Koprivshtitsa

Koprivshtitsa grew rich from sheep and trade, and in the nineteenth century its merchants built themselves houses in the National Revival style: broad, overhanging upper storeys, carved wooden ceilings, painted exteriors in ochre, blue and deep red, and walled courtyards with gates. Some four hundred buildings are protected, and six of the finest are open as house museums, furnished as they were, which lets you see how a prosperous Bulgarian family actually lived under Ottoman rule. Humpbacked stone bridges cross the stream that runs through the middle. The town is deliberately frozen, with no modern building allowed in the centre, and it hosts a huge national folklore festival on a hillside above every few years that draws performers from across the country.

History

Legends variously say the town grew up at a crossroads to Zlatarica, Pirdop and Klisura or was founded by refugees, and it was one of the centres of the April Uprising of 1876. Its Orthodox cathedral was built in 1817, the first school followed twenty years later, and the first museum opened in 1930; today 383 buildings of the National Revival period survive, most restored to their original look (Wikipedia, Koprivshtitsa).

What to look for

• The Revival houses - painted merchant homes with carved wooden interiors.
• The house museums - six of the finest, furnished as they were lived in.
• The stone bridges - humpbacked crossings over the stream through the town.
• The folklore festival - the great national gathering held on the hill above.

When to go

May to October is mildest, with the mountain setting green; the town is high and can be cold and snowy in winter, which is atmospheric but limits walking. The national folklore festival happens every few years in August, and the town fills entirely when it does.

Good to know

It is small and quiet, essentially one long morning of houses and streets, and those without an interest in period interiors will run out of things to do by lunch. Several museums close on different weekdays, so the combined ticket can be frustrating. It is a long way up a mountain road and public transport from Sofia is slow.

Nearby

Plovdiv is a couple of hours southeast; the Sredna Gora hills surround the town.

Key facts