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National Symbols of the Republic of Bulgaria
National Flag The white color means Purity, Hope and Nobility. The green color stands for Freedom, Faith and Fertility. The red color is for Bravery, Love and Manhood.
The national flag of the Republic of Bulgaria is a rectangle with three colors: white, green, and red, positioned horizontally top to bottom. The color fields are of same form and equal size. The rectangle's proportions are 3:5 (width:length) and can be of the following sizes: 18cm x 30cm, 24cm x 40cm, 90cm x 150cm, and 129cm x 215cm. When displayed vertically, the maximum length of the flag can reach five widths. The colors: white --- with degree of whiteness no less than 80%, green --- Pantone Textile #17-5936, and red --- Pantone Textile #18-1664. (You can see the exact Pantone colors here.)
This form of the flag was adopted on April 16, 1879 with the first Bulgarian Constitution. The Communist Constitution of December 6, 1947 added the the coat of arms (rampant lion) in the upper left corner (this was kept in the third Constitution of May 18, 1971). The current form has no coat of arms and was adopted in the fourth Constituion of July 13, 1991.
Coat of Arms
The Coat of Arms of the Republic of Bulgaria is a state symbol of the sovereignty and independence of the Bulgarian people and state. The Coat of Arms is a crowned rampant golden lion on a dark red background with the shape of a shield. Above the shield there is a crown modelled after the crowns of the kings of the Second Bulgarian kingdom, with five crosses and an additional cross on top. Two crowned rampant golden lions hold the shield from both sides, facing it. They stand upon two crossed oak branches with acorns. Under the shield, there is a white band lined with the three national colors. The band is placed across the ends of the branches and the phrase "Unity Produces Strength" is inscribed on it.
The present Coat of Arms was adopted by the National Assembly on July 31, 1997, following almost a decade of bitter acrimony over the new symbol. The end result is simlar to the ceremonial form of the 1930-46 coat of arms, though much less ornamental and more stylized.
National Anthem
"Mila Rodino" (Dear Motherland), lyrics by Tsvetan Radoslavov. Below: Bulgarian version transliterated in the Latin alphabet and literal English translation.
Gorda Stara planina, Stately Stara Planina,
Bulgaria!
Sofia & Bulgaria
do nei Dunava sinei, next to it the Danube blue,
sluntse Trakiya ogryava, shining upon Trakiya, the sun
nad Pirina plamenei. burns over Pirin.
Pripev: Chorus:
Mila Rodino, Dear motherland,
ti si zemen rai, you are paradise on earth,
tvoita hubost, tvoita prelest, your beauty and your charm,
ah, te niyamat krai. ah, they have no bounds.
Padnaha bortsi bezchet Countless fighters gave thier lives
za naroda nash lyubim, for our beloved people.
maiko, dai ni muzhka sila Mother, give us manly strength
putya im da produlzhim. to carry on their course.
Notes:
Stara Planina: (Old Mountain) the Bulgarian name of the Balkan mountains, extending 560 km (350 mi) from East Serbia, through central Bulgaria, and to the Black Sea. The Romans called it Hemus (Snow-capped Mountain), but most Bulgarians refer to it simply as the Balkan. The Balkans are usually associated with the struggle for independence from Ottoman yoke. Many famous Bulgarian poems are set in the Balkans or use them as a symbol or an index for Bulgaria. Hristo Botev's "Hadji Dimitur," which deals with the death of its eponymous hero, a freedom fighter; Dobri Chintulov's "Vyatur echi, Balkan stene" and "Stani, stani, yunak balkanski," both calls to arms against the Turks; the anonymous "Davash li, davash, Balkandji Yovo?" which tells of a brother refusing to yield his sister to the Turks even after they cut off his hands, legs, and blind him; and, of course, Ivan Vazov's "Tih bial Dunav se vulnuva" that depicts Hristo Botev's crossing of the Danube at the head of a small group of fighters (all subsequently killed in an engagement with the Turks).
Trakiya: the Bulgarian name of Thrace, the 100,000 sq km region occupying the southern part of Bulgaria, as well as parts of Greece and Turkey. It extends from the Sea of Marmara and the Aegean to the south, to Stara Planina in the north, and from modern Macedonia in the west, to the Black Sea in the east. In the Bulgarian part, the Rhodope Mountains and river Maritsa are symbols associated with the long struggle for independence. Parts of the region were lost to neighboring countries after the Second Balkan War to Turkey (1913), after World War I to Greece (1919), and after the Treaty of Lousanne to Turkey (1923). The region also has some of the most spectacular scenery and cultural and historical heritage.
Pirin: one of the most spectacular sections of the Rhodope Mountains, which comprises Pirin, Rhodope, and Rila. With its pristine lakes at high elevations, gorges, and almost impassable ranges, Pirin has long been associated with spirituality, beauty, and national pride, especially because it is the Macedonian part of Bulgaria.
Motherland: translation of "rodino," which means "land of birth." It is "motherland" and not "fatherland", because the word "rodino" is feminine.
Bulgarian Currency
T he unit of currency in Bulgaria is the lev, divided into 100 stotinki. The Bulgarian National Bank is the bank of issue and handles government funds and state-owned enterprises. On the 5th of July, 1999, the Bulgarian National Bank acted on the previously announced re-denomination of the Bulgarian Lev by introducing new banknotes and coins. The Bulgarian Council of Ministers together with the National Assembly passed and enacted a package of laws and decrees outlining and regulating the re-denomination well before the 5th of July, 1999. Starting at 12:00 am on Monday, the 5th of July, 1999, the Bulgarian lev was substituted by a new lev in a ratio of 1,000:1. That is to say, as of that date 1,000 old leva equaled 1 new lev (equal to 1 Deutsche Mark, 0.51 Euro or US$  0.55). The re-denomination went into effect for all prices in leva - goods, services, bank accounts, and savings bonds. Until December 31st, 1999, all prices must be stated both in new and old leva; after that date, all prices will be stated in new leva only. The entire process was performed in order to facilitate all payments, as well as all accounting and exchange operations. Simultaneously with the re-denomination, the Bulgarian National Bank began to circulate new banknotes and coins. Beginning on July 5th, 1999, there were 6 new coins and 6 new banknotes in circulation. Until December 31st, 1999, all individuals and sales persons are obliged to accept both old and new banknotes and coins; after that date, the old currency may be exchanged for new one at any branch of the BNB. The Bulgarian Lev will be replaced by the Euro in 2010, until then both currencies may be used in the country.
Credits to: gotterdammerung.org | |
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