Hall № 4 – „Bulgarian lands under Ottoman rule (15th-19th century)“

The main ideas and events in the development of the Bulgarian society during the period under review are presented, creating an idea of the natural and logical connections between the processes that began as early as the 16th-17th centuries and led to the spiritual and political awakening of the Bulgarians called the Bulgarian Revival.At the same time, a complex picture of the Revival period is constructed, revealing its connection with pan-European ideas and similar events taking place in parallel among neighbouring nations. Thus, the work of prominent Bulgarian Revival figures finds its natural place and rational explanation in the time and space of the era.

The historical narrative is structured around eight main themes:
1. The Ottoman conquest and its geopolitical consequences in a pan-European context;
2. The new religio-cultural and military-political realia in the Bulgarian lands after the conquest;
3. Bulgarians in the early centuries of Ottoman rule – life and livelihood;
4. The Church and the Christian faith in the lives of the Bulgarians in the Ottoman Empire;
5. Economic prerequisites for the beginning of the Revival and the formation of the Bulgarian Revival economy;
6. The spiritual awakening of the Bulgarians and the emergence of the national idea;
7. Bulgarian Revival education and culture;
8. The struggle of the Bulgarians for ecclesiastical and political independence.

Within the larger narrative, smaller stories are also highlighted, adding depth and completeness to the overall historical picture. For example, visitors can learn more about traditional Revival crafts, rose oil production, the emancipation of the Bulgarian woman during the Revival, the emergence of city clock towers and their connection with the economic prosperity.

The Hall „Bulgarian Lands under Ottoman Rule (15th-19th Century)” at the National Museum of History has been renovated with the financial support of the National Fund “Culture” under the programme “Programme for the Restoration and Development of State, Regional and Municipal Cultural Institutions”.