Gabrovo and the Etar Village Museum

---

From Bucharest, travel would by land through the Balkans all the way to Zagreb. The group's motorcoach crossed the Danube River over the long Friendship Bridge at Ruse, leaving Romania and entering Bulgaria. Thence on to Grabrovo via Vielke Tarnovo for overnight.

Near Gabrovo is the Etar Architectural-Ethnographic Complex. This is an open-air museum of preserved folk structures, in the manner of Colonial Williamsburg in Virginia or Seurasaari in Helsinki. The museum was begun in 1964, with a nucleus of historic structures on the site. These were augmented by relocated structures as well as reconstructions. Traditional Bulgarian crafts and folk industries are demonstrated.

The tour bus traveled through the scenic Valley of Roses en route to Sofia. The Valley of Roses is known for its rose-rowing industry producing close to half of the world's rose oil.

---

Photos

Veliko Tarnovo
Veliko Tarnovo. Notable at left center is the Cathedral of the Birth of the Theotokos, completed 1844 and reconstructed 1913. EE1975117

Gabrovo
Yanta River in Gabrovo. The statue of Racho Kovacha (Racho the Blacksmith), the legendary founder of Gabrovo, is at left. EE1975118

Ethno Village Etar
Architectural and Ethnographic Center Etar. Open-air museum of Bulgarian culture near Gabrovo. Two-arch bridge and Sakova House. EE1975119

Ethno Village Etar
Architectural and Ethnographic Center Etar. Open-air museum of Bulgarian culture near Gabrovo. Workshop with lathe for wine-vessels. EE1975120

Ethno Village Etar
Architectural and Ethnographic Center Etar. Open-air museum of Bulgarian culture near Gabrovo. EE19751180

Valley of Roses
Rozova dolina - Valley of Roses. "The Valley of Roses is one of the biggest producers of rose oil in the world". EE1975121p1

Horsecart
EE1975122p1