A History Retold Part I

To visit Europe is to experience human history and the evolution of society from ancient ruins and baroque architecture to Renaissance art and gothic cathedrals. The continent carriers the weight of thousands of years of wars and revolutions, kingdoms and empires, famine and fortune. Europe has given us some of the world's greatest cultural treasures, stirred religious awakenings, and laid the foundation for our modern democracy. When you think of ancient civilizations the Roman Amphitheater and the Acropolis of Athens likely come to mind. Often overlooked, however, are the small Balkan nations to the east and their equally long and rich histories that have helped shape Europe, without which the modern world simply wouldn't be the same.

While it resides on the same continent and is a member of the same political and economic union, Bulgaria couldn't be more different from its peers to the west. When you fly into Bulgaria and spend just a few hours walking the streets of Sofia (and most cities for that matter) you'll quickly come to realize you're not in "Europe." You won't find an abundance of decorative Florentine architecture, Gaudi's Art Nouveau style, or flamboyant Gothic cathedrals. Instead you'll be struck by a thick, grey cloud, and I'm not talking about the smog. On my husband's first visit to Bulgaria he was overwhelmed by the towering apartment blocks and concrete panels as far as the eye can see. Stoic Communist era statues and monuments loom over the Bulgarian people - haunting reminders of a period of Soviet oppression, not only of capitalist ideologies, but of individuality and freedom of expression through art and culture. I've always had a very contradictory understanding of Communism as I learned about this period of history in an American high school while growing up listening to my parents' nostalgia of socialist Bulgaria. Living in Bulgaria as an adult and seeing history through my own eyes has added a whole new layer of meaning. But in order to understand why Bulgaria is the way it is today, it's important to understand the trajectory of its tumultuous past and how history has a funny way of repeating itself.

Photos of Bulgarian Communist monuments, statues, and buildings (Credit Robert A. Elias)

What you may be surprised to learn is that Bulgaria is home to one-of-a-kind Thracian treasures, ancient Roman ruins and Neolithic archeological sites dating as far back as 7000 BC. Every time I walk through Sofia's city center to catch the metro at Serdika station I literally walk over ancient history. The 'Archeological Complex Serdica' features excavated ruins of Sofia's Roman past dating back to the 4th century, though it wasn't until 2010 that the remains were found during construction of the metro station. The features excavated covered an area of eight streets of the ancient city, including a Christian Basilica, six large buildings with mosaic floors, courtyards, baths, public toilets and their associated water supply and sewage systems. Most people rush by the glass dome showcasing the ruins beneath them on their morning commute, but all it takes is just a moment to stop and appreciate the remarkable time capsule right under our noses and feel humbled by our place in human history.

In my birth place of Stara Zagora, about three hours east of the capitol, there is another piece of ancient history worth noting. The Antique Forum Augusta Trayana, situated in the heart of Stara Zagora, boasts Roman relics from the 3rd century A.D., including a plaza with an amphitheater, thermal baths, fortress walls, a Western gate and part of the main commercial street. Walking by the archeological complex today, if you listen close enough, you may even hear the chants of our ancestors, the rattling of gladiators' armor, and the sweet melodies that once filled the Forum. To honor its splendor as a cultural epicenter, the Antique Forum Augusta Trayana still hosts spectators from across the globe who come to enjoy world-class opera, ballet and theater productions in true Roman fashion. As if my birthplace wasn't special enough, Stara Zagora is also home to some of the best preserved Neolithic remains in all of Europe. There, you will find two in situ Neolithic dwellings dating back to the 6th millennium BC that each feature one room separated by a common partition wall and a common roof made of straw and leaves. The two houses were discovered in 1968 along with intimate evidence of their inhabitants, such as scattered pottery vessels, charred grains of wheat, and a huge set of household utensils.

Photos of ancient Roman ruins in Serdika Center and of a female burial site from the 5th millennium BC at the National History Museum (Credit: Robert A. Elias)

Modern day Bulgaria may not resemble its western European counterparts, but it does share a common ancient Roman history that is as much a part of the country's past as is its Slavic roots. Though, the Romans weren't the only ancient civilizations to thrive in the Balkan peninsula. The Thracians were a mysterious group of tribes who occupied the southeastern part of the Balkans as far back as the 3rd century, and who left a deep mark on the cultural development of the European civilization. The Thracians were famous for leaving behind three main legacies: warfare, exquisite jewelry, and wine. The Romans may have given us the aqueduct, but the Thracians left behind a rich tradition of wine-making that is widely celebrated in Bulgaria, one that I am taking full advantage of while here in the land of the world’s oldest winemaking culture.

Located in the foothills of Stara Planina (old mountain) and Sredna Gora (middle forest) in the Valley of Roses is the town of Kazanlak where my parents are both from. World-famous for its rose oil production, Kazanlak is also home to a UNESCO-protected Thracian burial site. The Thracian Tomb of Kazanlak, a masterpiece of the Thracian creative spirit, is the only one of its kind anywhere in the world dating back to the 3rd or 4th century BC. It features a narrow corridor and a round burial chamber with one of the best preserved frescos of ancient Europe. The soils of the Rose Valley are fertile both with fragrant flowers and the memories of ancient royalty. The Valley of the Thracian Kings boasts a high density of Thracian burial grounds and tomb sites from the Odrysian Kingdom. Many of these tombs weren't discovered until the late 90s and early 2000s by Bulgarian archaeologist Dr. Georgi Kitov and his team, tombs that reveal precious weapons, jewelry and other possessions from the Thracian royal families.

