Sarafkina Kâshta

Veliko Târnovo

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Built for a wealthy banker in 1861, this National Revival–style house-museum spans five storeys. Within, 19th-century earrings, bracelets and other delicate silverware are on display, alongside antique ceramics, woodcarvings and traditional costumes and jewellery.

Sarafkina Kâshta offers insights into the wigged world of Veliko Târnovo's 19th-century society women, a ball-frequenting, fashioned-focused crowd devoted to following the latest point-lace techniques from Western Europe. It's a tantalising glimpse of moneyed Veliko Târnovo society during its golden age.

Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

  • Tsarevets fortress, Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria, Europe

    Tsarevets Fortress

    0.57 MILES

    The inescapable symbol of Veliko Târnovo, this reconstructed fortress dominates the skyline and is one of Bulgaria’s most beloved monuments. The former…

  • Samovodska Charshiya

    Samovodska Charshiya

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    During its 19th-century heyday, this lane hosted dozens of vendors from local villages, who carefully laid fruit and vegetables, butter and cheeses onto…

  • Asenevtsi Monument

    Asenevtsi Monument

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    In the shape of a sky-piercing sword and dominating Veliko Târnovo's river views, this 1985 monument celebrates medieval Bulgarian might. The horsemen…

  • Ulitsa General Gurko

    Ulitsa General Gurko

    0.02 MILES

    The oldest street in Veliko Târnovo, ul Gurko is a must-stroll with arresting views towards the Yantra River and Asen Monument. Its charmingly crumbling…

  • Forty Martyrs Church

    Forty Martyrs Church

    0.5 MILES

    The Forty Martyrs Church, in the old Asenova quarter, was built in 1230 to celebrate Tsar Asen II’s victory over the Byzantines. It was used as a royal…

  • Church of Sveti Dimitâr

    Church of Sveti Dimitâr

    0.61 MILES

    Across the river, enclosed by a high wall, is Târnovo’s oldest church, the beautifully proportioned Church of Sveti Dimitâr. Built in the so-called…

  • Multimedia Visitors Centre

    Multimedia Visitors Centre

    0.12 MILES

    Eerily lifelike wax figures of medieval characters are the main attraction of this museum en route to Tsarevets Fortress. Between waxy visages of peasants…

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Nearby Veliko Târnovo attractions

1. Ulitsa General Gurko

0.02 MILES

The oldest street in Veliko Târnovo, ul Gurko is a must-stroll with arresting views towards the Yantra River and Asen Monument. Its charmingly crumbling…

2. Veliko Târnovo Archaeological Museum

0.11 MILES

Housed in a grand old building with a courtyard full of Roman sculptures, the museum contains Roman artefacts and medieval Bulgarian exhibits, including a…

3. Multimedia Visitors Centre

0.12 MILES

Eerily lifelike wax figures of medieval characters are the main attraction of this museum en route to Tsarevets Fortress. Between waxy visages of peasants…

4. State Art Museum

0.12 MILES

Named for an early 20th-century Veliko Târnovo artist, this gallery is housed in a grand neoclassical building near the Asen Monument, in a tight bend of…

5. Church of Sveta Bogoroditsa

0.15 MILES

Faded frescoes are the principal draw at the Church of Sveta Bogoroditsa, the town’s main cathedral. Located just off ul Ivan Vazov, the church’s large…

7. Samovodska Charshiya

0.17 MILES

During its 19th-century heyday, this lane hosted dozens of vendors from local villages, who carefully laid fruit and vegetables, butter and cheeses onto…

8. Asenevtsi Monument

0.18 MILES

In the shape of a sky-piercing sword and dominating Veliko Târnovo's river views, this 1985 monument celebrates medieval Bulgarian might. The horsemen…