The town of Koprivshtitsa (1050 metres above sea level) is situated along the two banks, within the upper course of the Topolnitsa River in the heart of Sashtinska (Real) Sredna Gora Mountain. It is situated at the distance of 110 km south-east of Sofia, 80 km north-west of Plovdiv, 27 km south-east of Pirdop and 24 km north of Strelcha. A town-museum and the unique settlement in Bulgaria, which preserved in compact over 250 patterns of the Revival Period architecture. A cradle of the April Uprising (1876). A tourist centre and a mountain resort.

History

Koprivshtitsa originated as a settlement during the 14th century. Its population dealt with cattle-breeding, manufacturing of aba (coarse homespun woollen cloth and upper men's garment made of it), furriery, dyeing and other crafts. The citizens of Koprivshtitsa proved to be good merchants, too reaching as far as Istanbul and Alexandria. The wealthy and urbanised settlement was plundered and destroyed by fire by kurdzhalii (Turkish brigands) three times and rebuilt from ashes to reach its greatest prosperity during the 19th century, when it had over 1000 houses and a population of nearly 12 000 inhabitants. Spacious houses, schools, churches, drinking-fountains, bridges were built there. In 1837 Neofit Rilski (Neophyte of Rila) opened a mutual school and 9 years later Naiden Gerov founded the first in Bulgaria independent boys' intermediate school. In 1864 a girls' intermediate school was opened here and three years later Todor Kableshkov opened the students' society "Zora" (Dawn). In 1869 the chitalsihte (reading room or community centre) was opened here. In the same year Vassil Levski established a revolutionary committee in it. During that time Lyuben Karavelov who was born in Koprivshtitsa headed the foreign Bulgarian Revolutionary Central Committee (BRCC) in Bucharest.
On 20th April 1876 the first shot of the April Uprising against Ottoman Rule rang out here, which started the heroic April epic of Bulgarian people. Todor Kableshkov announced the Uprising. It was headed by another citizen of Koprivshtitsa - Gavrail Hlutev, known to the generations to come as Georgi Benkovski - the adamant and ardent leader of the people's rebellion, who died heroically in the Teteven Balkan Mountain. Unlike Batak, Bratsigovo, Peroushtitsa and other settlements-martyrs, the Osmanli Turks had mercy on Koprivshtitsa. The wealthy men of Koprivshtitsa paid for it and thanks to them Bulgaria today is in possession of its most treasured architectural wealth, untouched by the centuries.
The town is the birth place of a lot of functionaries of our Revival Period and renowned Bulgarians - Bogdan Voivoda, Doncho Vatah Voivoda, Detelin Voivoda, Dobri Voivoda ("voivoda" meaning leader of revolutionary detachment of voluneers), Dimcho Debelyanov, Nayden Gerov.

Landmarks

Koprivshtitsa is one of the few thoroughly preserved architectural urbanised ensembles of the Revival Period. The Revival Period houses with colourful courtyards, surrounded with high stone walls and gates, the disorderly built curved and narrow cobblestone streets and plots, the numerous stone drinking-fountains, the arch-shaped little stone bridges over the mountain brooklets and the fragrance of geranium, boxshrub, peony and pelargonium contribute to the attractiveness of the little town.
The greatest wealth of Koprivshtitsa are its Revival Period houses, a part of which were turned into museums: Oslekov's House - the most famous architectural, ethnographic site in the town, ownership of a rich merchant from Koprivshtitsa in the middle of the 19th century. The artistically carved ceilings, the beautifully painted with geometrical figures walls, the exotic mosaics, the ancient engravings and the exquisitely elaborated applied decorative articles indicate the living standards and the spiritual wealth of the well-off citizens of Koprivshtitsa. The home of Georgi Benkovski - the leader of the April Uprising. The wooden gun, the banner of the Flying Detachment of armed volunteers sewed by Raina Popgeorgieva (Knyaginya) (the Princess) and the arms of the Voivoda are the most priceless relics of that tempestuous time.
The house of Lyuben Karavelov acquaints us with the revolutionary and journalistic activities of one of the most prominent sons of Koprivshtitsa and Bulgaria. The house of Todor Kableshkov exhibits the activity of the 25-years old young man who organised the rebellion in the town, the author of the famous Blood-stained letter by which it was announced to the Main Revolutionary Headquarters in Panagyurishte that Koprivshtitsa had risen in arms. Lyutovs' House Museum hosts an exposition on the subject of "Treasury of Bulgarian Construction Genius".
The House of Dimcho Debelyanov - the life and the literary activities of the most lyrical Bulgarian poet are reflected in it. Like in the other houses-museums, here the atmosphere, in which Dimcho Debelyanov lived and created his poems, was preserved, too.
The following houses are of interest to the visitor, too namely the houses of Gencho Stoykov, Naiden Gerov, Desyovs', Gurkovs', Mluchkovs', Yotovs', Madzharovs', Markovs', Dogans', Pavlikyans' and the Vakarel's house (the oldest houses in the town with over 300 years of life) and dozens of others. The Uspenie Borgorodichno Church (Assumption Church) (1817) with an iconostasis of 1821 and icons painted by Zakhari Zograph and Ioan Samokovli (1837 - 1838) is of a high architectural and artistic value. The St. Nikola Church (1842-1844) is worth seeing as well.
There are a lot of monuments in the town, too: "Mausoleum-Charnel House - 20th April" (in the central 20th April Sq.) of those who died during the April Uprising. The First Gun Memorial past the old little stone bridge where the rebel Georgi Tihanek fired the first shot of the April Uprising. The monument to Тodor Kableshkov, the memorial complex with the key figure of Georgi Benkovski. One of the most moving monuments in our country - mother waiting for her son to return was placed on the grave of Dimcho Debelyanov. It is the work of the sculptor Prof. Ivan Lazarov.