The town of Veliko Turnovo is a district centre. The town has a population of 66 000 inhabitants and lies at a distance of 220 km northeast of Sofia. Veliko Turnovo is the municipal centre of 88 settlements. The administrative centre is located at a picturesque valley cut by the Yantra River at the foot of the Fore-Balkan. The Thracian name of that ancient river is Yatrus, meaning "fast flowing" and the Slavic name - Etar. The meanders of the river form three peninsulas -Tzarevetz, Trapezitza and Sveta Gora. The settlement is built over these three hills.

The first inhabitants of the region have been the Thracian tribes which have maintained relations with the whole Aegean world. The next cultural layer is from the Early Byzantine epoch from IV-VII c. The fundamental buildings, the fortified wall and other traces speak of vigorous growth during the period. Later on a medieval Slavic settlement springs up over the ruins of the early-Byzantine fortress on the Tzarevetz hill. The settlement continues its existence throughout the whole period of the First Bulgarian Kingdom and in the years of the Byzantine domination. In XII c. it becomes a strategic Byzantine fortress and an economic centre. In 1185 after the rebellion of the Bulgarian boyars Asen and Peter Turnovgrad becomes the capital of Bulgaria.

There is a tremendous development in the sphere of architectural monuments, monumental and miniature painting, book-printing and artistic crafts. During the Ottoman yoke the old capital of Bulgaria is the centre of many rebellions among which are: The First Turnovo Rebellion(1598), The Second Turnovo Rebellion(1686), The Marino Rebellion(1700), the Rebellion of Captain Dyado Nikola (1835), The Hadzhistavrev's Rebellion (1862), the Philip Totyo' s Rebellion (1867), the Stefan Karadzha and Hadzhi Dimiter's Rebellion(1868). After the Liberation of Bulgaria from the Ottoman yoke in the period from 1877 until 1918 the town plays a significant role in the political, administrative and cultural development of Bulgaria. It is in Veliko Turnovo that in 1879 the first Bulgarian constitution has been approved - the Turnvo Constitution.

The tourist sights of the town are: the architectural museum-reserve "Tzarevetz", the churches "St. Dimiter Solunski" (1185), "St. forty martyrs"(XIII c.), "St. Peter and Pavel"(XIII c.), "St. Georgi" (XIV c.), the "Samodivskata charshia" market place, the Kokona Anastasiya's House, Dimo Sarafina's House etc.

On the territory of the district are located: the remains of Nikopolis ad Istrum, Arbanassi - an architectural reserve, the Plakovo, Kilifarevo, Kapinovo, Patriarsheski, Preobrazhenski, Petropavlovski, Saint Apostles Peter and Pavel, Holy Virgin monasteries and other monasteries from the Veliko Turnovo Sveta Gora Complex. In the region of the village of Hotnitza is discovered a gold treasure of 44 objects. They are found among the remains of a Late Eneolith housing building in a settlement mound dating back to the second half of the V c. B.C.

In the region of Veliko Turnovo are located the following natural landmarks: the reserves "Byala krava"/White Cow/, "Savchov chair", "Haidushki chukar" and the Negovanovo eco-path by the village of Emen.

An important ornithological site in the region is the Danube island of Vardim - a natural marshland forest with protected and rare birds.

Tourist sights

The architectural reserve "Tzarevetz" is situated on the Tzarevetz Hill where the medieval town has been located. In 1185 the brothers Asen and Peter proclaim Veliko Turnovo for a capital of Bulgaria. The medieval town develops quickly and becomes a significant political, economic, cultural and religious centre of Bulgaria. The ancient town has been situated on three hills - Tzarevetz, Trapezitza and Sveta Gora which are surrounded by the wide meanders of the Yantra River. The Tzarevetz Hill has been populated by the king and his court, the king's palace, the boyars and the patriarch. The hill is engirdled by a fortified wall built over the natural steep rocks above the river. The fortress has had three entrances. In the middle of the fortress stands the palace and on the highest point of Tzarevets is the patriarch's church.

The "St. Dimiter" church in Veliko Turnovo is sanctified in 1185. It is here where the rulers Asen, Peter and Kaloyan have been crowned kings. The temple is preserved as a Christian one until 1779 and later on the church is restored.

The "Saint Forty Martyrs" church in Turnovo has been built by King Ivan Asen II to commemorate the victory of the Bulgarian over the Byzantine troops in 1230 at Klokotnitza. In XIII -XIV c. it has been the most beautiful and the richest church. During the Ottoman yoke it is transformed into a mosque and the mural paintings are whitewashed. The church is later on restored.

The "St. Peter and Pavel" church in Veliko Turnovo dates back to the end of XIII c. and the beginning of XIV c. It has a rich wall decoration from different periods. After the fall of Bulgaria under the Ottoman yoke the Bulgarian patriarchate is moved to this church.

The "St. Georgi" church in Veliko Turnovo is built in 1612 at the site of a medieval church demolished by the Ottoman conquerors. The church has precious mural paintings.

