Koprivshtitsa is a small village, situated in a valley in Sredna Gora Mountain, and its importance is related to the 19th century Bulgarian National Revival period.
There are many legends about the establishment of Koprivshtitsa. According to the most popular of them, some Bulgarian aristocrats who managed to escape the old capital Veliko Tarnovo when it was invaded by the Turks in the end of the 14th century, settled in this distant, impenetrable area, and established the village.
In the 19th century, when the Turkish sultan allowed some reforms, the village started to flourish. The main occupation of the population was stockbreeding and crafts. Many of the local merchants traveled along the big markets of the Ottoman Empire, as well as to Western Europe and North Africa, and managed to make good fortune. Since 1830, these merchants started building big and beautifully ornamented houses. Nowadays, the most important of them work as house – museums and inside you can see preserved their authentic decorations and furniture. This atmosphere will definitely take you back into the time and you will be able to imagine what was the life back then.
Even though the people of Koprivshtitsa were living rather well and independently for their time, many of them were still keen on the idea of Bulgarian National liberation and became notorious Bulgarian revolutionaries. Because of their activity, Koprivshtitsa was one of the main centers of the organized Bulgarian resistance against the Ottoman rule. So it was no surprise that the big Bulgarian uprising that happened in 1876 (called the April uprising) started exactly in Koprivshtitsa. Even though it was unsuccessful and it was brutally crushed, it led to the following war of Liberation and it remained one of the most important events in the Bulgarian history.
It is interesting that some of these most famous local revolutionaries like Karavelov, Rakovski and Kableshkov, were also born in rich merchant families, but they still decided to dedicate their lives to the cause of National Liberation. Their houses, built by their fathers, are among the several house- museums that can be visited.
Nowadays, Koprivshtitsa is mostly a tourist place, with about 2 000 villagers and a lot of guest houses. So if you are interested in history and culture, it is definitely a must visit place for you!
You can choose between several different types of trips with which you can explore the village. If you would like to spend more time there, you can choose a trip which is just to Koprivshtitsa itself. If you would like to try some of the traditional local dishes, you can include a visit to a traditional restaurant. If you like red wines, you can also go to the village of Starosel, one hour further from Koprivshtitsa, which is famous for its red wine production. And finally, if you would like to have a longer trip, you can combine it with a visit to the town of Plovdiv as well. All of these tours are led by passionate and knowledgeable local guides that are a guarantee for memorable experiences!
