Report to ARCH network- Bulgaria

BULGARIA EXCHANGE
9 – 16 May 2010
Report to Arch network
Mia Scott
Project Director
Highland Buildings Preservation Trust
10 Bank Street
Inverness
IV1 1QY
Acknowledgements
Sheila Roberts of Archnetwork who organised the exchange
Nicky Boyd, Andy Buntin, Nicola Hill, Victoria Garrington and Phil Richardson, my
colleagues on the exchange visit who provided such good company and stimulating
discussion
The Leonardo da Vinci programme of the European Commission without whose support
this exchange would not have happened
The Eyjafjallajokull volcano which didn’t manage to disrupt our flights!
Stara Planina Regional Tourist Association, our hosts in Bulgaria
And finally, our wonderful guide, Velislava Chilingirova, who gave her time, knowledge
and friendship so freely throughout the exchange
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Introduction
This exchange visit from Scotland to Bulgaria was organised by Archnetwork, a non
governmental organisation based in Scotland, promoting learning and development
between Scotland and other European countries. It was part of the ICHI 2010
(Innovation in Cultural Heritage Interpretation) programme which seeks to give those
who work in the heritage sector in Scotland the opportunity to learn from and share
ideas with our European partners. ICHI is sponsored by the European Commission’s
Leonardo da Vinci programme for vocational training.
The exchange took place between 9-16 May 2010 and our hosts in Bulgaria were the
Stara Planina Regional Tourist Association (RTA). Stara Planina RTA is a non
governmental, not for profit organisation, established in 1996 to support the sustainable
development of tourism within the Stara Planina region. Stara Planina RTA is the founder
of the Bulgarian Association for Alternative Tourism (BAAT).
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First impressions
The first thing that strikes the visitor to Bulgaria is that it is a country of contrasts.
Departing from the sleek steel and glass architecture of Terminal 2 at Sofia airport you
are almost immediately confronted with the gaggle of ramshackle vernacular buildings
that are home to the marginalised Roma community and its assortment of mule carts,
chickens and children. Travelling into the centre of Sofia on the main highway you find
that icon of East European transport, the Trabant, alongside Maserati garages, BMWs and
massive black four by fours, their inhabitants concealed in anonymity behind smoked glass
windows. In the city centre itself you find desperate poverty, predominantly women,
begging for money or raking through the litterbins, alongside the five star comforts of
Sofia’s newest hotel, the Arena di Serdica, with its beautifully preserved archaeological
remains of the ancient Roman amphitheatre of Serdica.
Remains of the Roman amphitheatre, preserved
within a private sector hotel development
The Arena di Serdica Hotel, Sofia (where we
didn’t stay!)
Throughout the exchange, Bulgaria continued to reveal herself as a country of contrasts,
thankfully not always as uncomfortable as the gap between rich and poor; the contrast
between the baking heat of the Thracian plains and the lush coolness of the Balkan Hills;
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the contrast between the fine architecture and decorative wood carving of the National
Revival buildings and the Brutalist apartment blocks dating from the communist era; the
contrast between the dereliction of much of Gabrovo’s nineteenth century industrial
heritage with the immaculately restored watermills at the Etara Architectural and
Ethnographic complex. The contrast between Bulgaria and Scotland and how each
country protects and presents its built heritage added yet another dimension and
generated much discussion amongst the participants during the week.
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Sofia
What is remarkable about Sofia is its extraordinarily rich built heritage and the delightful
juxtaposition of Roman remains, Byzantine churches, mosques, markets and monumental
public buildings that define Sofia’s 21st century townscape.
