House-museum of Ivan Vazov – Sofia

The house-museum of Ivan Vazov in Sofia is situated in the center of the Bulgarian capital, on the corner of the streets G.S.Rakovski and Ivan Vazov. A few days after Vazov died on September 22, 1921, the Minister of Education Mr. Stoian Omarchevski put forward in the National Assembly a detailed report including reasons for turning the Vazov’z home into a museum. Five years later on November 26, 1926 the first Bulgarian literature museum was officially opened. Its first curator was the writer Elin Pelin, who managed the Vazov’s home for 20 years. The house was constructed in 1895 and this is the place where the patriarch of Bulgarian literature spent many years of his life and created lots of works. Today, one of the rooms has gathered an art-documentary exposition where some of the unique gifts and awards received by the writer for his anniversaries in 1895 and 1920 may be seen. A broad wooden staircase leads to the upper floor and above its parapet the visitors may enjoy some greetings with the original signatures of Prof. Ivan Shishmanov, Adriana Budevska, Ian Markvishka, Georgi Raichev, Ivan Lazarov and Elin Pelin. The cabinet of Ivan Vazov is located on the second floor and still keeps the working table and the private library of the writer, as well as personal belongings, pictures, portraits and goods that create an incredible atmosphere. The living room is also on the second floor, as it is known that Vazov has had hours-long and intimate talks with his friends Prof. Ivan Shishmanov and Konstantin Velichkov. Next to the living room is the room of Vazov’s mother – Saba, with the unique icon the Assumption of Holy Mary. On the first floor, next to the door leading to the yard, is located the family dining room. The chair on which Vazov sit during his last lunch is marked with a black ribbon. Thanks to UNESCO a big restoration of the house was made in 2001.