The city of Ruse in Bulgaria. What hotels in Ruse have nice views? Video from Ruse

Ruse is one of the largest cities Bulgaria with a population of about 160 thousand inhabitants, or rather the fifth: inferior to the capital, the Black Sea Varna and Burgas and the foothills of Plovdiv. And it is also “one of the best in Bulgaria”: one of the oldest, one of the most beautiful, one of the actively developing, and so on. But behind these places on the lists it is easy to miss its features and originality, which is also enough in Ruse - the city is definitely interesting.

The history of Ruse began at the turn of the era and goes back about two thousand years. Naturally, over so many centuries the city has seen both prosperity and decline, changing its name and citizenship more than once.

Today Ruse is the largest Bulgarian city on the Danube River. The Danube is a huge part of the city's history, culture and economy. Initially, the settlement arose precisely as a fortress and a pier, as evidenced by the name Sexaginta - “Pier for 60 ships.” Since then, a lot of water has really flowed under the bridge, literally right there, along the Danube, on the other bank of which there is already another country - Romania. A large railway and road bridge connects the two countries and acts as a checkpoint. The bridges here are designed so as not to interfere with navigation and are either initially located high above the water, or equipped with special lifting structures to allow ships to pass under them.

The border position, the river and other factors contributed to the transformation of Ruse into an important transport node and one of the industrial centers of the country. By the way, it was in Ruse (and from Ruse) that the first branch of the Bulgarian railway and the station. You can learn about this area of the city's development by visiting the small but interesting railway museum, which is located near the Danube, on the site of the old station.

Naturally, the railway museum is not the only attraction; rather, on the contrary, it is one of many. In Ruse there are large and beautiful parks, newly rebuilt embankment and large pedestrian areas, beautiful architecture, museums, temples, theaters and gyms. By the way, sports are quite well developed in Ruse, both at the youth and amateur levels, as well as professional ones. Local football, basketball, volleyball, boxing, gymnastics, athletics, aquatic species and other areas are widely represented on the Bulgarian arena. But the latter is rather joyful, for local residents, and it’s interesting for guests to walk and see. And there is a lot to see in the city.

The city center, built radially, is now almost entirely converted into a pedestrian zone, consisting of beautiful buildings, most of which date back to the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries and are either preserved or restored and decorate the city ensemble. Small parks, fountains, benches, cafes and restaurants contribute to obtaining good impressions and a leisurely walk among this beauty. Experts leaving complimentary reviews of the city’s architecture compare it with Vienna (“Little Vienna”), noting the strong influence of Austria on the culture of Ruse.

Important sights are the Monument of Liberation, the Pantheon of the Renaissance, the Ecomuseum, the Regional Historical Museum, the Church of the Holy Trinity and almost the entire old city center.

Once you've had your fill and gained some impressions from the city, you can go to the pier and take advantage of one of the offers to ride on a pleasure boat on the Danube. The pier accepts ships from different countries, people come here from the very sources of the Danube. You can often hear German spoken in the city - river cruise along the Danube is popular among Germans and Austrians.

On the banks of the Danube there are many places for a picnic and spending time near the water, hotels and recreation centers. In addition, Ruse is the venue for various traditional festivals and events. For example, the annual festival of building sand figures on local beach. Famous music festivals of various genres are also held here.

Ruse is an interesting and memorable city with its own special appearance.

Ruse (Bulgaria) - the most detailed information about the city with photos. The main attractions of Ruse with descriptions, guides and maps.

City of Ruse (Bulgaria)

Ruse is a city in northern Bulgaria. Known for its beautiful Baroque buildings, thanks to which it received the nickname "Bulgarian Vienna". Ruse is the country's fifth largest city and largest river port, as well as a significant economic, financial and cultural center.

Practical information

Population - 159 thousand people.
Area - 127.124 km².
The currency is the Bulgarian Lev.
Language - Bulgarian.
Time - UTC +2, in summer +3.

