Bulgarian Culture

Bulgaria is a land steeped in tradition. Many of its ancient traditions are still practiced today, little changed from many years ago. This section of our website is designed for those of you interested in acquiring knowledge about the traditions of celebrating some past Bulgarian customs and rites. Here are represented some of the most significant religious and national traditions celebrated from far-distant times up until the middle of 20th century.

Generally, the Bulgarian folklore is an aspect of a tradition associated with the agrarian times of society and involving forms of artistic creativity. As such can be described the following: bulgarian music and folk art, bulgarian songs and dances mostly, the oral tradition in all its various forms - from popular bulgarian folk tales to proverbs and sayings - and the plastic art, which is found in embroidery, stone work, wood-carving, figures shaped on bread, etc. As a whole, this folk art developed until the 2nd half of the 19th century and it has been regarded by the Bulgarian scholars as the classical folklore of the Bulgarian people who have their specific place in the Balkan and European cultural tradition. From the middle of the 19th century on there began a change in the Bulgarian cultural model represented by the establishment of an autonomous artistic culture - literature, music, theatre, etc. During its development, this new model has created a constant interest in folklore. Since then other forms of folk art have appeared and developed in Bulgaria, and they have been most generally connected with the urban tradition of a modern society.