From our campsite, Camping Veliko Tarnovo, (10km outside Tarnovo), we head into town on our scooter getting some great views of the Tsaravets Fortress.
We join a free walking tour of the city which was the capital of Bulgaria during the second Bulgarian Kingdom, (1185-1393). We went past the Monkey House named this because of the statue of a monkey, (it is really supposed to be a statue of the owners wife!) This house was designed by the architect Kolyo Ficheto in 1849.
From the old town you get good views of the Yantra river with the Asenevtsi monument to the Tsars Asen, Petur, Ivan Asen II and Kaloyan.
We walked through the Varusha quarter which was a thriving bazaar during the 19thC. It is now full of souvenir shops.
This is a copy of the Pagan costumes worn by men after the winter to scare away the evil winter spirits.
From the old town we climbed up to the Tsaravets Fortress in the pouring rain. The Patriarchate is at the top of the hill.
Down in the valley you can see the church of Sveti Dimitur (patron saint of the 2nd Bulgarian Kingdom)
This is the rock of execution, criminals were thrown off the cliff.
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