The “Modern History” Room Exhibition

       The exhibition, renovated and updated in 2006, reflects the development of the region of Vratsa until 1918.  The room presents features of the economic, political, and cultural life of Vratsa and Vratsa region during that period.  The main topical areas of the exhibition, illustrated by exhibits, archive and photographic materials are:

            – The industrialization of production and the first industrial enterprises – the carriages and cabriolets factory of Mito Orozov (1899); the metal crates and stoves factory of Stublenski brothers (1899); Plakalnitsa mine, exploited by the Greek company Mavrokordato (1891-1892); the spirits factory of Todor Balabanov in Mezdra (1895); the rope factory of Savovi brothers (1908), etc.

            – The development of various branches of agriculture – the cultivation of grains, vine growing, fruit growing, stock breeding and the expansion of farm markets. Silkworm breeding and silk production kept up the national revival tradition. On display are also the original awards to Vratsa manufacturers from national and world trade fairs in Plovdiv, London, Liege, Saint Luis, Bordeaux, Brussels, Cairo, etc.

            – The extension of the asphalt road network and the development of the railway transport.

            – The acceleration of  the currency turnover leading to the opening of 10 branches of banks and associations in Vratsa, Byala Slatina, Oryahovo and Knezha.

            – Territorial-administrative changes that occurred in Vratsa region from 1878 till 1918 and record of the demographic and  statistical characteristics of the population in Vratsa.

         The exhibition also shows the political development of Vratsa region – the temporary Russian government, the activity of the political parties and the most significant political figures such as Stefanaki Savov, Hadji Vando Boboshevski, Dimitar Beshovishki, Yordan Yonov, Nikola Ivanov, Nikola Yordanov, Dimitar K. Boshnyakov, Nikola Stanev, Ivan Simeonov, Krastyu Pastuhov, Damyan Valchev, Hristo Draganov, etc.

         Considerable attention is drawn to the subject of the involvement of the dwellers of Vratsa with the national liberation struggles and the wars until 1918.  Exhibited there are battle colours, weapons, insignia and awards, personal belongings of participants in the battles.

        The exhibition particularly highlights the educational and cultural development of Vratsa region.  This section presents bright personalities, such as Vasil Kanchov – Director of the High School in Thessaloniki, ethnographer, Minister of Education, founder of the community center in Vratsa, and a public figure; Ivan St. Andreychin – a teacher and writer; the sculptor Prof. Andrey Nikolov; the first mathematician-academician in Bulgaria – Ivan Tsenov Angelov; the first photographers in Vratsa – the brothers Angel and Pavel Chernevi. Displayed also are documents of schools, high schools, community centers from the area of Vratsa, diplomas of prominent people from Vratsa who had received their education abroad, portraits of artists, architects, benefactors and donors, the first tourists, etc.

        Yet another exhibition showing the development of Vratsa region in the period 1918 to 1944 is about to open before long.