Bulgaria Liberation Day
Commending the freedom achieved through unwavering determination and unity, marking a historic chapter in Bulgarian history.
Many people don’t realize that Bulgaria is one of the oldest countries in Europe – with access to a fascinating culture and unique historical sites. Join in with various traditions and events for the celebration of Bulgaria Liberation Day!
History of Bulgaria Liberation Day
Officially known as the Day of Liberation of Bulgaria from the Ottoman Oppression, or simply Liberation Day, takes place on the anniversary of the Treaty of San Stefano, which was signed on March 3, 1878. This treaty marked the end of the hostilities and the rule of the Ottoman Empire that had lasted for almost five centuries.
On the tenth anniversary of this treaty, Bulgaria Liberation Day became officially designated as an event by the principality of Bulgaria. But because of other political happenings, it wasn’t until the 100th anniversary of the treaty in 1978 that the day started to become a celebration that spanned the whole nation.
In memory of all of the soldiers who lost their lives while fighting for the independence of their nation, each year on Bulgaria Liberation Day people take wreaths to lay on monuments. The Shipka monument, located on the Shipka Peak in the national park, is a particularly important place, but there are hundreds of other such memorial monuments throughout the nation.
In addition to recognizing the political event as a free state, the events surrounding Bulgaria Liberation Day have also come to represent the celebration of the coming of the spring season. Join in on the fun of celebrating this beautiful country that is filled with beautiful landscapes and warm people!
How to Celebrate Bulgaria Liberation Day
Have some fun and show some love and appreciation for this unique country and culture by celebrating Bulgaria Liberation Day! Get involved and participate with a wide range of ideas and plans, including some of these:
Learn More About Bulgaria
Those who have Bulgarian heritage, or those who are simply interested in getting more educated about politics and national freedoms, can take Bulgaria Liberation Day as an opportunity to get more educated about this unique nation. Consider some of these interesting facts about Bulgaria in honor of this important day:
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Bulgaria is one of the oldest countries in Europe, originally established in 681 AD and, despite the fact that it has changed hands politically, the name has remained the same for more than 1300 years.
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Bulgaria joined the European Union in 2007, bringing with it the Cyrillic alphabet which became the third official alphabet, after Latin and Greek.
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Plovdiv, which is located in southern Bulgaria, is the oldest inhabited city in Europe, with evidence of human presence from at least 6000 BC.
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After Italy and Greece, Bulgaria ranks third highest in Europe for the number of archaeological monuments.
Listen to Bulgarian Music
Get in the spirit of Bulgaria Liberation Day by getting connected with some of the musical culture. With bowed stringed instruments, open-ended flutes, whistles, percussion instruments and even bagpipes, a little online search should be plenty to provide a beautiful selection of Bulgarian musical selections and songs to listen to.