Story

Ruse was founded about 2,000 years ago. In the 1st century AD The Romans built a fortified settlement and a river port here. The fortress was an important strategic point on the road leading to the Danube Delta and the Black Sea. In the middle of the 3rd century, the Roman settlement was destroyed by the Goths. The Romans then restored the defensive structure, which was destroyed by Thracian tribes in the 4th century. In the 9th - 10th centuries, the Bulgarians built new fortress and they named her Ruse.

In the 14th century Ruse was conquered Ottoman Empire and renamed Rushchuk. The Ottomans built a powerful fortress here, which was an important outpost in the lands between the Danube Valley and the Balkans. All of Rushchuk's fortifications were destroyed in the 19th century. Ruse was annexed to Bulgaria after the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-78. and returned to its historical name.

Attractions

Historical Center Ruse is famous for its beautiful neo-baroque buildings built in the 19th and early 20th centuries.

It is better to start exploring the city center from Freedom Square - the largest and most beautiful square in Ruse. The architectural dominant here is the Freedom Monument, which depicts a female figure clutching a sword in her left hand, and with her right hand pointing in the direction where the liberators came from. At the base of the monument there are two lions. One breaks the chains of slavery, and the other protects the freedom of Bulgaria. The statue was made in 1909 by Italian sculptor Arnoldo Zocchi.

The apartment building is a magnificent neo-Baroque building that rises above the western end of Freedom Square. It was built in 1902 by Viennese architects and has been used as a theater, casino, public library, art gallery and shopping center.

Nearby is the neoclassical courthouse, which was built in 1940 on the site of an old fish market. To the left is the colorful opera house, built in 1949.

From Freedom Square you should go to Aleksandrovskaya Street, where there are beautiful neo-baroque buildings of the 19th century and historical Museum. The Historical Museum contains exhibits from the Roman period, Thracian culture, the Middle Ages and modern Bulgarian history.

A short walk from the center of Ruse on a hill above the Danube are the ruins of the Roman fortress Sexaginta Prista, founded in the 1st century AD. Parts of the northern fortress wall, rectangular, have survived to this day. defensive tower and army barracks. Archaeological excavations also discovered traces of a Thracian settlement from the 1st century BC.

Pantheon of National Heroes - memorial Complex, containing the remains of 453 fighters of the Bulgarian national revival, many of whom were natives of Ruse. The memorial was opened in 1978 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the liberation of Bulgaria.

Holy Trinity Church is a small religious building built in 1632. Interestingly, the church was built during the Ottoman period, so it is of modest size. The bell tower was added much later. The church has a beautiful iconostasis made of gilded wood and marble-painted wooden columns, as well as well-preserved icons.

Orthodox Church Saint Paraskeva of Serbia is an impressive rotunda in the style of Byzantine architecture, built between 1939 - 1944.

St. Paul's Cathedral is a Catholic church in the Gothic Revival style with brick Gothic elements, built in 1890 by the Italian architect Valentino. The interior contains beautiful sculptures and stained glass windows.

The city is located on the right bank of the Danube and is the largest Bulgarian port on this river.

Story

Sexagint Priest - Roman inscription

In the territory modern city The first settlement in Ruse was founded about 5000 years ago. It was built by Emperor Vespasian in the 1st century. n. e. fortress and port of Sexaginta Prista (capable of receiving up to 60 ships). The fortress was located on the main road from Belgrade (Singidium) to the Danube Delta and the Black Sea. In 250 the Goths destroyed it, but at the end of the 3rd century the Romans restored it. In the 4th century it was destroyed again (this time by the barbarian Thracian tribes of the Getae advancing from the north). In the IX-X centuries. The Bulgarians built a fortress on the ruins and called it Ruse. In the XIII-XIV centuries. the city was also called Gyurgovo or Yorgovo in honor of St. George the Victorious. During the era of the Ottoman yoke, the name “Ruschuk” (Bulgarian: Ruschuk) arose, which was used in parallel with the name “Ruse”.

