100 Tourist Sites of Bulgaria is a Bulgarian national movement established in 1966 to promote tourism among Bulgaria's most significant cultural, historic, and natural landmarks.
As part of this program, sites of cultural and historical significance have been selected, ranging from historic places and monuments to archaeological and architectural sanctuaries, museums, monasteries, as well as national parks, mountain peaks and other geological phenomena.
Each of the chosen landmarks has its own individual seal, which is stamped onto pages of an official passport-like booklet issued by the Bulgarian Tourist Union (BTU).
A booklet can be purchased at any tourist union center or on location at any of the sites and it costs a symbolic 1 lev.
The booklet comes with a separate map which includes a list of the sites, their addresses and working hours.
The maximum number of collectible stamps per booklet is 100 and, contrary to the movement's title, the exact number of official sites exceeds the number 100.
A reward scheme has been developed to encourage collection of as many stamps as possible.
Depending on the number of stamps collected, participants may receive bronze, silver or gold badges.
25 stamps earn bronze, 50 stamps earn silver and 100 stamps (a complete booklet) earn gold.
The National Organizational Committee of the BTU holds an annual lottery for the previous year's badge earners every August.
Prizes include domestic and overseas excursions, bicycles, tents, sleeping bags, and other travel-related items.
Some landmarks in the original program highlighted Bulgaria's Communist government, which collapsed on November 10, 1989.
In 2003 the BTU removed many of these sites from the official list.
Both the original and current lists appear below.
The list has since seen minor changes in 2007, 2008 and 2009.
A variety of organizations and institutions participated in developing and promoting the 100 Tourist Sites of Bulgaria.
These include:
The Bulgarian Tourist Union
The Ministry of Education and Science of Bulgaria
The Ministry of Culture of Bulgaria
The Bulgarian State Agency for Youth and Sports
The Holy Synod of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church
The Ministry of Environment and Water of Bulgaria
The Union of Bulgarian Motorists
The Bulgarian Red Cross
The Bulgarian National Radio
Bulgarian National Television
One hundred national tourist sites
Bansko — Velyanov House,Velyanov House Neofit Rilski Museum,House-museum “Neofit Rilski” Nikola Vaptsarov Museum,House-museum of Nikola Vaptsarov Permanent Icon Exhibition "Bansko Art School",Permanent Icon Exhibition.
a Bansko- Holy Trinity ChurchHoly Trinity Church of Bansko
Pirin — Vihren Peak
Dobarsko village — Church of Theodore Tyro and Theodore StratilatesTheodore Stratilates Church
Melnik — Historical Museum of Melnik,Historical Museum of Melnik Kordopulov House, 4a Rozhen Monastery.
Petrich — Rupite Protected Area including St. Petka Church,St. Petka Church 5a Samuil's Fortress National Park Museum, 5b Heraclea Sintica ancient Greek city.
Nesebar —Nesebar Archaeological Museum 6a Pomorie – Salt Museum, Pomorie, 6bLake Pomorie
Burgas – Cathedral of Saints Cyril and Methodius, Poda Protected Area, '7a Aytos rock formation "Three brothers"
Malko Tarnovo — Petrova Niva Site, Museum of History 8a.
Sozopol — Archaeological Museum
Varna — Museum of History and the Maritime Museum
Devnya — Museum of Mosaics
Veliko Tarnovo — Tsarevets archaeological reserve, Museum of History, Arbanasi architectural reserve
Svishtov — Aleko Konstantinov's House
Vidin — Konaka Museum (Museum of History) and Baba Vida Fortress
Magura Cave
Belogradchik –  Museum of History, Belogradchik Rocks. (Formerly also: Belogradchik Fortress)
Vratsa — Ledenika Cave, Regional Museum of History 16a.
Mezdra (added in the 2010s) – Kaleto archaeological complex
Mount Okolchitsa — the place of Hristo Botev's death
Kozloduy — Radetzky steamship-museum, Monument of Hristo Botev
Gabrovo — Etar Architectural-Ethnographic Complex, Museum of Education, Uzana locality, House of Humour and Satire
Bozhentsi village — Architectural and historical reserve
Tryavna — Museum of the Wood-Carving and Ethnographical Arts
Dryanovo — Dryanovo Monastery, Kolyu Ficheto Museum, Bacho Kiro Cave
Dobrich — House of Yordan Yovkov, Art Gallery
Balchik — Palace complex 24a.
