An interesting day for the students and teachers from The General Secondary School in Nikopol

 

 

After the heavy snowfall in January, two weeks before the National Bulgarian Holiday (on 3 March), a group of students and teachers went on a short school trip to the regional town in Pleven where they visited some of the most popular attractions from a historical point of view.

The first stop was the Panorama Pleven Epopee 1877, more commonly known as Pleven Panorama, which depicts the events of the Russian-Turkish war of 1877-78, and specifically the five-month Siege of Pleven, which contributed to the Liberation of Bulgaria after five centuries of Ottoman rule. The students showed a lively interest in Bulgarian historical events presented by a guide in an exciting way.

They didn’t know that the monument was built by the people of Pleven in tribute to the battle and to the nearly 35,000 lives lost. After visiting the monument the students bought some souvenirs and postcards in front of the Panorama and then walked for an hour in the Skobelev Park where the monument is situated.

The second place of historical interest was the Regional Historical Museum. The guided tour through some of the halls was a tour through the past presenting the traditional manner of life and culture in the past. The students received knowledge about some old Bulgarian rituals (German and Peperuda) which were made for rain and also the habits Koleduvane and Lazaruvane.

 In one of the halls from the Middle Ages the students saw the original main gate of the Nikopol fortress as well as the Nikopol treasure, connected with the last, tragic days of the second Bulgarian state. The tour ended up in the hall, dedicated to the great Bulgarian opera singer Gena Dimitrova (1941 – 2005)- one of the brightest stars of the world opera art from the end of the twentieth century. She conquered with enormous success the most famous opera theaters in the world from Arena di Verona, Scala di Milano to Metropolitan opera.

 Then the group visited some sightseeings in the centre of Pleven such as the War museum and the Mausoleum in Pleven.

The trip ended up in the main street of Pleven, where a great Martenitsa market was organized and the students bought some of the white and red threads symbolizing health and prosperity.