Layers of history in Sofia: the remoins of 2nd century Roman Serdica, the 6th century Rotunda of Sveti
Georgi, set in a courtyard between the Sheraton Hotel and the Presidency
Since “the changes” (as our hosts euphemistically referred to the end of the communist
era) Sofia has embraced the culture of consumerism and the proliferation of cranes on
the skyline gives little indication of the effects of the global downturn. There is also no
immediate evidence of a buildings at risk problem in the city centre, by way of contrast
to some of our Scottish cities. Interestingly, when historic buildings and monuments
become redundant it seems to be accepted Bulgarian practice to preserve them as
museums, of which there is a plethora, both in the capital and across the country. This is
likely to be more a reflection of the full employment policy of the communist era than
demand for more museums and is in direct contrast to the way buildings at risk are
tackled in Scotland, where new museums are difficult to develop because of revenue
funding issues. This emerged as a recurrent theme throughout the exchange, where we
found museums with comparatively high numbers of staff, paid for by the state, but little
funding available for projects or interpretation. Scottish practice is almost diametrically
opposed, with very few opportunities for core funding but a variety of sources of project
funding which can be accessed with varying degrees of creativity to make things happen.
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Despite the apparent lack of buildings at risk in the city centre, Sofia did provide the
unusual example of a redundant mosque! This is the former Buyuk Dzhamiya, or Grand
Mosque, which has now been converted into the wonderful Archaeological Museum, and
which gave us a foretaste of the medieval sites and treasures that we were going to see
in the Valley of the Thracian Kings. The Ottoman Turks took control over Bulgaria in the
late fourteenth century and this former mosque dates from 1494. It appears as though
the mosque became redundant shortly after Bulgaria achieved independence from
Ottoman rule in 1878 and it was converted into the Archaeological Museum in 1894.
Our guide, Velislava, pointed out the base of the former minaret which is just visible on
the exterior elevation and now functions as a chimney!
The former Buyuk Dzhamiya Mosque, Sofia, now
the Archaeological Museum
The group outside the Archaeological Museum,
Redundant churches, as opposed to mosques, are a particular problem in Scotland. In
addition to the Scottish Redundant Churches Trust, a building preservation trust set up
specifically to tackle redundant churches, there are dedicated grant schemes for church
buildings. In Sofia, we visited a number of churches, including the Aleksandur Nevsky
Memorial Church (1878) and the Russian Church (1914), both of which remain well
used and in good condition, although this could be in part due to their location in the
capital. The health of the wider ecclesiastical heritage of Bulgaria is not known.
The frescoes in the entrance of the Aleksandur
Nevsky Memorial Church, Sofia
The richly gilded and decorated Russian Church,
Sofia
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In Scotland, church congregations are declining, church buildings are often not well
maintained and church closures are proceeding apace with many parishes now having to
share ministers. In Bulgaria, the Orthodox Church appears to remain an important part of
the country’s social fabric, which, according to the Dorling Kindersley Eye Witness Travel
Guide to Bulgaria (2008), is due to its role in nurturing the Bulgarian language and culture
during the Ottoman era.
It is notable that many of Scotland’s churches are now locked for fear of theft or
vandalism, whereas Bulgarian churches are well used by throughout the day and there is
a steady stream of worshippers coming in to light a candle or to pray. Photography inside
Bulgarian churches is forbidden out of respect for worshippers, so we were unable to
record the richly decorated and atmospheric interiors of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church
with their candle lighting, magnificent iconography, frescoes and wood carvings. A
highlight later in the exchange was the visit to the Shipka Memorial Church where we
were able to observe the Orthodox service as part of the festival day. This evocative
experience was in many ways more meaningful than any interpretation could have been.
On day two in Sofia we spent an enjoyable morning with the curators of the National
Polytechnic Museum which highlighted the differences in practice between Bulgaria and
Scotland and the current Bulgarian Ministry of Culture policy to fund museum staff rather
than projects. Several members of the museum staff were available to guide us through
the exhibitions and demonstrate some of the quirkier laboratory instruments in the
collection, which considerably enhanced the visitor experience.
