Hi Sarah
Here's a snippet from an article we published a couple of years ago:
Within the municipality there are two protected natural areas. The first is the Ormana countryside, just 2 kms from Yambol city, which is known for meadow-saffron and loddon lilies. The second is the Forestry Park on Borovets Hill.
The History Museum contains interesting displays of artefacts of the region from Neolithic times to the present day (over 100,000 exhibits are one display). The museum is located on Byalo More Str.
There are some examples of Mycenaean ceramics and clay seals on display at Drama Village, 30 kms outside of Yambol.
The St Georgi Church was built in 1737. It contains an impressive wooden iconostasis by maistors of the Debar school icon painters. A monastery school was opened in 1805. During the Russian-Turkish War the church was completely destroyed by fire, but was later restored in 1882. The church is located on St Georgi Str. in the town.
The covered market of Bezisten, in Osvobozhdenie Square, is one of the most well preserved and interesting monuments from the latter half of the 15th century. It was restored in 1970-73 and reorganised into a souvenir palace.
The Georgi Papazov Art Gallery, on Tsar Samuil Str. contains over 3,000 works of art by top Bulgarian and foreign artists. It is housed in an antique building which is interesting in itself.
Yambol also has two theatres - the Theatre of Drama, and the Muppet Theatre.
OUT AND ABOUT:
Kabile Monastery lies 6 kms away from Yambol, near the Kabile Archaeology Reserve. The monastery is named ‘The Birth of God’s Mother’, and is known for its well-kept garden with many plants and flowers. Pilgrims are drawn to the monastery’s holy spring, as it is believed it will bring them health and long life. Kabile was a prominent religious centre during the 4-5th centuries. During the reign of Emperor St Constantine the Great, there was also a monastery in the area, about 1 km away from the present day Archaeology Reserve. Legend has it that Queen Elena used to send people to fetch water from the holy spring for her. The present monastery was gradually built around the chapel, construction beginning in 1914 and finishing in 1944.
At the moment the monastery is run by a nun, and has just four other nuns living there. The monastery offers accommodation for up to 50 people.
Kabile Archaeology Reserve can be found 6 kms north of Yambol. Inside the Reserve you can find the preserved ruins of the Thracian town of Kabile. Kabile was built in the region of the Zaychi Vrah peak, which was home to a sanctuary dedicated to the goddess Artemida Phosphoros. The image of the goddess can still be seen on one of the rocks at the sanctuary. During this time, the river Tundzha was still navigable, and Kabile had close contacts with the nearby town of Sevtopolis. Sevtopolis is now under the waters of the Koprinka dam!
The archaeological remains at Kabile are well worth seeing. There is a museum at the Reserve which is open from 8 am - 8 pm in the summer, and 10 am - 4 pm in the winter. There is a bus from Yambol which runs to the museum 9 times a day.
Wed May 19, 2010 12:43 am
