Archaeological Museum “Kardzhali”
Archaeological Museum “Kardzhali” is located near the center of the town of Kardjali. It is next to the exit road to the town of Haskovo. The building was built at the beginning of the 20s of the 20th century. The project was made by Prof. Arch. Pomeryantsev. He was a teacher at the Art Academy in St. Petersburg. Like most museum buildings in Bulgaria, this one was originally created for another purpose. The idea was to house a Muslim spiritual school there. Due to the various vicissitudes of fate, this never happened. The initial idea for the function of the building imposed atypical, at first glance, architectural solutions for our lands. In the facade dominating are Moroccan arches and details reminiscent of the architecture of the Arab world. Due to its unique appearance, the building has been declared a cultural monument of national importance.
Department of Archeology
The “Archaeology” department is located on the first floor of the museum and has 9 halls and a total of 600 m² of exhibition space. It stores archaeological finds from the Neolithic to the late Bulgarian Middle Ages. The department presents a reconstruction of a prehistoric home with collections of tools. Prehistoric idol sculptures and household objects. Also on display are Thracian votive tiles, bronze sculptures, sgraffito ceramics, and medieval coins.
Department of Nature
The “Nature” department is housed in four halls on the second floor of an exhibition area of 300 m². The department exhibits natural specimens from the living and non-living nature of the Eastern Rhodopes. There are herbaria of rare and protected plants. Fossils of sea creatures, collections of ore minerals, non-mineral raw materials, geodes and precious stones. Photos of some of the natural attractions of the region are shown:
- Stone Wedding
- Stone Mushrooms
- Petrified Forest
- The stone wood
- Devil’s Bridge
Department of Ethnography
The “Ethnography” department is located on the top third floor. On an area of 600 m² in 9 halls, life in the Eastern Rhodopes from the end of the 19th century to the 1950s is presented. The department contains reconstructions of a dairy, of a coal-mining. Different workshops are also presented. Оbjects related to the basic livelihoods of the population in the region, as well as traditional national costumes and ornaments are exhibited. Read more…