The town of Veliki Preslav has a population of 9 400 inhabitants and lies at a distance of 19 km southwest of Shumen. Velki Preslav is the municipal centre of 11 component settlements. It is situated in the valley of the Golyama Kamchiya River at an altitude of 120 m. 2 km from the present-day town are located the remains of the ancient town. Veiki Preslav has been the capital of Bulgaria from 893 until 969.

The tourist sights of the town are: the church "St. Peter and Pavel" (1874), the building of the community centre(1874), the ethnographic house, the archaeological reserve "Veliki Preslav", the Monastery "St. Pantaleymon", the reserve "Patleyna".

In the region of Veliki Preslav has been discovered a medieval gold treasure. It consists of a large number of refined women's jewelry for which manufacture have been used all goldsmith's techniques typical for the middle Ages.

Tourist sights

The archaeological reserve "Veliki Preslav" occupies an area of 500 hectares. Preslav has been designed and built as a magnificent town measurable to the Byzantine capital of Constantinople. On the territory of the reserve have been discovered dozens of monuments and in the exhibition can be seen original works of the Bulgarian and Byzantine arts. The palace and the Golden Church are unique examples of the ancient Bulgarian architecture. In Veliki Preslav are discovered the fortifications of the external and the internal town as well as the palace complex. Outside the fortified walls are the mansions, the monasteries and the churches. Near the complex of Veliki Preslav has been discovered a medieval gold treasure dating from X c. It has been discovered by accident in 1978 at the Kastana site. The treasure consists of more than 120 ornaments - necklaces, ear-rings, rings, medallions, buttons, applications and Byzantine coins. The objects are made of gold and silver-plated gold in several jewelry-making techniques. The decoration is of enamels, precious metals, pearls, scenes from the Christian religious symbolism, flower and animal ornaments. It is believed that some of the jewels are made in Veliki Preslav while others are imported from Byzantine.

The Patleyna Monastery is built in IX -X c. Scientists believe that it is here where Prince Boris I retreats after giving the throne to his son. The monastery is active during the Second Bulgarian State as well. It is one of the centres for the manufacture of the typical Preslav painted ceramics and glassware. The monastery is known for its icon of Teodor Stratilat made of separate ceramic slates.