In the grounds of the National Polytechnic Museum however was a pair of abandoned
single storey, semi detached villas. The Director of the Museum advised that these were
the former homes of the philosopher, Danov and the former head of the Communist
Party, Dimitrov. These buildings at risk are clearly of some social significance locally if not
nationally, and offer great potential for a Building Preservation Trust repair and re-use
project as happens in Scotland, but no funding is available for such projects in Bulgaria. It
would also appear that due to the continuing dominance of the state there is not yet a
well developed voluntary sector in Bulgaria. There is scope for further co-operation
between Bulgaria and Scotland to explore whether the BPT model could operate
successfully in Bulgaria, notwithstanding our differences in terms of property ownership.
Buildings at risk at the Polytechnic Museum, Sofia
The former Mineral Baths of Sofia, by architects
Petko Momchilov and Friedrich Grunanger 1913
Interestingly we learned that the former mineral baths of Sofia are currently undergoing
conversion to become a museum and a spa centre. The naturally occurring warm mineral
waters have been used since Roman times but it is unknown whether public access to
the waters will be retained post conversion. The building itself is a remarkable confection
of Byzantine influences coupled with the colourful floral tile designs of the National
Revival architecture of Bulgaria.
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Kazanluk and the Valley of the Thracian Kings
The journey east from Sofia is remarkable in itself as the road winds its way through the
thickly wooded foothills of the Balkan Hills, opening out into the walnut lined roads of
the Thracian plain, flanked by the lavender and rose fields that support Bulgaria’s rose oil
industry. As the road approaches Kazanluk, it is only on closer inspection that the rich
heritage of the great Thracian civilisation is revealed. Scattered across the landscape are
the low grassy mounds of the domed tombs of the former Thracian kings who were
buried in this area in the fourth century BC. It is understood that there are over 1500
Thracian tombs in the area of which only c.50 have been excavated to date. The
Kazanluk tomb is recognised by UNESCO as a world heritage site for its unique scheme
of mural decoration, depicting the funerary ritual followed by the ancient Thracians.
Detail of the mural paintings in the Kazanluk tomb
The distinctive shape of Thracian tombs in the
landscape around Kazanluk
Our guide Velis explaining the history of the
Kazanluk tomb
The Kazanluk tomb, which dates from the 4th century BC, was only discovered during
WW2 when soldiers were excavating ground defences above the town. Initially the
tomb was protected by a metal structure however this, together with the increasing
number of visitors, created problems with condensation which caused the murals to
deteriorate. The tomb is now protected by a climate controlled stone building and access
is strictly limited. It was a great privilege for members of our group to be allowed to see
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the original Kazanluk tomb. Bulgaria is to be commended for taking a purist approach to
conservation by closing the original Kazanluk tomb to members of the public because of
the vulnerability of its exceptional mural paintings. They have however built an exact
replica of the Kazanluk tomb nearby, which is fully accessible and incorporates modern
interpretation facilities. It is unknown what impact, if any, this has had on visitor numbers
because of the lack of authenticity of the visitor experience. There is no direct
comparison with any of the ancient monument sites in Scotland as there is nothing that
compares directly with the fragility of the painted interiors of Kazanluk, although the
pressure of high visitor numbers has certainly created similar visitor management issues.
Circumstantial, if rather cynical, evidence suggests that many visitors to heritage sites in
Scotland value the visitor centre with its cosy café and shop rather than the monument
itself. Clearly current practice in Scotland, as for example at Skara Brae in Orkney or
Calanais in Lewis, is to locate the visitor centre away from the monument as a
mechanism for managing visitor pressure. There may be lessons to be learned from
Bulgaria’s approach to the conservation of the Kazanluk tomb.
