includes exhibits from all over the Kyustendil region from the 7th-6th centuries BC. and ending with the 17th century. The ancient era is richly represented: treasures found in Thracian tombs, jewelry, household items, ceramics, weapons, armor of the Thracians. The history of the Roman city of Pautalia (the ancient name of Kyustendil) and the surrounding territories is represented by pottery of that time, busts and statues of the gods of the Roman-Greek pantheon, coins, chariots and much more. There are also many exhibits from the Middle Ages and later times.
In the numismatic section of the museum, visitors can explore the rich history of coinage. The exhibition presents silver and bronze coins of the Macedonian kings of ancient policies in the Balkans and Asia Minor (V-II centuries BC), coins minted during the Roman Empire (IV century), copper and silver coins of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance …
The exposition dedicated to the national liberation struggle of the people of Kyustendil contains evidence of the struggle of the Bulgarian population for freedom. The exhibition is located in six halls (total area - 150 square meters) and contains about 800 exhibits.
An exhibition of exhibits dedicated to urban life and culture of the population of Kyustendil in the late 19th - early 20th centuries is housed in the house-museum, which contains various pieces of furniture, clothing and everyday life typical of the presented historical era.
The permanent exhibition of original articles, photographs and photographs by Dimitar Peshev, entitled “Saving Bulgarian Jews”, tells about the events of March 1943 and the contribution of Dimitar Peshev and his comrades to the mission to save Bulgarian Jews.
