81 Bulgaria Facts: History, Culture, Geography And Much More

Bulgaria is a small country but that does not diminish the things you can do here!

The Bulgarian landscape is awe-inspiring, and in spite of the fact that the population of the country is declining, it is a delightful place to visit and rent a resort in! Bulgaria has a rich history and has been part of several empires before becoming free.

The country has a wonderful range of topographical features which you can take a look at and return home with a mental picture of! Keep reading to know about Bulgaria!

Facts About Bulgaria

Bulgaria is a small and beautiful country of the Balkan, which is known for its amazing landscapes and rich cultural heritage. This country did not enjoy the stature of being a nice place to visit for a vacation until recently.

More and more people have been making their way to this beautiful country of the Balkan because of its beauty and the many UNESCO World Heritage Sites that it has.

• Bulgaria is a small, developing country in the Balkan peninsula, which has a small population for its size. It is also the oldest country in Europe, becoming a country in 681 AD.
• The country boasts nine UNESCO World Heritage Sites and is also littered with remains of the empires that it was a part of.
• There are many places of historical importance in Bulgaria, which is what occupies most of the time that tourists spend here.
• Bulgaria is also known to have been an important part of the ancient Roman empire, and hence, large-scale constructions here are a little problematic.
• Several Roman monuments and structures continue to be unearthed in Bulgaria and understandably, an attempt to save these structures from destruction lead to delays in construction plans. Nevertheless, this European country has lots to offer to its tourists.
• There is a lot of folklore, food, and culture to absorb when in this country. The national capital of Bulgaria, Sofia, is steeped in places of historical importance, which means that there is no reason why you would feel bored here.
• The Bulgarian citizens are known to be warm and welcoming towards tourists, and the country is filled with a vast array of resorts to make your stay pleasant.
• Whether your want a marine resort or a mountain one, the Bulgarian lands are sure to offer you anything that your heart wishes for.
• If that is not enough information for you to want to go to Bulgaria today, Sofia is one of the most affordable European capitals to visit, which means that the entire trip will be easy on your bank savings!
• The Bulgarian government is also fascinating to learn about, although, for all the wrong reasons.
• The Bulgarian flag consists of three stripes which are arranged horizontally.
• The white-colored stripe at the top of the flag stands for the hope that the Bulgarian citizens have in their hearts.
• The green stripe right below it stands for nature and its beauty of it.
• The last stripe, which is the red one, stands for the blood that the Bulgarians have spent for their nation.
• The Bulgarian flag is therefore a true reflection of the sensibilities of the people and the things that they hold dearest in their culture!
• The capital of the country is Sofia.
• This city is known as the cheapest European capital to visit, which is why people make their way to Bulgaria whenever they are looking for a vacation that won't burn a hole in their pockets!
• Bulgarian folklore and traditions also seem to play a huge role in terms of the building of the sensibilities of the people.
• The capital city of Sofia is covered in places of historical importance, most of which date back to Roman and Byzantine times.
• An area that Sofia now encompasses, called Serdica, was once a very important base for the Roman empire which is one of the reasons why there are many monuments that are constantly being unearthed.
• One of the significant events that took place in recent years was when a Colosseum-like building was found below the surface during the construction of a large hotel in Sofia.
• This building is estimated to have been just as old as the Roman Colosseum itself.
• However, this building was far from successful when it came to stopping the construction of the large hotel.
• The amphitheater can still be seen at the bottom of the hotel, which is not as grand as the Romans would have wanted things to be but it is some level of honor nonetheless!
• The Bulgarian Army is famed for having never lost a flag in a battle!
• Bulgaria is also one of the countries of the European Union that supported Nazi Germany in their murderous agenda.
• The country complied with the wishes of Nazi Germany and sent many of the people to concentration camps.
• This is one part of Bulgarian history that the country has since tried to deny!
• The first electronic computer was built by a person of Bulgarian origin!
• The Bulgarian National Football team finished in fourth place in the World Cup of 1994!
• Nina Dobrev might just be the most famous Bulgarian person!
• The traditional food of Bulgaria is Moussaka amongst others!

Bulgaria's History

Bulgaria's history is littered with stories of the Roman empire and the then important city of Serdica. The entire country is covered with several Roman ruins which you can study and visit if you are interested in Roman architecture.

Even if you do not care much for architecture, the age-old tales about the Roman empire are sure to fascinate you.