Mogila Golyama Kosmata monumental temple
Guided tour of Mogila Golyama Kosmata, in the
foreground a replica of the bronze head of Seuthes
III, which was found in the tomb
The Thracian tombs in the Kazanluk valley contained great riches which were buried with
the kings as part of the elaborate funerary ritual portrayed in the murals. Animal sacrifice
was also commonplace and the remains of a horse were found in the entrance of Mogila
Golyama Kosmata. Remarkably, the favourite wife of the king was sacrificed (allegedly
willingly!) to accompany her husband into the afterlife, which was the foundation of
Thracian civilisation, although this now seems barbaric to modern western civilisation. It
was noted that in the depiction of the favourite wife in the Kazanluk tomb, feasting on
her last supper of pomegranates, she looked none too happy at the prospect!
Many of the finds from the excavated Thracian tombs are now on display at the Iskra
History Museum in Kazanluk, including an exquisite gold wreath of oak leaves. There is
however an issue over the protection for the remaining unexcavated tombs, which must
clearly be vulnerable to treasure seekers. It is also unknown what has already been lost.
Given what appears to survive of the extraordinary heritage of Thracian civilisation in the
landscape around Kazanluk, it would seem to be a priority for Bulgaria to investigate and
record all potential tomb sites with a view to protecting these remarkable monuments.
This is an area where there is potential for co-operation between Bulgaria and Scotland
through an exchange of skills in surveying and recording the remaining Thracian tombs?
Perhaps understandably, Bulgaria’s priority appears to be to develop the Valley of the
Thracian Kings as a tourist asset. One of the more notable exhibits in the new exhibition
hall at the Iskra History Museum was the Joint National Initiative of National Unity
“Treasure the Bulgarian Heritage” project by architect Jeko Tilev. Further details are given
on the website http://sevtopolis.suhranibulgarskoto.org/en_novini.php.
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This ambitious scheme proposes to drain the central part of the Koprinka Dam to
expose the archaeological site of Seuthopolis, the best preserved Thracian city in Bulgaria,
and develop it as an international visitor experience, at an estimated cost of 85 million
euros. Seuthopolis was the city of the Thracian King Seuthes III and its remains were
discovered during the construction of the Koprinka Dam in 1948-54. Clearly this would
create a dramatic and unique tourist attraction, but, notwithstanding the technological
difficulties of the project, it would seem that the limited funding available for cultural
heritage might be better targeted at surveying, recording and protecting the more
accessible historic buildings and monuments in the Valley of the Thracian Kings.
The above images of the Seuthopolis project were sourced from www.sevtopolis.info
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Shipka, memorials and monuments
One of the distinctive features of travelling through Bulgaria is the profusion of roadside
memorials, often of a monumental scale, which were built to commemorate the radical
intellectuals, poets and revolutionary agitators who perished in the anti Ottoman
movement that gained momentum in Bulgaria during the mid 19th century. This
movement eventually led to liberation from the Turks after the Russo Turkish War of
1877-8 and to the establishment of an independent Bulgaria.
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One of the most remarkable monuments is the Freedom Monument on Mount Shipka
which towers above the densely forested landscape of the Balkan Hills and is visible for
miles around. Built between 1926-34 as a memorial to the Bulgarian and Russian soldiers
who sacrificed their lives at Shipka for the liberation of Bulgaria, the Freedom Monument
is a giant pylonic structure of rough hewn dolomite, with a monumental bronze lion at
first floor level, in representation of the soldiers’ courage. The architect, Atanas Donkov,
and sculptor, Alexander Andreev, were selected after a national competition in 1924 and
the funds to build it were raised by public subscription following the establishment of a
committee of veterans and a national appeal. A similar process to that used in Scotland
to build the 1906 monument to Major General Sir Hector MacDonald, on Mitchell Hill in
Dingwall, Scotland, although the subsequent fate of these monuments is very different.
Freedom Monument, Shipka 1926-34
MacDonald Monument, Dingwall 1906
Whereas the MacDonald Monument is now closed to the public and very much at risk
due to problems of dampness and stone decay, the Freedom Monument houses a
sarcophagus containing the remains of 317 Russian soldiers and is home to a vibrant
collection of military memorabilia and art, and attracts 100,000 visitors per year. Guided
tours are available 11 months a year and there are always 2 tour guides on duty. In
common with other museums visited in Bulgaria there are 30 staff at Shipka, paid for by
the Ministry of Culture. Special events are also held at the monument, including fireworks
displays, concerts and re-enactments of the battle of Shipka, although according to the
Director of the museum, they have problems at the re-enactments as no-one wants to
be a Turkish soldier! The collective memory of Ottoman rule is clearly still raw!
