Jeravna

"The World of Mimi - Friendship Overland!"

JERAVNA - ONE VILLAGE COMING FROM THE PAST

The village of Jeravna resembles a wreath spread over the southern slopes of two small hills in the Eastern Balkan Range.

Brooks run softly down its steep lanes. The village house with their broad eaves peak out behind high stonewalls. The majority are well preserved. All are modeled on the "wooden type" house prevalent in the entire region of the Eastern Balkan Range. A characteristic feature is that all Jeravna houses, without exception, face south - with extensive facades in the yard's northern part, far from the street when it passes south of them, and houses turned the other way, but close to the street if it runs to the north.

The older houses have single storey and made entirely out of wood. Later houses, with two stories, have their ground floor built of stone. The facades have clearly horizontal lines, emphasized by the forward brought second floor and the strongly jutting out eaves. They are entirely surrounded by verandas, leading to the living quarters, with the storerooms and hiding places behind them.

Rosettes, star-shaped figures, stylized plant and animal motifs decorate the cupboards, shelves, walls, ceilings and doors. Winding staircases, chapels, colourful rugs and cushions lend a still greater fascination to the Jeravna house.

Do not miss seeing the houses of Sava Filaretov (1851), Hadji Draganov (1851), Haltukov (1818), Todor Ikonomov (first half of the 19th c.), Roussi Chorbadji (18th-19th c.) and Matei Gendov (second half of the 19th c.), as well as the native museum house of the great writer and playwright of the start of the century Yordan Yovkov (late 18th c.). The large rooms in the Sava Filaretov, Roussi Chorbadji and Haltukov houses are exceptional achievements as regards the interior design of the Bulgarian "wooden type" National Revival period house.

The sofa frames are richly carved, fretwork shelves hang above friezes of rosettes, and appliqué geometrical forms of different coloured wood cover the cupboards and window shutters.

Colourful rugs and carpets, curtains, painted chests, tin-plated dishes, ceramics, carved tables and tripods emanate the warmth of generations of Bulgarians taking pride in turning their home into a world of peace, cosines and beauty.

Kotel and Jeravna, 14 km away from each other, are villages close in spirit and lifestyle - two mutually supplementing truths of a period of time.

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Last update:23 febbraio 2007