The most beautiful places in Bulgaria

Inhabited since 6000 years ago, Pernik continues to grow, with its population growth being especially strong at the beginning of the 20th century. It was then that the coal mines were established. This livelihood is rapidly improving the city and developing its rich social and cultural life, which we were able to appreciate on the city’s holiday on October 19,  2024.

The festive program was rich, beginning with the Holy Liturgy in the Church of St. Ivan Rilski, who is considered the patron saint of Pernik. At 10:00 a.m. on Krakra Square was given the start of the women’s rally. There were many events all over the city, and we took part in those in front of the Regional Museum, where there was something like “old crafts for young talents” and our children managed to make clay cups, and others learned to weave and knit. In the evening there was a festive concert with Krisko, and the culmination of the celebration was the favorite performer of the mayor, and not only his – Lili Ivanova.

October 19 has been celebrated as Miners’ Day since 1903, and since 1994 it was declared as the Day of Pernik. That is why one of the must-see attractions when visiting the city, not only during holidays, is the unique for the Balkan Peninsula, the Underground Mining Museum. It impressed me so much that later I searched the Internet for similar museums in the world,  as there are also in Poland (www.kopalniaguido.pl), England (www.ncm.org.uk), Belgium (www.leboisducazier.be), Germany (www.bergbaumuseum.de) and Italy (www.museodelcarbone.it).

The Pernik Museum of Mines is housed in two of the preserved galleries of the “Old Mines”, which worked until 1966. There are 30 exposition niches in which you can see an electric locomotive, trolleys with which the miners and their tools moved, a viper mechanism for unloading the trolleys,  a rubber-conveyor belt, as well as a model of a horse, as we learned, that since 1896 coal was transported by horses, as in 1922 around 350 horses worked in the Pernik mines. While walking through the tunnels, we imperceptibly reached 50 meters underground, then we also imperceptibly climbed up and out of the tunnel.

At the very entrance of the museum, we were given helmets, not so much for our safety, but for immersing ourselves in the life of miners. Here we learned that although they call coal “black gold”, the local coal is completely brown. At the entrance, we saw large barrels of water, and we learned that due to the harsh working conditions underground, one worker drank between 5 and 7 liters of water. At the time, it was not as illuminated as it is now, and the sound of the former “air conditioners” for air purification was terrifyingly loud. The children were also impressed by the underground telephone, whose handset weighs 2 kg. The museum is really a wonderful place where the work of all miners is really appreciated.

Pernik is impressive not only underground, but also above it. I especially liked The Miner’s House or Mining Directorate. It turned out that it is one of the most beautiful and preserved public buildings from the period between the two world wars in Bulgaria. It is located on the square. St. Ivan Rilski, next to the church of the same name, which is also called the Mining Church. Its construction was completed in 1920 and was consecrated on November 1 on the day of St. Ivan Rilski. In 2009. by decision of the Holy Synod of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, the temple accepted as a gift from the Rila Monastery a particle of the relics of St. Ivan Rilski.

GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT PERNIK:

Location:  It is located in Southwestern Bulgaria, 28 km from Sofia.  The town is located in the Pernik valley with an altitude between 700 and 850 m, surrounded by the mountains Vitosha, Golo Bardo and Lyulin.
Area: 461.1 sq. m.km
Population:  72,816 people (2024 data)
Official language: Bulgarian
Altitude: 710 m
Climate: temperate continental, and its location protects it from strong winds.
Time zone: UTC +2
Currency:  BGN (BGN)
Additional information: http://pernik.bg/