Kilifarevo City
Kilifarevo is a town situated in Northern Bulgaria, part of the municipality of Veliko Turnovo and is only 11 km away from the former capital.
Post Code: 5050
Phone Code: 06114
History
Kilifarevo is a settlement with an ancient history. The presence of Thracian mounds in the vicinity (the village of Golemanite) and a Thracian sanctuary (area Dravyata) evidence that these lands have been inhabited since ancient times. The Romans also used the mountain passes (through the village of Plakovo and the pass of Hainboaz). There was a Roman fortress guarding the passes, which shows the presence of the area called "Hissar" between Kilifarevo and Plakovo.
More than likely the settlement existed until the first Bulgarian kingdom, but there are no records in writing.
During the Second Bulgarian Kingdom Kilifarevo was a village with special status. In the area of “The city” was based one of the Assenevtsi fourtress, controlling the Old mountain pass “Hainboaz”.
Cultural Amenities
Nearby is based the Kilifarevo monastery established by Theodosius of Turnovo, scholar-Hesychasts, which was built with funds and support from Tsar Ivan Alexander in the middle of the XIV century. Also, there is situated the famous Kilifarevo literary school which has had 460 students during the 1360’s. The monastery has been demolished several times during the Ottoman domination, as its last restoration dates from the middle of the nineteenth century. The most remarkable fact about it is the church of St. Demetrius, built by Kolyu Ficheto in 1842 and declared a cultural monument.
The city-hall operates nowadays, adjacening to it kinder theatre, a group for a different kind of folklore songs, christmas songs, men’s group for tourist songs. The city-hall presents a Permanent exhibition - Painting and Graphics - donated by the Kilifarevo artist Yanko Marinov.
Kilifarevo has two churches - St. Archangel Michael and St. Mary (Assumption Holy mother of God "). The first one is located in the upper quarter, which is forming its own parish, and the other one is the parish church of the bottom quarter.
