House-museum of Ivan Vazov

Sopot is one of the centers of the national liberation struggles. The Patriarch of Bulgarian Literature – the writer Ivan Vazov (1850 – 1921) was born here and his personality was shaped here. The native house of the great Bulgarian writer Ivan Vazov is situated in the center of the town of Sopot.

The house was built in the 18th century by the grandfather of the writer, but the original building was set on fire in July 1877 during the Liberation War between Russia and Turkey (1877 – 1878).

In 1920, on the eve of the jubilee celebrations commemorating the 70th anniversary of the birth and the 50-year literary activity of the poet among the Sopot Friendship in Sofia arose the idea of restoring his native home. On the Vaz jubilee day – October 24, 1920, a committee for building a memorial and house museum of the poet Ivan Vazov in Sopot was established. Start collecting funds. The project for the restoration of the home of the poet was made by the architect of the Archaeological Museum in Sofia Alexander Rachev on the basis of the instructions of General Georgi Vazov and Vazova sister Vula Fetvadjieva. In 1920, at the request of the artist Georgi Cherkezov, Ivan Vazov made a sketch of his father’s hearth, which was also used for his restoration.

A few buildings are housed in the yard. They accommodate various expositions. A restoration with dummies of the barber’s shop of Hadzhi Ahil of the Vazov’s short story with the same name is organized in one of the rooms. A water channel that is very typical for the Sopot streets and yards passes through the cobblestone yard decorated with and flowers. A small door leads to a neighboring yard, where the exposition hall dedicated to the life and the artistic path of the author is situated.

On the occasion of the 120th anniversary of the birth of the poet, on July 8, 1970 an exhibition for his life and creative path was opened in the building built next to his home. The Ivan Vazov House Museum in Sopot carries the atmosphere of the Renaissance era with its unique color, emanating from the colors of the Sopot rugs and tunics, woven by the handsome hands of Vazov’s mother, Saba Vazova.