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

"Ten Great Friends of Bulgaria" tells about foreigners who left their mark on Bulgarian history

The book by journalist Milena Dimitrova to be presented in Sofia

Photo: „Книгомания“

The book "Ten Great Friends of Bulgaria" by journalist Milena Dimitrova will be presented this evening at 6pm at the Sts. Cyril and Methodius National Library in Sofia. The book recounts the lives of ten people of different nationalities and eras, whose selfless love for Bulgaria and its people changed their destinies and left its mark on Bulgarian history.

Among the protagonists of the book is Prince Alexander I Battenberg (1857-1893), born in Verona, who became the first monarch of the Third Bulgarian State. He is credited with the unification of the Principality of Bulgaria and Eastern Rumelia, an important step towards national reunification after Bulgaria's liberation from Ottoman rule. 

Another notable figure was the Russian general Ivan Inzov (1768-1845), who headed the Trusteeship Committee for Foreign Immigrants of the Southern Territory of Russia in 1818 and played a key role in organising the Bulgarian colonies in Bessarabia. In 1821 he also founded Bolgrad, now the unofficial capital of the Bulgarians in Ukraine.
The book also draws attention to Emily Ann Strangford (1826-1887), an English noblewoman who came to Bulgaria after the violent suppression of the April Uprising in 1876. Strangford used the nearly £30,000 she raised to establish six hospitals in the worst affected areas, providing vital aid to the population.



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

Patriarch Daniil

The new Orthodox Church "St. John of Rila" in London opens doors

Meatfare Sunday in 2025 will be remembered as a major celebration for the Bulgarian Orthodox Church and the entire Bulgarian community in the United Kingdom. The "St. John of Rila" Orthodox Church, built with funds from the Bulgarian state and with..

published on 2/23/25 5:13 PM

The Orthodox Christians in Bulgaria mark Day in commemoration of the dead on February 22

All Souls' Day (Zadushnitsa in Bulgarian) is an important day for many Christians. On this day, we remember deceased relatives and loved ones. The first of the three All Souls' Days of the year, also known as the Great or All Souls' Day, falls on the..

published on 2/22/25 5:05 AM
Photo: Bulgarica Center

152 years of immortality... The personality of Vasil Levski continues to unite Bulgarians abroad

152 years after Bulgaria lost its beloved son and advocate for a free, independent and tolerant state – Vasil Levski, his personality continues to excite and inspire Bulgarians from all generations. Scholars continue to study the work of the Apostle..

published on 2/19/25 12:58 PM