Regional Historical Museum - Gabrovo and Museum Site Dechkova House

The Historical Museum takes an important place in the cultural life of Gabrovo. The beginning dates back to the first museum collection initiated in 1883 in Aprilov High School by the school principal Raicho Karolev. Nowadays the museum is housed in a beautiful baroque building built in 1904. Its rich collection includes 90 000 exhibits from the Paleolithic era, the late-ancient civilization on these lands (IV-VI centuries BC.), The First and Second Bulgarian Kingdom, the Ottoman Empire, the Revival period and the industrial boom, up to present days. Among its valuables are the following:

Remains from the life of the first modern people in Europe;

A numismatic collection;

The second most important collection of traditional and urban clothing and accessories;

The first Bulgarian banknote of 20 Bulgarian levs, etc.

The main exhibition is called ‘Gabrovo and Gabrovians’. It traces the early beginning, progress and advancement of Gabrovo, starting from a small settlement of the protectors of the pass and turning into an enlightened town of craftsmen up to a center of the textile industry. Five expositions represent a banker’s office, sample exhibition stands, stylishly-furnished drawing room of a well-off Gabrovian family in addition to a church plates collection made by a local master goldsmith. In the central hall ceremonies are held to honor citizens who have contributed to the town’s history.

House-museum Dechkova kashta is located in town of Gabrovo. It is an old (constructed in 1835) and well restored in old style building. The house is a monument of culture. It shows a museum exhibition related to the life from the end of 19th century, telling about the life of town’s leaders, men of industry and their families from the period of the National Revival. The building is also known as the House of Memories.

The rooms are equipped by authentic furniture, textile, curtains, pictures, mirrors and clocks. The gas lambs, the silver and crystal sets belonged once to old Gabrovo families and administrative institutions. The rooms represent mayor’s cabinet from the 20s of the 20th century , a music hall with a piano, men’s parlour, parlour for ladies’ matinee, a girl’s room.