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Samovodska Charshia – Hadji Nikoli Inn on the left and the Old Post Office on the right

The imposing building of the Old Post Office is located at the beginning of Samovodska Charshia, opposite the Hadji Nikoli Inn. It was erected on a very historic spot. There was once a house that accommodated the Edinstvo (Unity) committee of Veliko Tarnovo in the summer of 1878, whose main goal was the unification of the Principality of Bulgaria and Eastern Rumelia.

Its was built about 70 years ago after the project of the Bulgarian architect Stancho Belkovski. The construction began in 1932 and ended two years later, in 1934, when the post office was officially open.

Belkovski studied in Germany, which explains the German influence on the design of this beautiful building, which at the time was thought to be too modernistic.

Tarnovians did not like the building much. It concealed the view to Hadji Nikoli Inn and was in clash with the architectural style of Samovodska Charshia. The building often incited much debate in the local community.

The Old Post Office functioned until 1954, when the new post office was built in the centre of Veliko Tarnovo, overtaking its main functions.

It was eventually shut down in 2005 and left to decay. With broken windows, damaged flooring and peeling paint, this building just stands there waiting for someone to unleash its great potential.

Every now and then it is reopened to host contemporary art exhibitions and installations.

The Stambolov Bridge after its completion

The Stambolov Bridge is yet another emblematic place in Veliko Tarnovo, connecting the town centre with the Boris Denev State Art Gallery, the Asenevtsi Monument, University of Veliko Tarnovo and the rest of Sveta Gora Hill.

The Bridge was built in 1892 under the initiative and patronage of the famous Bulgarian politician and statesman Stefan Stambolov, who wished to leave something memorable in his hometown. 

The history of the bridge is quite interesting. It is entirely made of steel and concrete, designed by an Italian architect named Giovanni Mossuti.

With the construction of the Stambolov Bridge modern bridge building techniques are not only introduced in the newly liberated Bulgarian state, but also on the Balkan Peninsula. Steel structures for bridges are novelty back then and are imported from abroad and put together at the construction site.

Each of the arches of this famous bridge was raised with a special lifting equipment. In order to join individual arches with large iron rivets, builders had to hang above the river, tied to solid ground only by hemp ropes – a serious test for the master-builders.

According to legends, after the bridge was completed, master-builders and workers had to stay under it until the first passing of loaded ox and horse cars. True to Bulgarian tradition, this way they ensured (with their own lives) that they have done their job properly.

Today, the bridge is closed to traffic. In the 70s and 80s of the last century, the traffic leading to the University was passing through it.

Elderly Tarnovians still recall a small plane passing under the bridge. More than half a century ago, a native pilot flew under it in order to impress his beloved.

Now the Stambolov Bridge is a favourite place of young people, a race track skaters and a romantic spot for couples. It reveals enchanting views to the traditional Bulgarian houses of the Old Town and is visited by a number of local and international tourists. Bungee jumps are organised here annually around the Veliko Tarnovo Day!

Another iconic building in Veliko Tarnovo is the Hadji Nikoli Inn (Хан Хаджи Николи in Bulgarian). This beautiful inn is located the heart of the Old Town, in Samovodska Charshia, and is a cultural monument of national significance.

The inn is an example of late Bulgarian Revival architecture with historic and sentimental value to Tarnovians. It was built in between 1858–1862 by the native master-builder Nikola Fichev (known as Kolyu Ficheto, who also built the House with the Monkey) for the needs of a wealthy merchant named Hadji Nikola Minchev (Hadji Nikoli). Hadji is an honorary title, given to people who have visited the Holy Land, Jerusalem and the Empty Tomb (Tomb of Jesus).

Hadji Nikoli Inn is of great importance due to the fact that it is the sole “survivor” of the total of 70 inns built in Veliko Tarnovo in the past.

The property comprises of self-contained premises located on each floor, which in the past have been used as storage and workshops, a narrow courtyard enclosed from three sides. On the ground level facing the street, shops were built and still used as such today. The building has a solid brick, natural stone and iron construction.

The Inn has undergone a number of modifications due to urban planning and development plans in the street, but now has been restored to its original form. It operated as an ethnographic museum until 1987 and was open to visitors. Later it was given to the National Museum of Architecture and the shops were used by craftsmen of Samovodska Charshia. After restitution in 1992, the premises were handed back to heirs of Hadji Nikoli. The Inn was closed to visitors and left to decay for more than ten years.

It was bought by Eduard Beck in 2005 and it was restored to the building you see now between the years of 2006 – 2010. It now hosts a restaurant, a wine bar, an art gallery, guest rooms and a museum.