Mother Bulgaria War Memorial

The Mother Bulgaria War Memorial was created in memory of the soldiers who died in various battles during the country’s turbulent history.

0053 Mother Bulgaria War Memorial
Local name: Паметник “Майка България”
Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria
GPS: 43.081857, 25. 632296

The Mother Bulgaria War Monument, in the central square of Veliko Tarnovo, is a monument to national pride in the spirit of the country.

Mother Bulgaria War Memorial Archive Photo

The monument was created by sculptor sculptor Svetoslav Yotsov, in memory of the many soldiers who died in various battles during the country’s turbulent history.

At the top of the monument, on a pedestal, is a kneeling woman representing Mother Bulgaria, with a crown on her head. She holds in her right hand, the national flag, and in the left – an olive branch.

Lower on the monument, surrounding the obelisk on four sides, are four bronze statues of soldiers, each one representing a different conflict in Bulgaria’s history.

Russian-Turkish War of 1877-1878
Serbo-Bulgarian War of 1885
First Balkan War of 1912-1913
First World War of 1915-1918

Mother Bulgaria War Memorial - Serbo-Bulgarian War of 1885

Mother Bulgaria War Memorial - Russian-Turkish War of 1877-1878

Mother-Bulgaria-War-Memorial-First-Balkan-War-of-1912-1913

Mother Bulgaria War Memorial - First World War of 1915-1918

In the tomb, at the base of the monument is an eternal flame.

The monument was funded by donations from the citizens of Veliko Tarnovo and it was inaugurated in May 1935.

Mother Bulgaria War Memorial Commemoration Ceremony

Almost immediately after the communists took control of Bulgaria, on September 9th, 1944 the crown was taken down from the head of the statue since it was considered to be a symbol of the monarchy.

It wasn’t until the end of the communist rule in 1989 when the crown was put back in its place.

On 1 November 2012, the 25-kilograms crown, was restored and plated in gold for the the anniversary commemoration of 100 years since the start of the Balkan war.

It is a local secret that the model for the Mother Bulgaria statue at the top of the monument, was actually a local student from Veliko Tarnovo, born in 1911. She was also the sister of the famous Bulgarian artist Vladimir Kavaldzhiev.

Her meeting with the monument’s sculptor, Svetoslav Yotsov, not only changed the look of the monument, but it also changed her life, as she ended up marrying him.

SizzleMap films created in Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria are produced in collaboration with
TAM – Space for Art and Social Initiatives.

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