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At the foot of the Shipka pass, the magnificent Shipka Memorial Church (1902) also
commemorates the Russian and Bulgarian soldiers who died in the War of Liberation.
The director of the Shipka Museum advised us that he is responsible for 26 monuments
in the Shipka National Park. Many of these commemorate specific battles and the park is
clearly of great emotional significance to Bulgaria. Raw memories are also apparent with
regard to the Liberty Monument erected on a nearby hill in the C20 by the communist
authorities. According to our guide, Velis, this monument is not so popular with tourists
and its setting is now somewhat ignominiously surrounded by wind turbines.
The gilded onion domes and colourful National Revival tilework that characterises the Shipka Memorial
Church 1902
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The architectural heritage of Bulgaria, museum villages, arts and crafts
The architectural heritage of Bulgaria underpins the development of sustainable tourism
in the Stara Planina region. Particularly in the rural areas, there is a sense of completeness
in the communities visited and a strong sense of place, possibly a reflection of the lack of
household income for property alterations and the lack of development pressures during
the communist era? Bulgaria’s architectural heritage is a great asset and care will be
needed to protect the built heritage as the country opens its doors to developers.
A typical street scene in Tryavna
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Traditional construction in Tryavna (note damaging
effects of cement repairs to stone masonry)
Detail of lime / straw render and clay bricks
The vernacular tradition appears to be particularly strong in Bulgaria and even outwith
the architectural reserves such as Bozhentsi, rural buildings are predominantly timber
framed, with a limestone lower storey, and an oversailing first floor of hurdles, straw and
lime or clay brick construction, often with heavy timber balconies or verandahs and
broad projecting eaves. Roofs are constructed either from semi circular terracotta tiles or
black stone flags, with chimneys following the traditional Turkish pattern. These traditional
details define the distinctive character of rural Bulgaria.
Traditional clay tiles at Kulata Ethnographic
Complex, Kazanluk
Traditional black stone slates at the Shkoloto
Museum, Tryavna
It is noticeable that there are still a number of lime kilns in the countryside, which
according to our guide, Velis, remain in use. The survival of vernacular building skills is a
key strength in the preservation of the built heritage of Bulgaria and will ensure that
traditional buildings continue to be repaired using traditional techniques and materials.
Sadly in Scotland many of the vernacular building traditions have been lost and survive
only in isolated pockets or through specialist academic or state supported establishments
such as the Scottish Lime Centre in Fife or the Fyvie Training Centre in Aberdeenshire.
Perhaps more remarkably, Bulgaria has taken the survival of traditional crafts and skills and
used it as an asset to promote and develop tourism. At restored properties it is common
to find demonstrations of traditional skills such as wood carving, icon painting and textiles,
and courses are available in these Bulgarian craft skills to ensure a sustainable future for
these crafts. There are many lessons here for Scotland, where traditional rural building
skills have been lost due to the invasion of cheaper timber frame kit houses and
imported modern materials such as uPVC windows instead of the traditional timber sash
and case window.
An area where Bulgaria does not seem to have realised its potential is the repair and reuse of its industrial heritage. Along the riverside in Gabrovo are miles of redundant
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nineteenth century mill buildings, some echoing the ornate polychromatic brick mills of
Greenock that have been so successfully converted into residential or other uses. The
vibrant building preservation trust movement in Scotland, with its track record in the
adaptive re-use of such buildings has much to offer Bulgaria.
