HISTORICAL MONUMENTS IN PLEVEN

1.Saint George the Conqueror Chapel Mausoleum The Saint George the Conqueror Chapel Mausoleum is a Mausoleum and a memorial Bulgarian Orthodox chapel, as well as a major landmark of Pleven, Bulgaria. Built between 1903 and 1907 in the Neo-Byzantine style by the architect Koychev, whose project won a contest in 1903, it is dedicated to the Russian and Romanian soldiers who fell for the Liberation of Bulgaria during the Siege of Pleven in 1877. The remains of many of these soldiers are preserved in the Mausoleum. The icons in the chapel are the work of Bulgarian artists. The chapel mausoleum bears the name of Saint George, the patron saint of soldiers, and is also depicted in the coat of arms of Pleven. It is situated in the main Vazrazhdane Square.

2.Pleven Regional Historical Museum The Pleven Regional Historical Museum, founded in 1953, is one of the largest museums in Bulgaria. The museum is situated in a two-storey edifice near the centre of Pleven that is a monument of culture of national importance. Its main stock includes over 180.000 units and the museum library houses over 10.000 volumes of scientific literature and periodicals. History- The Pleven Regional Historical Museum has its roots in the local Archaeological society founded in 1903, the goals of which included the creation of a museum, as well as the discovery and research of historical monuments in the town and the region. Officially founded in 1953, the museum moved to its current edifice, built between 1884 and 1888 after an Italian project for barracks, in 1984. The museum became on 1 July 2000 embracing the provinces of Pleven and Lovech. Collections- The exposition is arranged in 24 halls containing over 5000 museum valuables, which in five sections- Archeology, Ottoman oppression and Bulgarian Revival, Ethnography, New and Contemporary history, and Nature, present the history, culture, flora and fauna of Pleven and adjoining district sience hoary antiquity. The museum exposition is impressive and unforgettable. It is built on thematic and chronological principle and collection method. It is one of the richest expositions in Bulgaria. The numismatic collection, comprising over 25000 coins, is one of the most important collections of the museum. Maps- In this section you will find: 1.Settlements from Pleven district where significant antique cultural and historical sites and monuments have been found. 2.Lay out of the central part of the town of Pleven. 3.Lay out of the museum expositions with a chart of the line of movement by sections and periods.

3.Skobelev park Skobelev park is a museum park in the vicinity of Pleven, Bulgaria. It was built between 1904 and 1907 on the very battlefield of the Siege of Pleven during the Russian-Turkish War of 1877-78, specifically the third assault of General Mikhail Skobelev`s detachment between 30

August and 11 September 1877. The park is located in a valley called Martva dolina (�Dead Valley�) because of the 6.500 killed and injured Russian and Romanian soldiers during the battle. Their remains are stored in nine common graves and an ossuary. Dozens of Russian cannons from the war are arranged as batteries in the park, which is a favoured place for walks by the residents of Pleven. The Pleven Panorama, another landmark dedicated to the events of the Siege of Pleven, is located in Skobelev Park.

4.Pleven Panorama Pleven Epopee 1877, more commonly known as Pleven Panorama, depicts the events of the Russian-Turkish War of 1877-78, specifically the five month Siege of Pleven (Pleven Epopee) which made the city internationally famous and which contributed to the Liberation of Bulgaria after five centuries of Ottoman rule. The panorama was created by 13 Russian and Bulgarian artists and was constructed in honor of the 100th anniversary of the Pleven Epopee and was officially unveiled on 10 December 1977. It is the largest panorama on the Balkan peninsula , located on the site where three of the four major battles which led to the liberation of Bulgaria took place. In the first three years after its opening, 2.5 million people visited the panorama. The monument is one of nearly 200 built by the people of Pleven in tribute to the battles and to the nearly 35.000 lives lost. Siege of Pleven- The Pleven Panorama depicts the events of the Siege of Pleven which consisted of four major battles over five-month period (20 July-10 December 1877). The siege was pivotal in the outcome in the Russian-Turkish War of 1877-78 which eventually resulted in the liberation of Bulgaria as well as Serbia and Romania from 500 years of Ottoman control as Field Marshal Osman Pasha had set up fortifications there following his defeat at Nikopol on July 16. Osman was successful at fending off the Russian attacks on his fortifications during the first two battles. In the third battle, Russian forces, under the command of General Mikhail Skobelev, took two Turkish redoubts and a Romanian division took a third, the Grivitza redoubt. Osman`s troops were able to recapture the two redoubts taken by the Russians, but they were unable to dislodge the Romanians from Grivitza. The third battle was the bloodiest for the Russian forces, with roughly 20.000 losses, but was also the turning point in the Seige. By 24 October, Russian and Romanian forces had surrounded Pleven. Osman requested permission to retreat, but the Ottoman high command would not allow him to do so. On 9 December Osman had his troops made a brief stand, losing 5.000 men. The next day Osman surrendered to the Romanian colonel Mihail Cherkez.