Mother Bulgaria War Memorial - Veliko Tarnovo
SM0053 Mother Bulgaria War Memorial
Local name: Паметник "Майка България"
Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria
GPS: 43.081857, 25. 632296
The Mother Bulgaria Monument, in the central square of Veliko Tarnovo, is a monument to national pride in the spirit of the country.
The monument was created by sculptor sculptor Svetoslav Yotsov, in memory of the many soldiers who died in various battles during the countries turbulent history.
At the top of the monument, on a pedestal, is a kneeling woman representing Mother Bulgaria, with a crown on her head. She holds in her right hand, the national flag, and in the left - an olive branch.
Lower on the monument, surrounding the obelisk on four sides, are four bronze statues of soldiers, each one representing a different conflict in Bulgaria’s history.
Russian-Turkish War of 1877-1878
Serbo-Bulgarian War of 1885
First Balkan War of 1912-1913
First World War of 1915-1918
In the tomb, at the base of the monument is an eternal flame.
The monument was funded by donations from the citizens of Veliko Tarnovo and it was inaugurated in May 1935.
Almost immediately after the communists took control of Bulgaria, on September 9th, 1944 the crown was taken down from the head of the statue since it was considered to be a symbol of the monarchy.
It wasn’t until the end of the communist rule in 1989 when the crown was put back in its place.
On 1 November 2012, the 25-kilograms crown, was restored and plated in gold for the the anniversary commemoration of 100 years since the start of the Balkan war.
It is a local secret that the model for the Mother Bulgaria statue at the top of the monument, was actually a local student from Veliko Tarnovo, born in 1911. She was also the sister of the famous Bulgarian artist Vladimir Kavaldzhiev.
Her meeting with the monument’s sculptor, Svetoslav Yotsov, not only changed the look of the monument, but it also changed her life, as she ended up marrying him.
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Please watch: "Snow White Premiere at the Carthay Circle Theatre - December 21, 1937"
• Snow White Premiere at the Carthay Circle ...
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