Photos 1 and 2 of the Thracian Tomb of Kazanlak. Photos 3 and 4 of Thracian treasures, including the Gold Face (Credit: Robert A. Elias)

In 2004, Kitov's team unearthed one of Bulgaria's most prized treasures -- the Gold Face. The solid gold mask, weighing more than half a kilogram, is believed to belong to one of the mightiest Thracian kings, Seutus III. It's valued at about 50 million euro, so it's no surprise Dr. Kitov adamantly insisted that the treasure be stored in Sofia's central museum to ensure its security and safety. Every time I drive down the highway towards Kazanlak and stare across the Valley of Roses and Kings, cradled between the endless mountain ranges I get this inexplicable shiver through my body. I felt it on my very first trip back to Bulgaria and every time I've visited since. I used to think it was home sickness or feelings of nostalgia. As I've come to spend more time here and discover the history of this ancient land, I now realize that the quiver in my bones has more to do with the deep humility you only get when you are made conscious of your own mortality and insignificance in the universe of time, like when faced with nature's majestic beauty or the sacred stories of ancient ancestors.

If you've been following my blog, by now you've realized Bulgaria does things differently, even a bit backwards at times. It's not a new phenomenon; in fact, I've come to learn it's been that way since the time of kings and queens. The Middle Ages are often synonymous with the Dark Ages, a time of cultural and economic deterioration for western Europe after the fall of the Roman Empire. Alas, Bulgaria breaks the mold and sees a different turn of events that lead to a cultural Golden Age during a time when the rest of Europe was in darkness. The First Bulgarian Empire was officially established after the defeat of the Byzantine army and the signing of a peace treaty in 681. Over the next three centuries the Bulgarian Empire expanded in size and power under the various monarchs, gradually reaching its cultural and territorial apogee in the 9th and 10th centuries with prolific literature, art, and liturgy reform. In fact, the first Slavic alphabet was developed during the First Bulgarian Empire by Christian brothers and theologians Methodius and Cyril, after whom the Cyrillic Alphabet is named. Just when things are looking up for Bulgaria, someone always swoops in to steal its thunder. Bulgaria's Golden Age was interrupted in 1018 when the Byzantines regained control of the territory, seeking to eliminate the Bulgarian state once and for all. A foreign power ruling in Bulgaria? Oddly foreshadowing, if you ask me. It took nearly two centuries for Bulgaria to win back its territory in 1185 after a successful uprising led by two nobles from Tarnovo, who helped restore the empire back to its former glory.

Modern day Veliko Tarnovo is an incredibly beautiful city brimming with history and culture, only fitting as it was the Medieval capitol of the Second Bulgarian Empire and the center of the Eastern Orthodox world. I had the immense pleasure of studying at the University of Veliko Turnovo St. Cyril and St. Methodius on a study grant while an undergraduate at Boston College. One of Bulgaria's oldest towns, Veliko Tarnovo is nestled in the hillside with steep, winding cobblestone streets colored by revivalist houses from the late 19th century. Down below you hear the flowing waters of the Yantra River and in the distance you see Tsarevets, the fortress from the Second Bulgarian Empire. During this second Golden Age, Bulgaria once again saw the flourishing of literature, art and architecture, a piece of history that can still be felt in Veliko Tarnovo with street art and hand-crafted goods at every cobblestone corner. Just two centuries into the splendor of the Second Bulgarian Empire, the Bulgarian territory found itself conquered anew, this time by the Ottomans, whose rule would last many more centuries and leave an even deeper wound on Bulgaria's identity.

Photos of Veliko Tarnovo, Tsarevets fortress, and the Asen Dynasty Monument, honoring the medieval rulers of Bulgaria (Credit: Robert A. Elias)

About 200 kilometers southwest of Veliko Tarnovo is the city of Plovdiv, another one of my favorite places and also Europe's oldest continuously inhabited city. Here you will encounter a true cultural crossroads that is nothing short of captivating, so it's no wonder Plovdiv was chosen as the European Capitol of Culture in 2019. Walking across the labyrinth of cobblestone streets from the artsy Kapana quarter up to Old Plovdiv you'll encounter Bulgarian Revival houses, one of the oldest Ottoman mosques, and Roman ruins all within a matter of a few blocks. Throughout its history Plovdiv has always been at the epicenter of ancient civilizations and continues to be a hub of Bulgarian culture. During Thracian times it was named Philipopolis, the most important city in Thrace, and later became a main city of the Roman Empire with the construction of one of the most significant amphitheaters. Under Ottoman rule Plovdiv, or Filibe, was an economic center for the region, and later played an important role in the movement to liberate Bulgaria in the 14th century. Just being in Plovdiv can make you fall in love, not to mention its rich tradition of art, food and wine festivals. This month my husband and I visited Plovdiv for the Young Wine Festival featuring Bulgarian wine producers from across the country who gathered to showcase their latest vintage to thirsty oenophiles. We spent the day traveling back in time, meandering up and down Old Plovdiv's ancient streets tasting wines from vineyards big and small and admiring local crafts and antiques.

To be continued...