The largest and the first historical, cultural and recreational-educational park of its kind in the world opened in Bulgaria in the summer of 2019. Designed as a large-scale complex expanding in its completed form on over 50 hectares, 33 km from Varna, the Historical Park offers Bulgarian and foreign visitors an interactive trip up to 10,000 years back in time during the five eras of human civilization. It recreates its development, which took place in our lands from the Chalcolithic and Neolithic eras, through the glorious history of the Thracians and Rome, until the heyday of the First and Second Bulgarian Kingdoms, becoming an absolute revolution in cultural and historical tourism and filling the growing demand for historical landmarks worldwide.
Located 33 km from Varna, in the village of Neofit Rilski, the Historical Park offers a full range of services - themed attractions combined with opportunities for catering, relaxation and various entertainment events, team building games, student internships, educational activities, corporate events, private parties, musical and theatrical events, concerts, sets for film productions and much more.
In the traditional places for recreation and gastronomy, guests can try dishes prepared according to authentic recipes from ancient times with only natural Bulgarian products. The souvenir shop (also present online) offers a wide range of souvenirs with historical motifs - from symbolic gifts for a souvenir from the visit (magnets, keychains, cups, themed T-shirts, history books), to exquisitely-made stylized statues of important figures from the past and valuable replicas of ancient treasures with the relevant certificates for trade and export outside the country.
"The idea of the creation of the Historical Park is mine and was born in 2011. The main purpose of the project is to change the way foreigners look at Bulgarians and Bulgaria, as well as the way we perceive ourselves. This world-class attraction will change the type of tourists who visit our country and at the same time create a promising economic sector that will allow many Bulgarians to enter the international business. We can all be glad that we are part of this new beginning for Bulgaria, national tourism and self-awareness, and I am more than happy about that" said Ivelin Mihailov, Executive Director of Historic Park AD and the initiator of the project.
The adventure of the Historical Park began more than eight years ago, and since the time of the planning, more than 4,000 people have been involved, including some of the best Bulgarian archaeologists and consultants, writers, musicians, sculptors, master craftsmen, reenactors and historians who accurately executed the project in its overall realistic form. The materials used are stricly authentic for the eras involved: stone, wood, marble and ceramic among others.
The access to the site is carried out by paying an entrance fee or with different levels of club cards like the "Gold Card" and "Family Card" are currently released in limited series, which give a huge price advantage to their holders for the next 10 years.
The Historical Park hosts thematic events such as an international exhibition-competition for historical painting, an international archery tournament, an auto exhibition for cars branded with Bulgarian symbols, historical performances, reenactment of scenes from Ancient Thrace and Medieval Bulgaria, medieval festivals, food festivals and others.
The activities are expanded with the publication of comics, illustrated books and encyclopedias for children and adults, which aim to get to know and love Bulgarian history in a pleasant and fun way. The books have been translated into over 7 foreign languages, which corresponds to the long-term goal of promoting the rich and valuable Bulgarian culture around the world and changing the perception of Bulgarians, both among foreigners and among ourselves.
The Historic Park is located on the international road E70 with direct access from the highway. It has a large free parking for cars and charging stations for electric cars.
To conclude, the Historical Park features:
- Authentic architecture built only with inherent materials of the era: stone, wood, marble and ceramics.
- It is not only the biggest, but also the only attraction that covers such a long period of time and such significant events and eras for mankind. According to the world's largest open-air museum organization, EXARC, Historical Park is unique in its kind and scale and is a revolutionary product as it combines culture with entertainment.
- A complete experience for its visitors with a lasting and intense impact on all senses - visual, audio and kinesthetic, immersed in the atmosphere of different historical periods and a combination of cultural, religious, wine, gourmet, adventure and other types of tourism.
- Flexible opportunities for organizing and holding various cultural and mass events. In 2020, for the first time in the world, a Thracian royal feast was presented in front of the only restored Thracian palace in the world, which is located in the Thracian area of the Historical Park.
- Respect of nature: Historical Park is the only site with fully biodegradable waste, as well as other techniques for sustainable development.
- Focus on restoring human health: the Park offers opportunities for recreational activities such as relaxation in the vast park spaces, proximity to water, hippo-therapy.
- Ideal infrastructure for attracting a large flow of local and foreign tourists.
Follow the evolution of the Historical Park on:
Website of the Historical Park: https://ipark.bg/en-US
Facebook page of the ‘Historical Park”: https://www.facebook.com/ipark.bg/
Instagram "Historical Park": https://www.instagram.com/historicalpark
Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC17h1IoNyOlWXsUe-Ffg6mg
For media inquiries:
Ralitsa Petrova: +359 884 618 648; ralitsa.petrova@ipark.bg
