Founders of the Bulgarian State

The Founders of the Bulgarian State, also known as 1,300 Years of Bulgaria, is an architectural complex dedicated to the 1,300th anniversary of the foundation of the Bulgarian state. The monument stands in Shumen, high on the Shumen Plateau, at an altitude of 450 metres. It opened in November 1981.

The process of creating the monument began with Order No. 23 of 14 March 1977 issued by the Bureau of the Council of Ministers, which approved its construction. A competition for a conceptual design was announced in May 1978, and the jury selected five of the fifteen entries. Preparatory work was carried out during the cold months of 1979–1980, including 1,000 boreholes for blasting the rock masses. On 31 January 1979, a capsule containing a message to future generations was placed in one of the boreholes.

The monument is built of more than 50,000 cubic metres of concrete and recreates important moments in Bulgarian history from the 7th to the 10th century. It consists of eight concrete structures forming two semi-enclosed halls. Prominent in the composition are sculptures of the Bulgarian rulers Asparuh, Tervel, Krum, Omurtag, Boris I and Simeon I. The large sculpture of Khan Asparuh forms a focal point, depicting him driving his sword into the ground and declaring: 'Here shall be Bulgaria! Beneath this sky, upon this land.'

The statues of Tervel, Krum and Omurtag are positioned at a height of 18 metres and represent the rulers who consolidated the Bulgarian state. Excerpts from old Byzantine chronicles surround them. Khan Tervel, the first Bulgarian diplomat, is depicted as the saviour of Constantinople in 705. Khan Krum is shown with hands embodying restraint, while Tsar Omurtag is presented as a builder and philosopher who secured a 30-year peace treaty with Byzantium. Prince Boris I, who introduced Christianity to Bulgaria in 864, also appears in the composition.

The Golden Age Hall contains a sculpture of Tsar Simeon the Great, who ruled Bulgaria from 893 to 927 and transformed it into one of Europe's greatest states during the period known in Bulgarian history as the Golden Age. Figures of Clement, Naum and Angelarius, boyars and warriors also appear in this hall, while the mosaics incorporate runic writing, Glagolitic and Cyrillic.

The Founders of the Bulgarian State monument is an imposing architectural structure and an important symbol of Bulgarian history and culture.