Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2025 All Rights Reserved

"Where art thou, faithful love of the people"

The story of this song goes back to Bulgaria’s struggle for independence of the Ottoman Empire. It was created by Dobri Chintulov, teacher, poet and composer of the Bulgarian Revival period, who worked for the enlightenment and national self-awareness of his compatriots. Graduate of the Theological Seminary in Odessa, he was an advocate for national and church freedom.

Dobri Chintulov wrote the lyrics of the song "Kude si, vyarna ti lyubov narodna" ("Where art thou, faithful love of the people") while he was in Odessa. The tune, however, was probably the melody of another song, popular at the time, but whose title is now forgotten. Forgotten is the last word one can say about "Kude si vyarna ti lyubov narodna". The song became a symbol of the awakening of a nation. An awakening that started from a "spark of love" and turned into a "raging flame".


Together with “Stani, stani yunak balkanski” ("Wake up, wake up, Balkan hero"), “Viatar echi, Balkan stene” ("Wind is howling, Balkan is moaning") and several other revolutionary songs by Dobri Chintulov, it raised the spirit of the Bulgarian patriots during the April Uprising (1876) and the Russo-Turkish War that brought the Liberation of Bulgaria (1878-1879).

Photos: archive



Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.

More from category

"Pusta mladost" - Desi Dobreva offers a new interpretation of a sacred Bulgarian folk song

The beginning of 2025 has been more than fruitful for Bulgarian singer Desi Dobreva - in between traveling around the world, she managed to release a second single. After her original song entitled "At the end of the earth", comes her interpretation of..

published on 2/27/25 3:02 PM

Bulgarian National Radio Folk Orchestra goes on national tour

The Bulgarian National Radio Folk Orchestra, conducted by Maestro Dimitar Hristov, is preparing a spring tour in March. Special guest soloists for the "Orchestra of Soloists" in the concerts will be singers Petya Paneva and Dimitar Arnaudov,..

published on 2/26/25 6:10 AM

Bryan Adams returns to Sofia for unplugged concert

Bryan Adams included Bulgaria in his Bare Bones Live world tour, and will have an unplugged concert on 29 April at Bulgaria hall in Sofia, the organizers from Nucoast Concerts have announced. After the show at Arena Sofia in 2023, the..

published on 2/25/25 2:40 PM