Shumen: Fortress, Museums and History

Shumen Between Fortress, Culture and Nature

Shumen brings together the city’s history, museums and nature. When looking for a hotel in Shumen, it helps to decide what you want to focus on: the fortress and its medieval history, a particular museum collection, the Memorial to Bulgarian history, or the Shumen Plateau? These places offer different experiences and make it possible to plan a themed visit, from architecture and music to landscapes and protected nature.

Fortress and Historical Collections

The Shumen Fortress is an open-air museum. The fortress is open year-round. In the Late Middle Ages, it developed into one of the most important urban centers of the Second Bulgarian Empire. Tourist trails lead to the fortress from Kyoshkovete Park; it can also be reached via a maintained asphalt road. Guided talks are offered in Bulgarian, Russian and English. Confirm the current details of these visitor services before your visit.

Museums with Different Areas of Focus

The Shumen Regional History Museum has collections of weapons, jewelry, numismatics, old printed books, icons, church objects, ethnography and film posters. The Dobri Voynikov House Museum is an architectural monument from the Bulgarian National Revival period, built in 1862. The Pancho Vladigerov Museum Complex is dedicated to music and to the life and work of Pancho Vladigerov. An exhibition at the Srebrova House presents Shumen’s ethnic diversity.

The Regional History Museum covers many areas of collecting; the other houses each have a narrower focus. This means you can choose based on whether you prefer a broad collection, a historic building, music or the subject of ethnic diversity.

The Memorial to Bulgarian History

The “Creators of the Bulgarian State” Memorial is located in Shumen, on the Shumen Plateau, 450 meters above sea level. It traces Bulgarian history through sculptures, excerpts from ancient inscriptions, an open-air mosaic and original artifacts. The combination of visual works, written records and original objects offers several ways to explore the same historical subject.

Shumen Plateau and Nature

The Shumen Plateau Protected Area covers 3,896 hectares and was designated in 1980 to protect plant and animal species, the plateau landscape, and areas suitable for recreation and tourism. The area has 11 marked tourist routes, shelters, pavilions, picnic furniture, and places to stay overnight and eat. Around the Shumen Fortress are meadows suitable for nature outings.

Here, conservation and recreation go hand in hand: the landscape and species objectives describe the area’s conservation purpose, while the marked routes and rest facilities are part of its tourist infrastructure.

Kabiyuk: Stud Farm, Museum and Residence

The Kabiyuk Stud Farm is near Konyovets, 13 kilometers from the center of Shumen. The grounds include a horse museum, the Battenberg summer residence and an icon exhibition. Observing horses and foals requires booking in advance, so plan this activity before your visit.

Discover more destinations: Preselka, Veliki Preslav, Kaspichan.

Go to the regional travel overview: Shumen Province.