1. ХГ „Д. Дамянов“ – клуб „Млад пътешественик“

2. FACTS SIGHTS CONTACTS

3. FACTS Location: south-eastern Bulgaria Area: 193, 778 sq km Population: 96, 065 people

5. SINITE KAMANI NATURAL PARK SIGHTS THE HISTORICAL MUSEUM THE ETHNOGRAPHIC MUSEUM THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF TEXTILE INDUSTRY HALKATA NATURAL PHENOMENON TUIDA FORTRESS THE OLD ELM- TREE

6. THE HISTORICAL MUSEUM The Histirical Museum in Sliven is situated in the main street of the town. The museum was established in 1913. It houses a variety of exhibits from the Neolithic Age to the modern history of Sliven.

7. THE HISTORICAL MUSEUM The visitors can see cult figures, stone weapons and tools from the Neolithic Age; marble and bronze figures from the Roman time, objects from Thracian burial mounds, pieces of jewellery from the antiquity to the Middle Ages, guns from the time of Bulgarian Revival and many others. Among the most interesting exhibits are the second golden mask found in the Thracian region, two golden phials for drinking wine and a stamp ring. The museum is worth visiting if you are interested in history and the way of life in the past

8. THE ETHNOGRAPHIC MUSEUM One of the most interesting tourist sites in Sliven is the ethnographic m useum. It was built in the first quarter of the nineteenth century. In one of the oldest neighborhoods. It is a model of residential architecture of the years of the Renaissance. In fact, it consists of two houses, glued to one another..

9. THE ETHNOGRAPHIC MUSEUM It represents a Sliven craftsmen house of the nineteenth century.It presents hundreds of unique items showing the development of weaving, copper, pottery, carpentry, saddlery, etc. as well as basic household practices and traditional requirements during the Renaissance.. The second part shows the way of life of Sliven urban family in the first decades of the 20th century. In October 2009, the museum house opened a new exhibition: "Traditional culture of Sliven." It shows stored diversity and specificity of regional traditional culture. Attention is paid to the ritual meal, the ritual props and verbal spells. Vast cobbled courtyard, flower garden and penthouse build an overall architectural and ethnographic complex.

10. THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF TEXTILE INDUSTRY The Museum of Textile Industry is a branch of the National Polytechnic Museum. It is located in Sliven, at 3, Stoil Voyvoda Square, and is housed in a building which is a monument of culture. The hand production and the industrial manufacturing of textiles are shown in chronological order form the early Neolithic Age (7th Millennium BC) until the end of the 19th century and from the end of the 19th century until the 1970s. The exhibition takes up eight halls and follows the birth, development, and achievements of textile techniques, technologies and equipment.

11. Thematically, the museum is dedicated entirely to the production of textiles from the ancient past until the present day and as such is the only one of its kind in Bulgaria. Among the exhibits, visitors of the museum will find weights of a vertical loom from the 7th Millennium BC, as well as a reproduction of a vertical weaving loom which was used in these lands during the Neolithic Age. THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF TEXTILE INDUSTRY Two of the other halls are dedicated to different types of weaving and knitting machines. Almost all of them work and a demonstration for visitors is available. A special exhibition which you can also see at the museum is given up to the life and work of Dobri Zhelyazkov (1800 – 1865) – the founder of the industry in Bulgaria.

12. TUIDA FORTRESS Tuida is the name of a medieval fortress, whose remains are located on the Hisarluka Hill in the northeastern part of Sliven.The forthress opens a magnificent view both of the mountain and of the town. It had a very important role in the defense system of the Roman Empire as well as the Bulgarian State. The several layers belonging to different eras, tools, Ancient Greek inscriptions make it possible to restore the historic picture of the V- IV century BC period. Findings with great scientific value are the seal of tsar Boris I, pieces of jewellery and a number of old coins. Today the visitors can see the parts of walls, the four round towers, the foundations of a basilica and a baptistery.

13. SINITE KAMANI NATURAL PARK Sinite Kamani Natural Park covers an area of 11,380.8 ha and is part of the protected areas network in the country. It has 6 natural landmarks – Halkata is one of the most famous. It is a rock phenomenon and is a favorite place for tourists due to its proximity to the town. The Kutelka reserve also falls within the Sinite Kamani Natural Park – it was declared a reserve in 1986 in order to preserve the Moesian beech communities and the rock habitats of many birds of prey. The area of the reserve is 708 hectares.

14. The park is characterized by great biological diversity. It is home to 70 species and 7 subspecies of endemic, rare, relic and protected plants. One of the most famous is the Urumov’s Tulip. The fauna in Sinite Kamani Natural Park is represented by 244 vertebrate species and 1,153 invertebrate animals. Many of the most famous areas of the park are related to the history of Sliven and Bulgaria. SINITE KAMANI NATURAL PARK

15. The Visitor Information Center of Sinite Kamani Natural Park is situated at the foot of the mountain, in the northeastern part of Sliven and in the beginning of the Path of Haiduks famous among the people from Sliven. The employees of the Park Headquarters provide information about the park to tourists and guests of Sliven in the Tourist Information Center in the center of town. SINITE KAMANI NATURAL PARK

16. HALKATA NATURAL PHENOMENON The rock formation Halkata is typical of interesting and beautiful rock formations in the park "Blue Stones". Its height is more than 8 meters. One can safely pass through the opening with a height of about 2 meters. Halkata is a symbol of the city of Sliven. There are a lot of stories about its magical force affecting the most intimate thing- love

17. According to popular belief, when a person passes through the opening of the Ring, changes sex. To rock formation Halkata is relatively easy to reach - about half an hour walk from the lower station of the lift. The trail winds in smooth ascent through loose forest brook. HALKATA NATURAL PHENOMENON

18. THE OLD ELM-TREE It’s a natural over 1000 - year phenomenon. It’s a relic from the Great Bulgarian forest that once spread from the Rhodopes Mountain to the Black sea. The Old Elm-tree is situated in the very heart of the town and is part of Sliven history in the time of the Turkish yoke. It is one of the symbols of the town. It is believed to have been a place of executions and a sacred place. Nowadays it is a common meeting place for the people of Sliven who love that ancient giant and look after it. The Old Elm-tree was chosen to be The European Tree of 2014.

19. CONTACTS THE HISTORICAL MUSEUM museum_sl@abv.bgmuseum_sl@abv.bg phone number 044 /62 24 94 Work time April – October 9.00 - 12.00 h. : 14.00 – 17.00 h. day off - Monday November – March 9.00 - 12.00 ч. : 14.00 – 17.00 ч. day off - Sunday, Monday TUIDA FORTRESS phone number 044/ 68 93 62 THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF TEXTILE INDUSTRY phone number 044/ 623749