Shipka Monument

Gabrovo, Bulgaria

The Liberty Memorial, also known as the Shipka Monument, is а symbol of modern Bulgaria and the liberation of Bulgaria. The monument is the heart of the Shipka National Park-Museum and is located on Shipka Peak in the Balkan Mountains.

Its outline resembles a medieval Bulgarian fortress and can be seen from dozens of kilometres. It was built with donations from the people from all over Bulgaria and was inaugurated on 26 August 1934. It is 31.5 m tall and 890 steps lead up to it. The powerful bronze lion, symbolizing the coat of arms of Bulgaria – the symbol of the Bulgarian state – guards the entrance to the Memorial. The other three walls of the monument bear the names Shipka, Sheynovo [bg] and Stara Zahora – the battlefields in defense of the Pass. On the ground floor under a marble sarcophagus, rest the remains of Shipka's defenders.

The sarcophagus stands on four prone stone lions and above it as honour guards stand the statues of a Bulgarian opalchenets (a member of the Bulgarian Volunteer Corps) and a Russian soldier. The other seven floors of the museum display personal effects of the soldiers and volunteers, medals, photos, weapons and documents related to the battles fought over Shipka. One of the exhibits is a copy of the Samara Flag – the first battle flag of the Bulgarian Opalchentsi. The highest platform of the Liberty Memorial affords a beautiful panoramic view of the surroundings.

The monument signifies the heroic defense of the pass. The Ottoman unblocking army of Süleyman Hüsnü Pasha failed to come to the rescue and the Siege of Pleven ended in victory. The latter also predetermined the outcome of the Russo-Turkish War (1877–1878).

The cornerstone of the monument was laid on 24 August 1922, the construction was completed in 1930, and the inauguration of the monument took place on 26 August 1934 by Boris III of Bulgaria.

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    Address

    Gabrovo, Bulgaria
    See all sites in Gabrovo

    Details

    Founded: 1922
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    More Information

    en.wikipedia.org

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    4.9/5 (based on Google user reviews)

    User Reviews

    Aleks Apostolov (4 months ago)
    Amazing view, great piece of history and very sentimental place to visit for every bulgarian.
    Ian (6 months ago)
    Firstly I will address the road - be careful driving this one as most of the road has given way and there are huge holes. At the end there is parking for plenty of cars, maybe 40 or so. We were fortunate enough to visit this site on a sunny, clear day in November where we could see for miles. We explored around the monument and took in the views but we did not purchase tickets. I am not sure what the tickets were for, but I am assuming you can go inside and there will be some information on the place. As with most places in Bulgaria, bu tickets on site for cash is the only option.
    vytebau (8 months ago)
    980 steps. A nice place to watch the sunset. But it gets very vold when the sun sets and theres some wind.
    Martin G (8 months ago)
    Just an absolutely magnificent place to see, with amazing panoramic views and very important history that this monument holds!
    Stanimir Rachev (9 months ago)
    The monument is very beautiful, but the stairs to it have started to fall apart. Also the interior needs to be fixed, part of the walls and plaster have broken down. The museum part of it is scarce and there is no description of what we are looking at. At the top of the monument is an amazing view of the scenery.
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