The Architectural-Ethnographic Complex Etara is the first open-air museum of its kind in Bulgaria. It was officially opened on 7th September 1964 and is located 8 km south of Gabrovo. The idea behind the complex belongs to Lazar Donkov. The water-mill was the first to be recovered and later on many objects were built. There are a total of 50 tourist objects in Etara and they are open every day of the week. These include craft workshops, various old-time equipments, architectural monuments, etc. The construction of Etara was done through three basic methods: restoration of existent objects, putting original equipments in place and re-creation of buildings upon picture materials. They all show the life and the atmosphere in Gabrovo and the region during the Bulgarian National Revival, namely the second half of 18th and 19th centuries. In 1835, the first secular school in Bulgaria was founded in Etara. During this period, Gabrovo turned into one of the most important economic, spiritual and educational center in Bulgaria. The Architectural-Ethnographic Complex Etara was declared a monument of culture in 1971 and it is today one of the 100 Tourist Sites of Bulgaria. The visitors of Etara usually stay in Gabrovo as the city offers a variety of accommodations – guest houses, bed&breakfast, 2-star and 3-star hotels, as well as holiday complexes in the suburbs.
| List of hotels and accommodations in Etara, Bulgaria. Distances are approximate and “as the crow flies”.List of hotels and accommodations | |
