Museums and galleries in Karlovo

Museums and galleries in Karlovo

1. See

   Buhaloviyat Han

   Бухаловият хан

   The name of this handicraft museum translates to Buhalov's Inn, as the building first was built as an inn. There are for instance wool toys, lace, and woodcarvings on display. Also, the decorated building with the second floor coming out of the building a bit is indeed an attraction in itself (it includes a café with nice views of the mountains). The staff of the souvenir shop act as guides and most speak English.

   Winter: Tue-Sat 09:00-17:00; summer: daily 09:00-18:00

2. See

   Daskal Botev's house

   Даскал Ботевата къща

   Hristo Botev, born in the nearby town of Kalofer (where the main memorials to him can be found), was another revolutionary figure just like Levski. His home in Karlovo is also a museum, though not that impressive. The house built around 1800 was named after the nickname of his father, Botyo Petkov (Daskal Botyo, "teacher Botyo").

   Visit at request, ask at the historical museum

3. See

   Historical museum

   Presents Karlovo during Ottoman rule, as well as the independence struggle in the 19th century. The building is a former school from 1871, whose architecture combines national style, baroque and classicist elements.

   Daily 09:00-12:00, 13:00-17:00·3 лв

4. See

   Mazakov's house

   Мазаковата къща

   The ethnographic part of the city museum is in this red house. Showcasing traditional crafts and local life in the late 19th and early 20th century, this is probably the best museum for people who are less interested in Levski and the independence struggle.

   Mon-Fri 09:00-12:00, 13:00-17:00

5. See

   St. Nicholas church

   Свети Никола

   A church in what can be described as "experimental" style (like the nearby historical museum), finished in 1847. It has unusually large windows for its time and a set of columns giving it an Italian appearance.

6. See

   Starinno Karlovo museum

   Старинно Карлово

   This museum is a set of traditional houses with restored interiors. Most require a little effort to visit, there are signs outside each of them with a description of what's displayed on the inside and contact information of the caretaker. To see the indoors, you need to contact them to come and open the house and pay a fee of a couple of leva.

7. See

   Vasil Levski Museum

   Национален музей "Васил Левски"

   Vasil Levski was born in a building from the 18th century at this place, but the current building is a replica from 1933. The house can be admired from the outside and the interior through the windows. There's more to see in the adjacent exhibition hall; documents, objects, paintings and holograms. There's also a memorial chapel with a strand of Levski's hair and a statue of his mother.

   Daily 08:30-13:00, 14:00-17:00·3 лв

Listings from the Wikivoyage guide to Karlovo (CC BY-SA 4.0).