Art My Hometown Perspective Photo Essay Top Travel

Ruse, Bulgaria is full of art, beauty and spirit

A sculpture of a musician symbolizes the free art spirit in Ruse, Bulgaria. (Kristiyan Yulzari/YJI)

Ruse, BULGARIA – Ruse is a free spirit city. Yeah, that’s right: FREE SPIRIT CITY.

Most of you have not heard of that motto, but it is the one of my hometown.

Ruse is in Bulgaria, and if you ask some locals about Ruse, likely you will hear adjectives such as charming, wonderful, historical and so on. All of them are valid about Ruse.

The fifth biggest city in Bulgaria, Ruse, for good or bad, is far from the most developed cities. It is on the bank of the Danube River which makes Ruse a tourist destination.

Each summer, dozens of people on cruise boats arrive in Ruse. Tourists come here to explore our fascinating culture and nature.

The Danube River in Ruse, Bulgaria. (Kristiyan Yulzari/YJI)

 

The Statue of Liberty in Ruse, Bulgaria. (Kristiyan Yulzari/YJI)

The Republic of Romania is on the other side of the Danube River, so Romanians often use Ruse for a weekly market, because of the cheaper goods.

Generally, Ruse is an ordinary and peaceful town in Bulgaria. The city is famous for its architecture. Some people called Ruse the small Vienna, because of the wondrous buildings here.

When I’m walking around the central streets, I’m surrounded by neo-baroque, modern, neo-classicism and secession buildings with impressive ornaments and statues on the roofs.

The State Opera House in Ruse, Bulgaria. (Kristiyan Yulzari/YJI)

 

The Hall of Justice in Ruse, Bulgaria. (Kristiyan Yulzari/YJI)

 

The sports arena in Ruse. (Kristiyan Yulzari/YJI)

The sports arena is a hot spot for Ruses’ teenagers to meet. Every free day, most of us go there and hang out with friends and have fun.

However, once cold and rain start to creep into the air, Ruse becomes much quieter. The streets are deserted and the population stays home. It’s disappointing. Since I was little, I’d see my favorite market and the next day, it’s not open. The end. It’s closed.

The money crisis is a big problem in most of the Bulgaria’s small towns and villages. Even so, Ruse is not a sleepy town. There are clubs, churches, gyms, a beautiful theater and stores from the most important chains. There is even a cinema and a mall.

The atmosphere in my hometown of Ruse is majestic and unusual. A freckle of my heart will always stay here.

Kristiyan Yulzari is a Junior Reporter with Youth Journalism International.

A bird’s eye view of Ruse, Bulgaria. (Kristiyan Yulzari/YJI)

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