Another distinctive difference between Scotland and Bulgaria, in the way that they
conserve their built heritage, is the concept of architectural reserves and ethnographic
complexes which appear to be widely used in Bulgaria. Listed buildings, ancient
monuments and conservation areas are the principal forms of statutory protection in
Scotland, and responsibility for maintenance and repair rests largely with individual
building owners. Whilst there are some examples of area based regeneration schemes,
such as Townscape Heritage Initiatives, again the emphasis is on grants targeted at
individual buildings. Apart from New Lanark and the Highland Folk Park at Kingussie,
there is no direct parallel to the architectural reserves of Bozhentsi, Kulata and Etara
which are principally developed as an alternative form of tourism.
The restoration and development of whole villages for tourism appears to be funded by
the state, although there was evidence of private ownership and gentrification at
Bozhentsi. Sadly, our guides at Bozhentsi advised that the private owners were not
particularly interested in participating in the work of the local trust and there is concern
about lack of control over alterations to private properties. It was also apparent that this
has created other planning issues in Bozhentsi, particularly the need for traffic control /
parking restrictions to protect the character of the architectural reserve.
Lack of planning controls over unsympathetically sited air conditioning units and overhead wires in Sofia
What was noticeable in Bozhentsi is the need for planning controls over minor
development which can disfigure an otherwise beautifully preserved historic building.
Interestingly it was noticeable in both Sofia and rural Bulgaria that the plague of telegraph
wires, satellite dishes and air conditioning units has spread and disfigures the principal
elevations of many historic buildings. What Scotland lacks in terms of state funding for
heritage organisations, it more than makes up in planning laws and restrictions on siting
satellite dishes or air conditioning units on historic buildings!
Our final study day was spent at the Etara Architectural and Ethnographic complex,
which raised the ethical issue of re-locating historic buildings and how this affects their
authenticity. Etara is a remarkable collection of re-located mill buildings, mainly water
powered and constructed of traditional Bulgarian materials in the vernacular style. Etara is
essentially a “building zoo” and the joy of it is that the buildings are very much alive with
the water power harnessed to power various traditional Bulgarian craft workshops (see
images below). Whilst Etara is clearly a great tourist asset, the removal of these historic
buildings from their original setting detracts from their significance and must have
compromised the character of the settlements from whence they came. Whether or not
these buildings were removed to Etara because they were under threat of demolition, or
whether they were taken specifically to create a collection of traditional mill buildings for
the complex is unknown.
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Traditional crafts of wood turning and icon painting at Etara Architectural and Ethnographic complex
The argument for the creation of architectural and ethnographic complexes is that it
does preserve these historic buildings, albeit in a somewhat artificial setting, and creates
the opportunity for interpretation and the development of new audiences. Undeniably, it
does create a great showcase for the traditional craft skills of Bulgaria.
The argument against is that it “disneyfies” the built heritage and devalues its significance
by divorcing buildings from their original setting. Some of the modern paint finishes used
at Etara have somewhat sanitised the historic buildings, and whilst they have created a
very attractive townscape, do seem to jar when compared with the traditional ochreous
lime washes that typify rural Bulgarian architecture.
The use of modern colourwashes creates an attractive streetscene at Etara but is it authentic?
The collection of so many remarkable historic watermills together in one place also
diminishes their individual value. Arguably Bulgaria’s historic buildings are better
showcased in their original setting, as part of the traditional street scene where they will
stand out as architectural landmarks. In terms of area based conservation, the setting is as
important as the landmark buildings to retain the ability of Bulgaria’s rich architectural
heritage to surprise and delight.
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The pressing issue for 21st century Bulgaria is how to preserve its architectural heritage in
situ, as an intrinsic part of the character of its living towns and villages, rather than
presenting it in glorious isolation in architectural theme parks. The interest and vibrancy
of a living community is in its diversity, how it has changed and developed over the
centuries and in its many contrasting layers of historical development, as so beautifully
illustrated in Sofia, which is referred to at the beginning of this report.