University Botanic Garden 24b.
Kavarna —  Kaliakra Headland, Kaliakra Archaeological reserve
Kardzhali — Ruins of Perperikon, Monastery of John the Precursor (Св. Йоан Предтеча)25a.
Regional Museum of History
Kyustendil — Vladimir Dimitrov Art Gallery, House of Dimitar Peshev, Medieval Church of St George museum, regional historical museum
Blagoevgrad (added in the 2010s) – Varosha Quarter, regional historical museum 27a.
Ruen Peak in Osogovo Mountain
Rila Monastery
Skakavitsa Chalet and the Seven Rila Lakes
Lovech — Vasil Levski Museum, Kakrina Inn 30a.
Karlukovo (added in the 2010s) – National cave house 30b.
Devetaki – Devetashka cave
Troyan — Natural History Museum at Cherni Osam, Troyan Monastery, Museum of Folk Arts
Teteven — Museum of History
Brestnitsa village — Saeva Dupka Cave
Berkovitsa — Museum of Ethnography, House of Ivan Vasov. (Formerly also: Kom Peak)
Pazardzhik — Church of Virgin Mary, House of Stanislav Dospevski, Regional Museum of History
Panagyurishte — Oborishte locality,  House of Rayna Knyaginya
Peshtera — Snezhanka Cave, Peristera Fortress
Batak — Museum of History
Tran — the Gorge on the Jerma River 39a.
Pernik (added in the 2010s) – Underground mining museum
Pleven — St George the Conqueror Chapel Mausoleum, Pleven Panorama, Regional Museum of History
Plovdiv — Roman theatre, Ethnography Museum, Museum of History.
(Formerly also: Old Plovdiv architectural reserve, St. Konstantin and Elena Church)
Perushtitsa — Museum of History
Sopot — the Nunnery, House of Ivan Vazov
Karlovo — Vasil Levski National Museum, Museum of History
Kalofer — Hristo Botev National Museum
Sandanski (added in the 2010s) – Episcopal Basilica, Archaeological Museum 46a.The Botev Peak
Asenovgrad — The Bachkovo Monastery, Asenova krepost fortress, Museum of History
Razgrad — Abrittus Archaeological reserve
Isperih — Museum of History, Sboryanovo museum of history and archaeology, the Thracian town of Chelis and Demir Baba Tekke at Sveshtari village. (Formerly also: Thracian Tomb)
Rousse — House of Zahari Stoyanov, Pantheon of National Revival Heroes
Silistra — Museum of History, Medcidi Tabi fortress
Srebarna Nature Reserve
Tutrakan — Military Tomb Memorial Complex, Museum of Danube Fishing and Boat-Making.
Sliven — House of Hadzhi Dimitar, National Textile Museum, Art Gallery
Velingrad (added in the 2010s) – Museum of History.
(The Sinite Kamani Natural park and Karandila Chalet previously occupied this position.)
Kotel — Georgi Sava Rakovski's Pantheon and the Museum of Famous People of the Bulgarian Revival Age, Natural History Museum
Zheravna village — House of Yordan Yovkov. (Formerly also: Architecture and Ethnography Reserve)
Sofia — The National Museum of History 58a.
Boyana Church National Museum
Sofia — Alexander Nevsky Cathedral 59a. (added in the 2010s)
National Museum of Military History
Elena (added in the 2010s) – House of Hilarion of Makariopolis, Daskalolivnitsa historical complex.
(The National Church Museum of History and Archaeology in Sofia previously occupied this position.)
Sofia — Earth and Man National Museum 61a.
National Palace of Culture
Sofia — National Gallery for Foreign Art, Ethnographic Institute with Museum maintained by the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences 62a.
National Art Gallery
Etropole — Museum of History, Clocktower, Monastery of the Holy Trinity
Krestevic, Sredna Gora (added in the 2010s) — Buntovna Commemorative Tourist Complex
Sofia — National Museum of Natural History maintained by the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences
Sofia — Museum of the History of Sport located inside the Vasil Levski National Stadium 66a.
Sofia Zoo 66b. (added in the 2010s)
National Anthropological Museum maintained by the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences
Starosel village — Thracian tomb 67a.
