The Memorial of Svoboda on the Shpka Pass ( Bulgarian. Pametnik on Free Shipat ) is a memorial in memory of those who died for the liberation of Bulgaria during the defense of the Shipka Pass in the Russian – Turkish War of 1877–78 . The monument is located at Stoletov peak (the summit is named after one of the leaders of the defense of Shipka, Major General N. G. Stoletov ) towering over the pass. The monument was opened in 1934. Built according to the design of architect Atanas Donkov and sculptor Alexander Andreev with donations from the Bulgarian people.
| Sight | |
| Monument of Freedom | |
|---|---|
| Pametnik on free | |
 Memorial service and military honors of the Shipka Defense heroes August 23, 2008 | |
| A country |  Bulgaria |
| Location | Shipka |
The memorial is a stone tower in the form of a truncated pyramid with a height of 31.5 meters. A giant bronze lion, 8 meters long and 4 meters high, is located above the entrance to the tower, and the figure of a woman symbolizes victory over the Ottoman troops. On the ground floor there is a marble sarcophagus with the remains of several dead during the defense. There are four more floors, where the exposition of the Bulgarian military flags and other relics is located. From the top of the tower offers a breathtaking view of the Shipka Pass and the surrounding area.
Every August, a historical reconstruction of the events of 1877 is held near the monument . An important part of the event is a memorial service for soldiers of the Russian Empire who died here, as well as Bulgarian militiamen. They are given military honors, state leaders and ordinary citizens of Bulgaria lay wreaths of natural flowers at the monument on the top of the hill as a token of their gratitude.
Memorial Church of the Nativity
The Memorial Church of the Nativity of Christ ( Bulgarian. Church of the Nativity of Christ ) is better known as the Shipka Memorial Church - is a Bulgarian Orthodox church built near the town of Shipka in 1885-1902 according to the design of Anthony Tomishko in the style of Moscow churches of the 17th century by architect Alexander Pomerantsev . It is included in the memorial complex dedicated to the memory of Russian and Bulgarian soldiers who fell for the liberation of Bulgaria in the Russian-Turkish war of 1877-78.
The temple was officially opened on September 28, 1902 in the presence of the generals of the Russian army and many other honored guests. The opening and consecration of the Shipka Memorial Church coincided with the 25th anniversary of the Battle of the Shipka Pass. In 1970, the temple was proclaimed a national cultural monument .
The bell tower of the church reaches a height of 53 m, and its bells, the heaviest of which weighs 12 tons, were cast from cartridges collected after the battles. In the temple itself, the names of Russian soldiers and Bulgarian volunteers are recorded on 34 marble slabs. The remains of the dead were laid in 17 stone sarcophagi in the church crypt.
See also
- Buzluja
- List of Russian Monuments in Bulgaria