Arbanassi

The village of Arbanasi lies 3km to the northeast of the former capital of Bulgaria, Veliko Turnovo, perching on a high plateau overseeing the Trapezitsa and Tsarevets hills. The settlement saw its bloom in the 17-18th c. when it grew into a wealthy crafts and trade hub. It was during that period that most of its gorgeous houses were erected. The oldest houses of Arbanasi are made entirely of stone and resemble tiny models of fortresses that cannot be seen anywhere else in Bulgaria. These houses have internal staircases and small windows with metal bars, which strengthen the impression of fortress-like constructions. In 1921, the village was declared a holiday complex via a royal decree, while since 2000, it has been recognized as “a historical village” of national importance. The architectural museum that the entire Arbanasi represents has 144 renovated houses, 5 churches with rich internal decoration and 2 monasteries. Apart from the abundance of tourist sights, the village also offers plenty of hotels and nice restaurants to its visitors. The village of Arbanasi belongs to Veliko Tarnovo Municipality, Veliko Tarnovo region. The republic of Bulgaria is divided into 28 administrative units, called regions. One of them is region with administrative centre the town of Veliko Tarnovo. A governor appointed by the prime minister governs the region. The region is divided into 10 municipalities, which pursue the local municipal administration. Mayors and municipal council govern the municipalities. These municipalities are: Veliko Tarnovo, Gorna Oryahovitsa, Lyaskovets, Elena, Zlataritsa, Pavlikeni, Polski Trambesh, Svishtov, Strajitsa and Suhin dol.All municipalities from Veliko Tarnovo region keep up an international correspondence with over 20 cities from Europe, USA, Asia and Africa.  The Veliko Tarnovo municipality is located in Central North part of Bulgaria. The administrative centre Veliko Tarnovo is situated at a picturesque hollow between Dunav River and Stara Planina Mountain, through which passes Yantra River. The river has formed three peninsulas – Tsarevets, Trapezitsa ans Sveta Gora. On these hills is built the impregnable unique town. Here cross the main roads connecting West Bulgaria to East Bulgaria (Sofia – 241 km; Varna – 228 km) and North to South Bulgaria (Ruse – 107 km; Stara Zagora – 126 km), which makes the town a main road junction. In Gorna Oryahovitsa (7 km away) are located an airport and the biggest railway station in North Bulgaria. The unique geographical position and infrastructure of Veliko Tarnovo make it an important administrative, economic and communication centre of contemporary Bulgaria.
To see the exact location of the village of Arbanasi on the map, please click on:http://bgmaps.com/map.asp?sid=67decf8a1bde1bbc237231135124b1bd&key=&keyid=&tplname=&grid=batlas