Tour audio Vidin sights

What can prompt a traveler to visit the Danube city, to travel hundreds of kilometers to reach the most northwestern part of Bulgaria?

Anyone who wants to immerse themselves in the atmosphere of Roman antiquity, medieval rise and oriental color, simply must visit Vidin.

A walk through the ancient park will give you the opportunity to enjoy wonderful landscapes and historical monuments. The main attractions of the city begin precisely from here…

First, a little history…

The geographical location of Vidin is a decisive factor in its emergence. The fertility of the Vidin lowland and the proximity of the Danube River in ancient times created prerequisites for the appearance of the first settlements here. The city was an attractive place for various ethnic groups, great empires and historical figures.

Even in Bulgaria itself, not everyone remembers that Vidin was the capital of Bulgaria during the Second Bulgarian Kingdom under Despot Shishman. After the death of the despot, power passed into the hands of his son, Michael III Shishman, who in 1323 was elected Tsar of Bulgaria by the Boyar Council. Michael III Shishman remained Tsar for 7 years and was killed in the battle with the Serbs in 1330.

In the middle of the 14th century, Ivan Sratsimir, son of the Tarnovo Tsar Ivan Alexander, became the head of the Bdin Principality. Later, Sratsimir, as ruler of the Vidin Kingdom, in 1371 severed relations with the Tarnovo Patriarchate and declared himself Tsar.

In 1396, the European countries organized a crusade against the Ottomans under the leadership of the Hungarian King Sigismund. Tsar Ivan Sratsimir supported the crusading army, but the coalition was defeated and the Bulgarian Tsar was taken prisoner.

Ivan Sratsimir's son, Constantine, continued to be a vassal of the Ottomans and heir to the throne until his death in 1422, which coincided with the decline of the Bdin Kingdom.

After the Liberation from the Ottoman yoke, Vidin changed its appearance and acquired a European appearance. Western fashion trends in architecture and urban development were the first to reach Vidin - the first river port on the Danube.

The Danube fortress city abounds in historical monuments, which in different eras have been the setting for many events and now continue to remind of their past greatness.

Vidin has preserved a rich ancient history. Therefore, we will start with the monuments of the Roman Empire. We will see the remains of the ancient city of Bononia and freeze in reverence in front of the medieval castle "Baba Vida". Then we will examine the monuments from the 500-year Turkish rule, which have survived to our time. We will not leave without attention the ancient churches, the mosque and the unique building of the former Synagogue.

After a short introduction dedicated to the history of the emergence of the city of Vidin, the excursion to the main sights can begin.