Much can be said about the little village of Bunovo that cannot go unnoticed in the upper part of the Galabets Area in the Balkan Mountain. The oldest road across the Balkan Mountain used to go through this village. The beautiful view from the road towards the place reminds of an advertisement card that should make tourists dream of a life in pure nature, the murmur of river and the sound of cowbells.

Even a brief stay in Bunovo reveals that wise people live here, keeping the legacy of their ancestors. They show great respect and gratitude towards the memory of the heroes who died for Bulgaria’s Liberation from Ottoman yoke. There is not one but three monuments in the village dedicated to the heroes. It is not accidental that the Vassil Levski memorial complex is situated near Bunovo and people with patriotic sentiment gather here. This is one of the largest monuments of the Bulgarian Apostle of Freedom. It was built in 2008 at the initiative of ​​renowned historian Doyno Doynov, who was born in Bunovo. It is here in the Srednogorie Area where the liberation struggle started in the 19th century. The impressive figure of Levski now throws a look at the rebellious Srednogorie region. People from Bunovo say that nature here impressed famous Bulgarian poet Luben Karavelov to write the iconic “Hubava Si Moya Goro” (You are Beautiful, My Forest).

Citizens of Sofia often want to buy houses in the village. The bed of the Bunovchitsa River is regularly cleaned and people are not afraid of floods, like those in other Bulgarian towns. The giant stone railway bridge nearby has long been a favorite place for fans of bungee jumping, who often visit Bunovo.

But what makes the strongest impression is the hospitality of the local people. They often gather in the community center to learn a new song or organize a holiday. The local authentic folk band of “Sokolov Kamik" has a mission – its members collect old songs from manuscripts. Head of the Svetlina community center Milena Petrovska told us more about the willingness of local people to keep traditions and culture alive.

"The band has a rich repertoire and there is also a mummers group in the community center. Some 40 people participate in it. Our costumes are authentic. We aim at expanding the activities of the community center but unfortunately there are few young people. We make efforts in order to make them feel the need of folk culture, because in a number of villages people are losing the authenticity of their culture and traditions.”

Petrana Racheva also sings in the choir. Her family tree includes a number renowned people and the woman is happy with the family meeting she organized this year in the school yard.

"Everyone from my family has sought to learn, to be educated,” Petra Racheva says. “In my family there are engineers, lawyers, agronomists and many teachers. We gathered not just to eat and drink, but to raise money for the restoration of the dome of the village church. This was the first church in Bulgaria, built above ground, not buried in it, as were the requirements of the Ottoman Empire at that time. This year we celebrate 180 years since its construction. The building of the Bunovo School also has rich history. It was built by Racho Stoyanov from Dryanovo, who sought to continue the traditions of unsurpassed master builder Kolyo Ficheto. It took 10 months to build the school with the volunteer work of all the villagers. Unfortunately nowadays the Bunovo school is deserted, there are no children, and the building is locked. "

The village of Bunovo is located under the legendary Baba Mount, where a monument dedicated to those who fell in the Russo-Turkish War /1877-78/ is located. Each year, on March 3 when Bulgaria celebrates its national holiday, Bunovo villagers climb the peak to pay respect to the memory of the heroes who died for the freedom of Bulgaria.

English: Alexander Markov