• The fact that Bulgaria was one of the earliest civilizations in the whole of Europe even stirs the expectation that the landscapes and the people must have a lot to tell!
• Bulgarian history dates back to the Old Stone Age.
• Evidence gathered from the country suggests that the human civilization of the Bulgarian lands began way back in time and that the first inhabitants were the Thracians.
• Descendants of the Thracians can still be found in Bulgaria, and thousands of the Thracian tombs in the country are a testament to their existence in the region centuries ago!
• The modern epoch in Bulgaria in particular and the Balkan peninsula, in general, started in the 6th and 7th centuries.
• This started with the invasions by the Slavic.
• The invasions of the Slavic were extensive. Research shows that there were predominantly two Slavic tribes that made their way to Bulgaria.
• These were the Antae and the Slavenae. The Antes were the ones who made their way into Bulgaria, Greece, and Macedonia!
• Then came the Bulgars. Their origin is a matter of dispute in learned circles till the present day.
• While some schools of thought suggest that the Bulgars were of Turkic origin, still others assumed that they were of Indo-European origin.
• The advent of Christianity in the country started around the eighth and ninth centuries.
• After the fall of the first few Bulgarian Empires started the extensive period of time for which Bulgaria would be under the control of the Ottoman Empire.
• It was not until the 19th century that the faint echoes of the French revolution started reaching the Bulgarians, and hence, they started demanding freedom.
• Freedom was granted to the country on October 5, 1908, which is observed as the independence day in Bulgaria.
• The fact that the Balkan mountains pass through almost the middle of the country adds as much to its history and culture as it does to its topography.
• There are many traditions that are still observed by Bulgarians, which were actually conceptualized many centuries ago.
• You might know that the country has had some experience in dealing with Second World War, but one of the fun facts about the country is that it has also had encounters with the Ottoman Empire. Many of the practices that we see in Bulgaria today stem from such encounters!
• Pliska is the oldest capital of Bulgaria.
• Veliko Ternovo was the capital of the second Bulgarian Empire.
• The Ottomans led to the formation of the third Bulgarian Empire.
• Bulgaria is the country wherein the oldest golden treasure was found, which consisted of around 3,000 objects made of gold!
• According to UNESCO, the ancient calendar of Bulgaria was the most accurate.
• The city of Plovdiv is the oldest inhabited one in the history of the whole of Europe!
• After the Second World War, Bulgaria became a satellite for none other than the Soviet Union.
• At this time, Bulgaria was under the influence of communism!
• Bulgaria also fought against Turkey in the First Balkan War. This was done to regain the territories of the Balkan!
• The country became a part of the European Union in the year 2007.
• In both the First World War and the Second World War, the country sided with Germany!

Bulgaria's Geographical Facts

Bulgaria is situated in the Balkan peninsula.

• The Balkan peninsula is a part of south-eastern Europe.
• It is also bound by the Black Sea.
• The Black Sea is the lowest alleviation point in Bulgaria.
• The highest alleviation point is mount Musala Peak.
• The Musala Peak stands tall at 9,596.5 ft (2,295 m).
• This country forms an important trade route from western Europe to the Mediterranean.
• The country's northern boundary is formed by the Danube River.

Culture Of Bulgaria

Bulgarian culture is based a lot on the religion of the people. It is dense with Bulgar, Slavic, and Thracian traditions, which is what you will witness if you ever decide to pay a visit to this wonderful country of the Balkan.

• The people of Bulgaria take their traditions and folk songs seriously. This was validated by the fact that a Bulgarian folk song was sent on board the spacecraft Voyager 1 and Voyager 2.
• The spacecraft has been trying to find out things about intergalactic space and has already told us a lot about Jupiter and its many natural satellites. If any aliens did exist and they were to find these spacecraft, they would be treated with a very melodious folk song from Bulgaria!
• The ancient city of Nessebar is a UNESCO World Heritage Site!
• What do you think of a rock formation called Stone Wedding? This interesting rock formation is located in southern Bulgaria and the two major rocks are named the bride and groom!
• Bulgarian cuisine seems to have taken a lot from the colonizers, as you will be able to taste a lot of Greek and Turkish flavors!
• The use of filo pastries and cucumbers is sure to remind you of the food you have when in Greece or Turkey!
• Bulgaria has its own currency and does not use the Euro!
• Soccer (football) is a cherished sport of this country!
• A name day is celebrated by Bulgarians and is often treated with more importance than a person's birthday!
• A name day is basically celebrated by the people who are named after saints. These people need to celebrate their name day on the day when the saint whose name they took was born! If you ask us, this is quite an interesting concept!
• Bulgarian food takes inspiration from the plentiful produce of the regions.
• The people of the mountainous regions of Bulgaria seem to have developed their own ways of making sure that they have food to eat during the bitterly cold winters.
• In an attempt to ensure food, Bulgarians started the practice of pickling nearly all the vegetables that they would find. The sour pickling liquid keeps the foods preserved for several months.
• Even though trade routes have increased and the people have year-round access to the freshest of produce, the people tend to uphold their pickling traditions!