Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2025 All Rights Reserved

Veliko Tarnovo and Gabrovo apply together for European Capital of Culture in 2032

Photo: veliko-tarnovo.bg

"The residents of Veliko Tarnovo and Gabrovo deserve to be the winning candidate for the next European Capital of Culture in Bulgaria, in 2032," announced the mayor of Veliko Tarnovo, Daniel Panov. The idea for the joint candidacy was at the insistence of artists and intellectuals in Veliko Tarnovo.


The town has been working on the cause since last year, and at the end of February 2025, the Municipal Council unanimously supported the proposal for the town to join the race. 

"Our neighbors are well ahead in the preparations - they have already registered the necessary municipal foundation, the Municipality of Gabrovo has hired a team of three independent cultural experts, and their clients have been 11 of the last 13 cities that have won the title," added Panov.

Gabrovo
Both towns have already participated in the prestigious race once before - in 2014, but unsuccessfully. Now the chances are greater, as long as Gabrovo takes the outstretched hand. 

The possibility of two or even three cities being the European Capital of Culture is not unprecedented. This is the case with the current winners Chemnitz (Germany) and the twin cities on the border Gorizia (Italy) and Nova Gorica (Slovenia), which jointly hold the prize in 2025. 

Aprilov's High School in Gabrovo
In 2019, Plovdiv was the first European Capital of Culture in Bulgaria together with the Italian city of Matera. The decision on which city is designated as the European Capital of Culture is made 6 years before the year in which the city receives this privilege.



Edited by Joan Kolev
English version: R. Petkova
Photos: veliko-tarnovo.bg, gabrovo.bg


Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.

More from category

Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa

The Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem is to give a lecture in Sofia

On 12 November at 5:30 p.m., Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, will give a lecture in the Marin Drinov Hall of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, at the invitation of the corresponding member of the Pontifical Committee for..

published on 11/12/25 8:45 AM

Bulgarian director Andrey Hadjivasilev leads film workshop in Havana

To mark the 65th anniversary of the Cuban animation studio Instituto Cubano del Arte e Industria Cinematográficos (ICAIC), Bulgarian director Andrey Hadjivasilev conducted a film workshop with students in Havana, the Bulgarian Embassy in Havana..

published on 11/11/25 4:50 PM
Николай Гяуров

Remembering basso Nicolai Ghiaurov

On this day five years ago (in 2020), a memorial plaque dedicated to the world-renowned Bulgarian bass Nicolai Ghiaurov (1929–2004) was unveiled in Modena. It was in this Italian city that the celebrated opera singer lived and worked from 1981 until his..

published on 11/11/25 8:05 AM