Hisarya — Archaeological Museum
Sofia — Institute of Archaeology and Museum maintained by the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences 68a. (added in the 2010s)
National Polytechnical Museum
Chiprovtsi (added in the 2010s) – Museum of History, Chiprovtsi Monastery
Bratsigovo — Town Museum of History
Chirpan — House Museum of Peyo Yavorov, Nikola Manev Art Gallery, St. Athanasius monastery in Zlatna Livada village.
(The St. Sophia Temple formerly occupied this position.)
Haskovo (added in the 2010s) – Virgin Mary monument, Aleksandrovo tomb and museum centre.
(The Sofia Synagogue occupied this position prior to 2007.)72a. (added in the 2010s)
Mezek – Medieval fortress, Thracian domed tomb.
72b. (added in the 2010s)
Ivaylovgrad – Villa Armira, Municipal historical museum.
Dimitrovgrad — History Museum, the House of Penyo Penev, Giordano Bruno observatory
Vitosha (added in the 2010s) — Aleko Chalet.
74a.
Cherni Vrah
Koprivshtitsa — Archaeology and History Reserve
Nova Zagora (added in the 2010s) – Karanova Mogila museum.
(Bogdan Peak at Sredna Gora formerly occupied this position.)
Klisura — Museum of History
Osenovlag village — Seven Altars Monastery
Samokov — Museum of History, the Nunnery.
79a.
Belchin village (added in the 2010s) – Tsar Mali Town.
Rila — Musala Peak
Botevgrad — the Clocktower.
(Slivnitsa town cemetery occupied this position prior to 2005.)
Skravena village — monument at St. Nikolai Monastery to the members of Hristo Botev's detachment
Smolyan — Museum of History.
(Uhlovitsa Cave formerly occupied this position.)  83a.
Smolyan Planetarium 83b.
Momchilovtsi village
Pamporovo — Uhlovitsa Cave, Snezhanka Peak
Rhodope Mountains – Golyam Perelik Peak, The Wonderful Bridges
Zlatograd — Ethnography Complex
Rhodope Mountains – Shiroka Laka village archaeological reserve  87a.
Madan, Smolyan Province – Rhodope Crystal Hall, Sharenka Cave
Rhodope Mountains – Trigrad Gorge. (Formerly also: the Devil's Throat Cave)
Rhodope Mountains – Yagodinska cave, Buynovo gorge
Stara Zagora – the Neolithic Houses Museum, the Stara Zagora Defenders Memorial Complex, Museum of History. (Formerly also: the Roman Forum of Augusta Traiana)
Kazanlak – Chudomir Art and Literature Museum, Thracian Tomb of Kazanlak
Shipka town — Shipka Memorial Church
Shipka Pass — Shipka Memorial
Shumen — Shumen Fortress Historical and Archaeological Reserve, Founders of Bulgaria Monument, Regional Museum of History
Shumen — Tombul Mosque
Pliska — Archaeological Reserve Pliska, Great Basilica, Pliska
Madara — Madara Rider
Veliki Preslav – National Historical and Archaeological Reserve
Yambol — the ancient town of Kabile,
Museum of History
Elhovo — Museum of Ethnography
1966–1989
List of the 100 Tourist Sites of Bulgaria from 1966 to November 10, 1989:
Bansko — the Nikola Vaptsarov Museum
Pirin — the Vihren Peak.
Melnik — the local Museum of History.
Burgas — the Petrochemical Plant.
Nesebar — Sunny Beach Holiday Resort.
Sozopol — the local Museum of History.
Varna — the Aladzha Monastery.
Varna — the Naval Museum and the Museum of Friendship among Nations.
Pobiti Kamani.
Kamchiya River mouth – The Divers Monument.
Vidin — the Baba Vida Fortress.
Rabisha village – The Magura Cave.
Belogradchik — The Belogradchik Fortress and rocks.
Vratsa — regional historical museum.
The Ledenika Cave.
Kozloduy — the monument of Hristo Botev.
Okolchitsa — the place of Hristo Botev's death.
Veliko Tarnovo — Museum of History, Tsarevets, Preobrazhenski Monastery.
Svishtov — Aleko Konstantinov's House, the place where the Russian army crossed the Danube river.
Gabrovo — Mitko Palauzov's House.
Gabrovo — Etar Architectural-Ethnographic Complex.
Dryanovo Monastery and Bacho Kiro Cave.
Tryavna — Museum of wood-carving.
The Balkan Mountains — Partisan Hut.
Kyustendil — regional museum of history, the Vladimir Dimitrov - Maistora Art Gallery.