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Lessons learned
It was particularly interesting to see how Bulgaria values its built heritage as part of its
wider cultural heritage, and uses this to develop a sustainable tourism industry. Whilst
Bulgaria has retained its traditional craft skills, there is scope in Scotland to explore the
potential links between rural crafts and built heritage as a way of raising awareness of
Scotland’s wider cultural heritage. The ability to see artisans at work adds much to the
visitor experience rather than seeing sterile exhibits of old machinery and equipment in a
dusty old museum.
The Bulgarian experience of visitor management at vulnerable historic sites also has
lessons for Scotland. It would be interesting to undertake further research as to whether
the use of replica sites, as at the Kazanluk tomb, would continue to draw visitors, whilst
allowing conservation to be the principal priority for the original site.
What is most encouraging about the work of Stara Planina RTA in Bulgaria is that it
places the built heritage at the centre of its efforts to develop a sustainable tourism
industry. It is an oft quoted (if improbable!) saying in Scotland that more people visit
historic buildings than attend football matches. It is time that our politicians realise the
potential of Scotland’s built heritage to be an economic driver and learn from Bulgaria
how to place our historic cities, towns and villages at the heart of our tourism strategy.
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Opportunities for future co-operation between Scotland and Bulgaria
The exchange has highlighted several opportunities for further co-operation between
Scotland and Bulgaria. Notwithstanding the current differences in our respective systems
of property ownership and management, Bulgaria seems to be westernising and some
properties are being returned to private ownership.
As yet, the voluntary sector does not appear to be well developed in Bulgaria, largely
because the Ministry of Culture still funds and controls the development of the heritage
sector, based on the limited experience of those sites that we visited during the
exchange. There are clearly alternative, possibly more economically viable, options for
redundant historic buildings than simply being turned into a museum. There is potential
to explore how the building preservation trust model could work in Bulgaria and how it
could assist with the repair and re-use of buildings it risk, whether it be the small houses
in rural communities or the built heritage of urban Bulgaria.
Further contacts could include:
The Association of Preservation Trusts
Alhambra House
27-31 Charing Cross Road
London
WC2H 0AU
Tel: (0044) 207 930 0295
E: [email protected]
www. ukapt.org.uk
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The Architectural Heritage Fund
Alhambra House
27-31 Charing Cross Road
London
WC2H 0AU
Tel: (0044) 207 925 0199
E: [email protected]
http://www.ahfund.org.uk
There may also be potential for support from Scotland in surveying and recording
Bulgaria’s built heritage, and in particular the Thracian tombs in the Valley of the Kings.
Further contacts could include:
Historic Scotland
Longmore House
Salisbury Place
Edinburgh
EH9 1SH
Tel: (0044) 131 668 8600
Royal Commission of the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland
16 Bernard Terrace
Edinburgh
EH8 9NX
Tel: (0044) 131 225 1456
Another potential area for international co-operation could be to assist Bulgaria with the
development of a Buildings at Risk register.
Further contacts could include:
The Scottish Civic Trust
The Tobacco Merchant’s House
42 Miller Street
Glasgow
G1 1DT
Tel: (0044) 141 221 1466
E: [email protected]
http://www.buildingsatrisk.org.uk
Finally, the exchange has also identified scope for future co-operation between members
of the group participating in the exchange. Highland Buildings Preservation Trust is
currently developing a Highland wide project for the care and conservation of kirkyard
buildings, encouraging local communities to get involved in the care and interpretation of
these neglected parts of Highland heritage. At Etara museum, Phil Richardson of
Archaeology Scotland, delivered a presentation on their “Adopt a Monument” scheme
which provides support for local communities seeking to conserve, interpret and
promote their heritage and which offers great potential for the development of the
Highland Kirkyards project, and the prospect of a valuable partnership closer to home.
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Mia Scott
Highland Buildings Preservation Trust
10 Bank Street
Inverness
IV1 1QY
(44) 1463 718778
[email protected]
15 June 2010
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