The region of Haskovo is studded with remains of its millennial past. The most interesting archaeological finds are on display at the Regional Museum of History in the town, including artifacts from different historical layers, starting from antiquity and an ethnographic collection, to an exposition called “20^th century Haskovo and its people”.  The museum gets a lot of visits by school-goers, but the town does not seem to be so popular with tourists. “The reason is lack of advertising and insufficiently developed infrastructure. Which is amply made up for by the popularity of the museum centre in Alexandrovo village and the tomb of Alexandrovo which are well-known throughout Bulgaria and abroad,” says Vesselina Uzunova, chief curator of the “Most modern Bulgarian history” department, in an interview with the BNR’s Hristo Botev channel.

Vesselina Uzunova is also screenwriter of a documentary series called “Mysteries and stories in the museum”, with director and cameraman Nikolay Skerlev, and music by Danail Petkov, a composer from Haskovo.  

“It is a documentary series about the cultural heritage of the region of Haskovo. In 10 episodes with 20 selected topics, we tell different stories connected with a given exhibit from our exposition with reenactments, documentary sources and some very pleasurable original music,” Vesselina Uzunova explains.

One of the topics presented is entitled “The unbowed Shishmanovs”, and is dedicated to a famed 19^th century clan from Haskovo. The house belonging to Hristodul Vulchev Shishmanov, a man with a significant contribution to the town’s development in culture and education, will soon be opened to the public after remaining closed for around 30 years, Vesselina Uzunova says and goes on:

“The topics include Uzundzhovo monastery and the church-mosque, the ancient cult complex known as the “Deaf Stones”, the only nymphaeum in Bulgaria near Kasnakovo village etc. We have an episode about world-renowned Bulgarian violinist Nedyalka Simeonova, as well as about talented tenor Asparuh Leshnikov. We present the tomb of Alexandrovo through the eyes of the man who discovered it, the late Dr. Georgi Kitov. We also have an ethnographic episode – about the role of women through the ages, and an episode about the 2^nd century fortress Holy Spirit in the resort of Mineralni Bani. We also trace the history of the first monument to the unknown soldier in Haskovo’s central square. We have an episode about the rock churches near the villages of Mihalich and Matochina in the vicinity of Svilengrad, which are fascinating yet are still relatively unknown to adventure-seeking tourists,” Vesselina Uzunova says further.  

Many of the abovementioned sights and individuals, connected with Haskovo and the surrounding area, are familiar to the people who follow Radio Bulgaria from a series of interviews, travelogues, photographs and videos by our reporters. Take a look at some of them:

• Walking the trails of history in Haskovo and the Rhodope
• Svilengrad as region famous of silk, fortresses, ancient churches and wildlife
• Deaf stones whispering…
• Legendary Uzundzhovo Fair was the commercial miracle of the Balkans
• “Thracian art in the Eastern Rhodopes” museum centre turns 10
• “Holy Spirit” medieval fortress comes to life with sound-and- light show

The documentary film project “Mysteries and stories in the museum” is funded under a European financial mechanism in partnership with Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway. When and where can the episodes be seen?

“The series is being aired by local TV. Each episode will be available for viewing at Kirkovo school – one more site to be opened in April. Anyone wishing to, will be able to watch the episode of their choosing there, in comfortable surroundings. Some of the episodes will be uploaded on the internet, though not all,” Vesselina Usunova says.

Interview by Maria Mira Hristova, Hristo Botev channel, BNR

Compiled by Veneta Nikolova

Translated and posted by Milena Daynova

Photos: BTA, Regional Museum of History, Haskovo, BGNES, visithaskovo.com