Bulgaria The land of roses Our country in

Bulgaria The land of roses

Our country in general • • • Capital: Sofia Official Languages: Bulgarian Population: 2001 census 7, 932, 984 2008 estimate - 7, 606, 551 • Area: Total - 110, 910 km 2 42, 823 sq mi

Our habits and customs • Nestinarstvo is a ritual originally performed in several Bulgarian villages in the Strandzha Mountains close to the Black Sea coast. It involves a barefooted dance on smouldering embers (zharava) performed by nestinari. It is usually performed on the square of the village in front of the whole population on the day of Sts. Constantine and Helen or the day of the village's patron saint. The ritual is a unique mixture of Eastern Orthodox beliefs and older pagan traditions from the Strandzha Mountains.

Our habits and customs • Martenitsa is a small piece of adornment, made of white and red yarn and worn from March 1 until around the end of March (or the first time an individual sees a stork, swallow or budding tree). The name of the holiday is Baba Marta. "Baba" is the Bulgarian word for "grandmother" and Mart is the Bulgarian word for the month of March. Baba Marta is a Bulgarian tradition related to welcoming the upcoming spring. The month of March, according to Bulgarian folklore, marks the beginning of springtime. Therefore, the first day of March is a traditional holiday associated with sending off winter and welcoming spring.

Our habits and customs • Kukeri is a traditional Bulgarian ritual to scare away evil spirits, with a costumed man performing the ritual. The costumes cover most of the body and includes decorated wooden masks of animals and large bells attached to the belt. Around New Year the kukeri dance through the village to scare evil spirits away with the costumes and the sound of the bells, as well as to provide a good harvest, health, and happiness to the village during the year. The kukeri traditionally visit the peoples' houses at night so that "the sun would not catch them on the road. " After going around the village they gather at the square to dance wildly and amuse the people. The ritual varies by region but its essence remains largely the same.

Interesting places to visit • The Belogradchik Rocks are a group of bizarrely shaped sandstone, limestone and conglomerate rock formations located on the western slopes of the Balkan Mountains (Stara Planina) near the town of Belogradchik in northwest Bulgaria. The rocks vary in color from primarily red to gray to yellow; some of the rocks reach up to 200 m in height. Many rocks have fantastic shapes and are associated with interesting legends. They are often named for people or objects they are thought to resemble. The Belogradchik Rocks have been declared a Natural Landmark by the Bulgarian government and are a major tourist attraction in the region.

Interesting places to visit • Thousands of years ago, Perperikon was a massive bald rock. The rugged wilderness of the Eastern Rhodope must have cradled a rich megalithic culture long before the Thracian tribes inherited the land.

• The week leading up to the June solstice is the time chosen for the Perperikon Art Festival, its last night, on the 22 nd of June, the shortest night of the year, a night of magic according to popular belief. And the organisers' idea is to make it a night of midsummer revelry under the starlit sky, with dance and music to celebrate a millennial tradition rooted in the ancient Dionysia.

• Bulgaria is one of the countries which can make you believe in legends… • WELLCOME to Bulgaria and become part of the legend…