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EXPEDITION TO SHIPKA PEAK IN HONOUR OF 3 MARCH
06 April 2019
Students and lecturers from the Varna Free University "Chernorizets Hrabar" went to an expedition to the historic Shipka peak. It was initiated by the Russian Center at the University and the Student Council. On the national holiday of Bulgaria - March 3, students from five nationalities put a wreath on the legendary monument - a symbol of Bulgarian freedom and commemorated the memory of the thousands of Russian warriors and Bulgarian volunteers who died in the Russo-Turkish War of Liberation from 1877-1878.
During the expedition the young people had prepared interesting historical facts about the Samara flag - the national sanctuary of the country, made and donated to the Bulgarian volunteers by the inhabitants of the Russian city of Samara. The young people learned about the heroism of the volunteers who kept the flag at the cost of their lives. The story of the last colour bearer Nikola Korchev, a street in the sea capital is named after him, is really a curious one.
The expedition visited Stara Zagora, the city where the most decisive fights in the Russo-Turkish Liberation War were conducted. It is in this city that the Bulgarian volunteer force and the Samara flag had their first taste of gunpowder. At the Regional History Museum in Stara Zagora the students had the opportunity to see a copy of the Bulgarian flag, which is said to have more blood than stitches. It is no coincidence that it is also the first flag which won a medal of courage. The students were told the story about the burning of Stara Zagora in the fights for the city. At the memorial complex "Stara Zagora's Defenders" they put flowers and observed a minute’s silence in commemoration of the victims.During the expedition the young people had prepared interesting historical facts about the Samara flag - the national sanctuary of the country, made and donated to the Bulgarian volunteers by the inhabitants of the Russian city of Samara. The young people learned about the heroism of the volunteers who kept the flag at the cost of their lives. The story of the last colour bearer Nikola Korchev, a street in the sea capital is named after him, is really a curious one.
More interesting and forgotten stories were prepared by the students - after the Liberation the Bulgarian people built several monuments in recognition of the Russian wars. Among them are today's Bulgarian symbols - the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in Sofia and Dormition of the Mother of God Cathedral in Varna. The Russian people donated money to build a monument at the foot of Shipka Peak - Shipka Monastery - built by the idea of Olga Skobeleva - the mother of the White General Mikhail Skobelev and Count Nikolay Pavlovich Ignatiev - called the Knight of the Balkans for his active participation in the signing of the San Stefano Peace Treaty. The students learned that the bells of the temple were cast off from the cannon balls collected from the battles. The largest bell, weighing 12 tons, was donated by the Russian Emperor, and 45 bridges were forged from Russia to Bulgaria in order to be transported.
The expedition to Shipka is held annually, it has been organized for more than 10 times.
Time has passed, but there is no forgetting about the Russian warriors - proud ancestors.
There is no sweeter, less dear, and no more faithful, more paternal shield from the Bulgarian-Russian Slavic Brotherhood, burned with fire and blood, and granite.
The text cut at the foot of Shipka - The Monument of Freedom
There is no sweeter, less dear, and no more faithful, more paternal shield from the Bulgarian-Russian Slavic Brotherhood, burned with fire and blood, and granite.
The text cut at the foot of Shipka - The Monument of Freedom
