Historical and Architectural Reserve “Bozhentsi”

Bozhentsi – a pretty village in the area of Gabrovo, is one of the most beautiful architectural reserves in Bulgaria. It is located 15 kilometers east of Gabrovo and impresses with its well-preserved houses and public buildings from the time of the Bulgarian Revival.

According to an ancient legend, the village was founded by a noblewoman from Tarnovo, called Bozhana, who settled in the town after her husband died during the conquering of the capital Turnovo by the Ottoman Turks. Thence came the name of the village.

The village was declared a historical and architectural reserve by issue 8 of the State Gazette in 1964.

Several of the houses in Bozhentsi have been transformed into museums. The museum house of Baba Rayna presents an ethnographic exhibition of the 18th century. The livelihood of the local people from the 19th century can be seen in the museum house of Doncho Popa.

Visitors can learn more about the history of the village, the reserve and the big families in Bozhentsi in the exhibition called “Only the daredevils and generous donators remain in the history”. An authentic press for wax cleaning from the beginning of the 19th century is exposed in the Mengemata – a wax cleaning workshop.