The Rila Monastery.
Rila — the Seven Rila Lakes.
Kardzhali — The Lead & Zinc plant, the Kardzhali Dam.
Lovech — The Museum and Monument of Vasil Levski.
Troyan Monastery.
Teteven —Museum of History.
Kostina Area – Monument of Georgi Benkovski.
Golyam Izvor (Lovech Province) – The First Regional Revolutionary Committee in Bulgaria Museum.
Brestnitsa village – Saeva Dupka Cave.
Kakrina — Kakrina Inn Museum.
Berkovitsa — the House of Ivan Vazov.
Petrohan – Cascade and Monument of Georgi Dimitrov and Vasil Kolarov.
Pazardzhik — Stanislav Dospevski Art Gallery.
Mihaylovgrad – Museum of the September 1923 Uprising.
Batak — Museum of History.
Batak – Teheran Partisans' Camp.
Velingrad — the House of Vela Peeva.
Bratsigovo — Museum of History.
Peshtera — Peshtera water power-station.
Panagyurishte — Museum of History.
Panagyurishte — the Oborishte Area.
Pernik — Regional Museum of History.
Kovachevtsi, Pernik Province – the House of Georgi Dimitrov.
Slishovtsi village – Partisans' ossuary.
Pleven — Military Museum, Kaylaka Park.
Plovdiv — Museum of Archaeology and Ethnography.
Perushtitsa — Local Museum of History.
Kalofer — the House of Hristo Botev.
Karlovo — the House of Vasil Levski.
Sopot — the House of Ivan Vazov.
Klisura — Museum of History.
The Balkan Mountains — Botev Peak.
Hisarya – Local Museum of History.
Bachkovo village — Bachkovo Monastery, Asen's Fortress.
Sredna Gora — Buntovna Commemorative Tourist Complex.
Razgrad — Abrittus Archaeological reserve.
Rousse — Tonka Obretenova's House, Giurgiu-Rousse Friendship Bridge.
Silistra — Regional Museum of History.
Sliven — the House of  Hadzhi Dimitar, the Art Gallery.
Kotel — History Museum.
Zheravna village — Architecture and Ethnography Reserve.
Karanovo — Karanovo tell.
Sofia — Museum of the Revolutionary Movement.
Sofia — Dimitar Blagoev's House.
Sofia – Georgi Dimitrov Museum.
Sofia — Museum of Ethnography, Museum of Archaeology.
Sofia — Museum of the Bulgarian-Soviet Friendship.
Sofia — National Art Gallery, Alexander Nevsky Cathedral and the Crypt.
Vitosha — Cherni Vrah.
Kremikovtzi – the Metallurgic Plant.
Samokov — History Museum.
Rila — Musala Peak.
Koprivshtitsa — The Houses of Lyuben Karavelov, Todor Kableshkov, Georgi Benkovski, Yako Dorosiev, Dimcho Debelyanov, the Oslekov House.
Sredna Gora — Bogdan Peak.
Zherkovo Area – Museum and Monument of Chavdartsi.
The Balkan Mountains — Chavdar Hut.
Smolyan — Regional historical museum, the Smolyan Lakes.
the Rhodope Mountains — Pamporovo Holiday Resort.
the Rhodope Mountains — Persenk Peak, the Wonderful Bridges.
Stara Zagora — Regional Museum of History, Lenin Park.
Kazanlak — Museum of History, Thracian Tomb of Kazanlak.
Shipka Peak — Shipka Memorial.
The Balkan Mountains — Buzludzha Park-Museum.
The Balkan Mountains — Stoletov Peak, Monument of Liberty.
Maritsa-Iztok Energy Complex, Komsomolska Steam-Power Plant.
Balchik — The Castle, Albena Holiday resort.
Kavarna — Kaliakra headland.
Yastrebino village — Monument of the 18 Partisans and their supporters.
Dimitrovgrad — Museum of the socialistic construction, Nitric Fertilizers Plant.
Shumen — Regional Museum of History, House of Vasil Kolarov.
Madara — Museum of Archaeology and Madara Rider.
Pliska — Museum of Archaeology.
Preslav — Museum of Archaeology, Patleyna.
Yambol — Regional Museum of History.
A model co-operative farm of choice.
References
External links
Official website of the Bulgarian Tourist Union - 100 Sites (in Bulgarian)
Video presentation of the list
