Lyuben Karavelov Museum

A coblestone path leads from the main gate to a pretty yard garden huddled among three houses which took 25 years for local master-builders to erect. The three buildings form a an intriguing architectural ensemble. The oldest house was build in 1810 and was called The Winter House. Both Lyuben Karabelov and Petko Karavelov were born there. The two brothers go down in history as people who had dedicated their whole lives to Bulgaria. Lyuben Karavelov - as a publicist, journalist, revolutionary and writer and Petko Karavelov - as a politician (he was Minister of Finance and Prime Minister of the country).
The second building, completed in 1820, was the storehouse where the family prepared and stored the famous Koprivshtitza “sudjuk “and “lukanka” ( typical Bulgarian flat sausages with spices). The pine trough where they prepared the meat for the sausages is now a museum exhibit displayed in the yard for visitors to see.

The last to be built was The Summer House where the family lived during the warm months in the year.

The printing press, bought in 1871 from the Serbian National Printing House, is a very interesting exhibit. It was used by Bulgarian revolutionary heros Karavelov, Botev, and Levski to print revolutionary newspapers during the liberation efforts and after Bulgaria received its freedom the First Bulgarian Constitution (the Veliko Turnovo Constitution) was printed on it.

More about Lyuben Karavelov can be found here, for Petko Karavelov - here.

Oslekov’s House

The house was build between 1853 - 1856 by order of the wealthy Koprivshtiza merchant Nencho Oslekov. Built by Usta Mincho and Kosta Zograf - representatives of the Samokov architectural school, Oslekov’s house fascinates with its rich exterior and interior decorations.
3 columns of Lebanese cedar support the ceiling of a spacious saloon on the second floor. The outside walls of the saloon are adorned with paintings of various exotic places and cities.

The beautiful wood cravings on the ceilings, the rich wall paintings and in-house arrangements show how the wealthy people lived in the middle of 19 c.

Nencho Oslekov took part in the April Uprising. The rebels’ uniforms were made in his homespun fabric workshop. Because of his contribution to the Uprising, after its failure Nencho Oslekov was captured by the Turks and hanged in Plovdiv.

Dimcho Debelianov’s House

The house where Dimcho Debelianov was born still holds the magic radiating from the poetry of this most tender of Bulgarian poets. Stepping through the wooden gate, a visitor will immediately be drawn into a lovely yard with ancient pines and picturesque cherry trees. A small wooden house with walls of deep blue stands in the middle of the rich verdure and luscious fragrance.
The beauty of his own home and town remained in the poet’s soul until his last breath. The emotionally intense life-poetry of Dimcho Debelianov ended tragically when he was only 29. He was killed in World War One, on 02.10.1916, near Demir Hisar.

He was buried is in the yard of Uspenie Bogorodichno Church. His grave is adorned by the statue of his mother, looking into infinity, waiting her son to come home.

More about Dimcho Debelianov can be found in this article.

Todor Kableshkov’s House

The house where the author of the “blood letter” was born in 1851 is a model of the Bulgarian architecture in the period of the National Revival. It was build in 1845 by Koprivshtiza master-builder Gencho Mladenov. The beauty of the house comes from its symmetrical design, elegant shape and spacious second-floor saloon with tall glazed windows. Its ceilings, doors, and cupboards are covered in skilful wood-carvings.
Todor Kableshkov – the Chairman of the Secret Revolutionary Committee of Koprivshtitza grew up in this house. He was the one who declared the start of the April Uprising. Under his leadership the Turkish town-hall was seized and the Bulgarian national flag was raised on its roof.

After the defeat of the rebellion, Todor Kableshov was caught near the village of Chiflick and on 17.06.1876 he took his life in the prison of the town of Gabrovo.

An article about Todor Kableshkov can be found here.

Lyutov’s House

Ljutov’s House is an impressive example of the architecture of the period at its best. It was build in 1854 for the wealthy citizen of Korprivshtiza Stefan Topalov by Plovdiv master-buildings. It has richly painted walls and beautiful wood-curved ceilings.
In 1906 the house was sold to the local merchant Petko Lyutov from where its name derives.
The ground floor holds a display of “plasti” – handmade colorful covers made from wool used as floor covers and comfortable thick bedcovers. The plasti were made by special rolling and pressing methods and were colored with natural dyes.

Georgi Benkovski

In 1843, a pretty wooden house perched on one of Koprivshtiza’s hills and surrounded by green trees and motley flowers witnessed the birth of one Gavril Hlatev. In Bulgarian history he will always be remembered as Gerogi Benkovski – a pseudonym he adopted as an organizer and leader of the April Uprising.

A majestic monument of Georgi Benkovski has been erected near his house, impressive in terms of size and architecture. The design and construction of the monument are work of the architect P. Tatatov and the sculptor H. Tanev.
The sculpture represents Georgi Benkovski mounted on a horse, galloping towards his dream. The monument is situated on a beautiful glade framed by a dense pine forest – a location which affords an excellent view of the whole town in its unique, out of this world beauty.

More about life of Georgi Benkovski can be found here.