A museum of the iron opens in Bulgaria's Plovdiv – the only one in the Balkans

A fire-breathing dragon will greet visitors at the first Iron Museum in the Balkans, which opens on 21 November in Plovdiv. From its mouth, words of encouragement will flow- inviting people, eager for new knowledge, to dive into the history of a household tool that appeared relatively soon after humans first set foot on Earth.

The moment visitors cross the museum’s threshold, countless questions will arise, says Grozdelina Georgieva, curator at the Regional Ethnographic Museum: “Why do irons feature three-dimensional figures of gods and goddesses, roosters and little devils, lotus flowers, or even the Italian she-wolf with Romulus and Remus?”

It turns out that for centuries, irons served not only to smooth fabrics but also to adorn the home. They appeared as soon as prehistoric humans cast aside animal skins.

Where the Bulgarian word for iron "yutia" (ютия) comes from - and since when?

“The earliest irons were simply stones that, when heated, could straighten wrinkled fibers. Later, they were replaced by pieces of metal heated in hearths,” explains the curator. “In the museum, for instance, you’ll learn that during Roman times, irons were made from perishable materials, so today we know what they looked like only through drawings and frescoes. You’ll also see some of the oldest irons in the eastern world - Chinese irons used to smooth silk from the 4th century BC up to the mid-20th century. Through photos, illustrations, and animations, you’ll discover the meaning behind the symbols found on many irons, which, in addition to figurines, often feature engravings of ships, dragons, and griffins. You’ll enter an entire symbolic universe, all presented through what seems like a very simple tool.”

On Bulgarian lands, irons have been used since prehistoric times. In the 14th century, craftsmen began making them from solid iron. In the museum, visitors can see early tailors’ irons nicknamed “geese” because of their strange shape. A special room in the exhibition is dedicated to Bulgarian iron production.

“In Bulgaria, the Swedish coal iron - powered by heated coals - became especially popular,” Georgieva continues. “At the same time, some factories in Kazanlak produced irons with a chimney-like body, but with the steam outlet at the back rather than the front, as on the English models. These heavy irons were used to press military uniforms. Plovdiv, meanwhile, led the way with around six factories producing coal irons, which later merged into the state enterprise Balkan. From 1953 onward, both coal and electric irons were used in parallel.”

Because irons were multifunctional objects, the museum features a special hall showing how, in the 19th century, decorative iron prototypes appeared that also served as flower boxes, egg holders, and even secret storage for letters. Porcelain versions were sold as souvenirs because people discovered they had a beauty of their own and looked lovely displayed on a household shelf.

Another interesting detail: for many years, irons were not considered women’s tools because they could weigh up to 10 kilograms. Did men really take care of pressing their ladies’ clothing? “Of course - our tailors and cloth makers were men, because it would have been very difficult for a woman to handle the so-called ‘goose,’” says Georgieva. In the past, there were also different irons depending on which part of the garment needed smoothing.

“We have trouser irons, tie irons, lace irons,” the curator explains. “The iron is connected not only to fabric, but also to the development of fashion itself. If, in the 17th century, people in Bulgaria wore traditional clothing that didn’t require fine ironing - because you couldn’t smooth coarse wool - think of the gowns and the men’s garments with lace collars in France or the Austro-Hungarian Empire. That’s why we can say that the iron is a tool mastered by fashion.”

The full timeline - from the stone iron to the most modern device, which doesn’t even touch the fabric - can be followed in the museum’s galleries. Its story began almost by chance in Plovdiv, with an old coal iron bearing the head of the goddess Athena Polias, found on the street and destined to spark a lifelong passion for collecting.

“Artist Dimitar Dobrev, our donor, is the person behind this large-scale effort to create the Iron Museum and fulfill his dream,” says Georgieva. “Many years ago, he was deeply impressed by this seemingly simple tool, seeing in it an artwork crafted by artists and sculptors. Athena Polias was made so finely that you can see her curls, her eyes, her helmet, because she is the goddess born from Zeus’s thigh - the goddess not only of wisdom but also the protector of women’s crafts like weaving. Dobrev rescued this half-broken iron, repaired it, added a handle, and restored it. From then on, he spent 40 years collecting these objects, and eventually the moment came for them to find a home with us. Even last year, he called to say he had found more, and when I told him the collection was enough, he replied, ‘When a person sees beauty, he can’t stop.’”

The irons collector– painter Dimitar Dobrev from Plovdiv

Sadly, the donor did not live to see the museum of his dreams completed - a museum housing more than 1,200 relics from around the world, gathered thanks to his remarkable generosity.

Photos: Plovdiv Regional Ethnographic Museum, btvnovinite.bg

English publication: R. Petkova

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A museum of the iron opens in Bulgaria's Plovdiv – the only one in the Balkans

Over 1,200 exhibits illustrate the history of the device that was once also used as a home decoration

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