The "Samodivskata charshia" in Veliko Turnovo is an ethnographic complex situated in a small street. It represents the typical atmosphere of the Revival period of buildings with small workshops and shops. A large number of the houses have been restored. However, the masters who still work in them are using old technologies and original tools.

Arbanassi is an architectural-historic complex lying at a distance of 4 km from Veliko Turnovo with a view to the Tzarevetz and Trapezitza hills. It has unique XV-XVIII c. houses and churches with rich internal decoration. 143 buildings in Arbanassi are proclaimed for monuments of culture. The external and internal outlook of the housing buildings is extremely varied. The houses in Arbanassi are built of stone with huge stone fences. Interesting are also the Arbanassi fountains. The Kokona's fountain is built in 1786 by Mehmed Said Aga. On its façade there is an inscription in ancient Arabic saying: "Whoever looks at or drinks from this fountain will find light for his eyes and soul". Interesting are also the seven Arbanassi churches. They are built and painted in several stages during XV -XVII c. The architectural, iconographic and wood-carved iconostases are of such a high historic and artistic value that they are proclaimed for phenomena in the Balkan culture of that time. Architecturally the churches are single-nave, single-apside ones with a semi-cylindrical vault under a double-layer roof. They are built of stone with small windows and iron bars. They have two compartments - one for men and one for women.

The Plakovo Monastery by the village of Plakovo lies at a distance of 18 km from Veliko Turnovo. The monastery is founded at the time of the Second Bulgarian State and is demolished after the fall of Bulgaria under the Ottoman yoke. In 1450 it is restored after which it is demolished and burned down several times. The monastery complex consists of a church, housing and farming buildings. The church is a single-nave, single-apside one with a dome. The icons are painted in 1852. The housing sections and the tower-bell are built by the master-builder Kolyo Ficheto. The belfry is 26 m high.

The Kapinovo Monastery lies at a distance of 20 km from the district centre and 2 km from the Plakovo Monastery. The monastery is founded in 1272. It has been an important religious centre at the time. During the Ottoman Yoke it has been plundered and burned down many times. The monastery church is built in 1835 by master builders from Dryanovo and is later painted in 1845. In the monastery church there is a wood-carved iconostasis from XVIII c. and many precious icons.

The Kilifarevo Monastery in Veliko Turnovo District was built in 1348-1350 by the prominent Bulgarian clergyman Teodosii Turnovski. The monastery becomes one of the most important centers of the Bulgarian Enlightenment. Here is formed the Kilifarevo Bookman School. In 1360 it has 460 students. The most famous among them is the Bulgarian Patriarch Evtimii Turnovski. The monastery has been surrounded by thick fortified walls. The monk cells have been on the external side of the fortified wall. In the middle of the yard there has been an impressive observation tower. After the fall of Bulgaria under the Ottoman yoke the fortress has been completely demolished. The monastery is restored in 1718. The big single-nave dome church "St. Dimiter" is built in 1840 by Kolyo Ficheto and the housing buildings are built in 1849. The wood-carved iconostasis is made b representatives of the Tryavna art school.

The Preobrazhenski Monastery lies at a distance of 10 km from the district town at the foot of steep rocks on the left bank of the Yantra River. From the monastery is revealed a magnificent view towards the river gorge and the Patriarch Monastery situated on the other bank of the river. The monastery doesn't have any buildings preserved from the time of its establishment. The present-day buildings are built in XIX c. The church "Sveto Preobrazhenie Gospodno" is built in 1834-1861 by Dimiter Sofiliyata and Nikola Fichev. The church has a unique painting decoration by Zahari Zograf. He has been working on the masterpieces of the Revival period art for three years (1849-1851). Pope Vitan Junior has made the iconostasis of the church.

The Patriarch Monastery is the oldest monastery from the group of monasteries in the Turnovo Sveta Gora Complex. In 1368 the hermit Teodosii Turnovski retreats in a small cave in the rocky massif. He is soon followed by other monks. At that period the monastery is supported by the Bulgarian kings Ivan Alexander and Ivan Shishman. At the end of XIV c. when Bulgaria is conquered by the Ottoman troops 300 monks from the monastery have been slaughtered in front of the eyes of the inhabitants of Veliko Turnovo. Shortly before the Liberation of Bulgaria the monastery is restored with the help of Kolyo Ficheto and Zahari Zograf.

The Petropavlovski Monastery in the town of Lyaskovetz lies at a distance of 6 km from the district town. During the XIX c the monastery is an important educational centre.

The ancient town Nikopolis ad Istrum in the village of Nikopol lies at a distance of 18 km from the district town. The Roman emperor Trayan called the town -"The Danube town of victory" in honour of his victory over the Daks in 102-106. The town reaches its zenith at the time of Emperor Konstantin the Great and Justinian during III-VI c. Nikopolis ad Istrum have been destroyed by Avars and Slavs. The French epigraph Syor starts archaeological excavations in 1900 and discovers that the town has had temples with colonnades, wide streets with stone tiles, modern water conduit and drainage system, part of which are preserved till today. It has been one of the biggest Roman towns on the Bulgarian lands.