We celebrate Vasil Levski Day on February 19th. This marks the anniversary of the death of this famous revolutionary freedom-fighter. Our campsite address is 70 Vasil Levski Street, so this celebration is particularly important for Camping Veliko Tarnovo.

Many people call him the Bulgarian Apostle of Freedom. He was instrumental in the fight to liberate Bulgaria from Ottoman rule.

In 1858 Vasil Levski joined the Sopot monastery as a monk. In 1861 – 1862 he enrolled in the First Bulgarian Legion, an organization where he excelled with his courage and skills. Here, he earned the nickname Levski, the Bulgarian for “lionlike”. His real name was Vasil Ivanov Kunchev.

In 1864 – 1867 he was a teacher in several villages near his home town of Karlovo. In 1867 he went to Romania to join the preparation of revolutionary units for transfer in Bulgaria. Between 1867 and 1868 he formed the Second Bulgarian Legion. In 1869, he founded the Central Revolutionary Organisation in Bucharest with the goal of sparking a nationwide uprising.

The Ottoman authorities captured him at an inn near Lovech (northern Bulgaria) on December 27, 1872. They executed him by hanging on the outskirts of Sofia on February 18, 1873.

We do not know where Vasil Levski is buried, but there is a monument commemorating him in the location where he was hanged, which is now in central Sofia.

Read more about this national hero here.

For other celebration days see our culture blog posts.