Razgrad Province

• Razgrad has a Regional History Museum, an art gallery and several historic buildings.
• The Sboryanovo Reserve is in Isperih Municipality; marked hiking and cycling trails are available there.
• The Thracian Tomb of Sveshtari is open to visitors for an admission fee. Check access arrangements and closing days.
• The Voden Hunting Reserve covers 14,469 hectares in Razgrad Municipality.

The Regional History Museum in Razgrad has four themed exhibitions: an archaeological exhibition, an ethnographic exhibition, the Stanka and Nikola Ikonomov Museum Collection, and the museum house of composer Dimitar Nenov. The archaeological exhibition features movable cultural heritage dating from the Late Paleolithic to the end of the Second Bulgarian Empire. This provides a broad overview across a long period; the other sections focus on ethnographic subjects, the collection mentioned above and the museum house.

The Professor Iliya Petrov Gallery owns more than 3,500 works of fine art. Historic buildings in the city include the Clock Tower, built in the 18th century and remodelled into its present form in 1864, and the Church of St Nicholas the Wonderworker, built in 1860 and remodelled in 1903. The Ibrahim Pasha Mosque has a different history: construction began in 1530 on the orders of Grand Vizier Ibrahim Pasha.

Momina Cheshma is another distinctive feature of the cityscape: the cast-iron sculpture depicts a girl in ancient clothing with a hydria on her shoulder and stands on a stone pedestal. Together, the museum, gallery and buildings offer different starting points for a culture-focused trip, without limiting you to a single period.

The Sboryanovo Historical and Archaeological Reserve stretches across the western part of the Ludogorsko Plateau along the Krapinets River valley, between Malki Porovets and Sveshtari, in Isperih Municipality. A marked hiking trail leads from the visitor centre to Demir Baba Teke. The reserve also has a marked cross-country cycling route. When planning your time there, you can therefore choose between a walk to this destination and a cycling route within the reserve.

An important archaeological structure in this area is the Thracian Tomb of Sveshtari. Built in the first quarter of the 3rd century BC, it has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1985. The combination of a historic site and marked trails gives Sboryanovo a different focus from the museums and buildings in Razgrad.

The tomb is open to visitors for an admission fee. Access is restricted from March to November; it is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. Guided tours are available in English, Russian and German. Bear this information in mind when including a visit in your travel plans.

The tomb can be reached from Sveshtari or Malki Porovets via a maintained paved road that crosses the Sboryanovo Reserve. A visitor centre for the Sveshtari Thracian Tomb is located in Isperih Municipality, about 7 km away. It has a car park, souvenirs, and informational and promotional materials.

The Voden Hunting Reserve covers 14,469 hectares in Razgrad Municipality. The area is characterised by centuries-old forests and clear reservoirs, and offers opportunities for hunting and recreation. The landscape is the main focus here, while Sboryanovo is defined by its archaeological sites and marked routes.

For more detailed information within the province, see the pages for Razgrad, Getsovo, Tzar Kaloyan and Isperih. If you would like to explore other provinces separately, you can also visit the pages for Montana Province, Haskovo Province, Kyustendil Province and Silistra Province.

What exhibitions are there at the Regional History Museum?

There is an archaeological exhibition, an ethnographic exhibition, the Stanka and Nikola Ikonomov Museum Collection, and the Dimitar Nenov museum house.

When is the Sveshtari Tomb open?

Access is available for an admission fee and is restricted from March to November. The tomb is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.

How do you get to the Sveshtari Tomb?

From Sveshtari or Malki Porovets, a maintained paved road leads through the Sboryanovo Reserve to the tomb.

For the main travel overview: Bulgaria.