Experts from the European Commission and the Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works visited projects implemented under the Interreg-IPA Bulgaria-Serbia Programme in Pravets and Botevgrad

Experts from the European Commission and the Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works got acquainted with key projects implemented under the Interreg-IPA Bulgaria-Serbia Programme in Pravets and Botevgrad. Margarita Grancharska-De Münk from the Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy of the European Commission, the Head of the Joint Secretariat of the Programme Slavian Kostadinov, Stanka Dimitrova - Head of the INTERREG - IPA Cross-border Cooperation Programmes Department at the Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works, etc. visited the sites in order to see on the spot the usefulness of the investments made for the preservation and promotion of the Bulgarian cultural and historical heritage as an opportunity to develop tourism and increase interest in small settlements and border regions.

At the Pravets Museum of History, Director Tatyana Borisova-Dinova briefly presented the museum exposition, the wealth of the region and future development plans. The museum has established itself among the experienced beneficiaries of the cross-border program, and in recent years it has implemented a series of projects aimed at exploring, preserving and exhibiting a number of historical sites on the territory of Pravets Municipality. These include the ancient fortress of Borovets, located on the Golyam Borovets peak near the village of Razliv, the Old Class School and the Tunjakovski Inn in the village of Vidrare, the Church of the Virgin Mary in the village of Osikowitsa, etc. The studies found unique finds on display in the museum as well as in the church itself. Thanks to the program, tourists can scan special QR codes created under the project by visualizing directly on their phone in 3D format, what different parts of the fortress looked like in the original - a security tower, a main entrance, various buildings, finds, etc.

The experts visited the sites in the village of Vidrare. There, with funds from the programme, the old class school, built in 1848 in the courtyard of the church of St. Paraskeva’. The interior has been carefully restored to preserve authenticity and a permanent exhibition has been created that highlights the educational heritage of the region. It is an example of the typical architecture, cultural and educational center, as visitors have the opportunity to experience the conditions of education in the 19th century in Bulgaria. The Tunyakovo Inn, built in 1820, has been restored and adapted for tourist visits. It houses an exhibition dedicated to travel and trade in the 19th century. The main attraction is the hiding place of Vasil Levski, as the inn housed the Secret Revolutionary Committee "Hasan Kassan", one of the most important in the period 1870-1872.

The tallest clock tower in Bulgaria, located in Botevgrad, was also part of the experts' program. The Botevgrad Digital Cultural Corridor project, funded by the Programme, has undergone restoration, security facilities, information kiosks and artistic lighting have been installed. The tower was built in 1866 by master Vuno Markov and is 30 meters high. It is characterized by the fact that it does not have a dial, but counts down each new hour with a bell bell that can be heard for miles. Tourists can climb the authentic wooden staircases almost to the top, where the mechanical clockwork has been working for over a hundred years. Near the tower in the city center, an open-air museum was created under the project, in which on special panels the municipality publishes images and information about prominent historical figures and events. There is also an information center with digital devices, a telepresence hall, in which modern tourist services are provided. EU funding has also set up an open-air lecture area, children’s playgrounds with tables for chess, a lady and ‘Do not be angry man’, a recreation area.

The experts praised the implemented projects and were impressed by their contribution to the development of the two Bulgarian cities and the potential for future development of tourism based on the rich cultural and historical heritage.