During the Russian-Turkish wars during the reign of Emperor Alexander I, clashes between Russian and Ottoman troops took place here several times, and in 1810 the Rushchuk fortress was surrendered to Russian troops along with the neighboring Zhurzha. In 1811, battles of the Russian-Turkish War took place again in the vicinity of the city. During the Russian-Turkish War of 1828-29. and in the Crimean (Eastern) War of 1853-56. Many military actions took place near Rushchuk (due to its location).

In 1836, Rushchuk was elected by the Turks as the center Danube Vilayet, stretching from Varna and Tulcha to Sofia and Nis. Shipbuilding began to develop in Rushchuk. Midhat Pasha, who dreamed of modernizing the Ottoman Empire, began his economic experiments in the Danube vilayet.
In 1849, an Austrian-Hungarian consulate was opened in Ruschuk.
In 1853, consulates of Russia, Great Britain, Italy and Prussia opened in Rushchuk.

IN Crimean War, June 25 (July 7), the troops of Omer Pasha (over 30 thousand) concentrated in Rushchuk, who crossed the Danube and, after a battle with a small Russian detachment that stubbornly defended the island of Ramadan on the Danube, captured Djurdzhevo, losing up to 5 thousand askers .

In 1864, the first modern printing house in the Bulgarian lands was opened in Rushchuk.

In 1864, consulates of France, Belgium and Holland were opened in Rushchuk. Later, consulates of Romania, Spain and Greece also appeared in the city.
In 1865, Rushchuk streets were the first in Bulgaria to receive names.
In 1866, the first telegraph line in Bulgaria connected Varna and Rushchuk.
In 1867, the first railway in Bulgaria was completed. d. line Rushchuk-Varna. Soon the railway repair company “Traksia” appeared in the city.
In 1870, the country's first exhibition of local industry and agriculture was held in Rushchuk and the first Factory began operating alcoholic drinks G. Petru.

Economically developed Rushchuk became one of the largest centers of the Bulgarian Renaissance. The Rusensky Revolutionary Committee functioned, working for Bulgarian national liberation. The names of Baba Tonka, Nikola Obretenov, Angel Kynchev, Zakharia Stoyanov, Georgiy Ikonomov, Illarion Dragostinov and others are closely associated with this city.

During the Russian-Turkish War of 1877-78. Bishop Clement (Drumev) saved the city of Rushchuk from destruction, and the Bulgarian population from massacre. On February 20, 1878, General Eduard Totleben liberated Rushchuk from the Ottoman yoke. At the same time, the only official Bulgarian name Ruse was recognized outside the city. Russian batteries from Ruschuk and Zhurzhi, armed with siege weapons, prevented enemy warships from ascending the Danube.

Political situation

Kmet (mayor) of the Ruse community - Bozhidar Ivanov Yotov (initiative committee) based on the results of elections to the community board.

Geography and architecture

The geographical position of Ruse contributes to its rapid economic growth and the growth of its role in political life countries. During Turkish rule, it became one of the developed cities and served as a strategic base on the Danube. The city received a large Jewish community, expelled from Spain at the end of the 15th century.

After the liberation of Bulgaria from the Turkish yoke and the country's independence, Ruse remained a border town in the north of the country and a port city, thanks to which other Danube regions of Bulgaria were supplied. It was then that many beautiful buildings were built in Ruse, most of which have survived to this day.

Today, the city, located on the hills, is primarily one of the largest port cities in Bulgaria. The giant bridge over the Danube provides communication with Romania, the border with which passes through this bridge. National composition The population living in Ruse is very diverse: there are a lot of gypsies here, who have adapted better in Ruse than in other cities in Bulgaria[ source not specified 2252 days]. The architectural, historical and administrative center of the city is the main Town Square and the entire city center - lively, modern, with beautiful architectural structures. In addition, there are historical monuments within the city.

The ruins of the ancient fortress Sexaginta Prista, built by the Romans in the 1st century. n. e. Tombstones and other structures and inscriptions have been preserved here. The fortress was destroyed by the Goths in the 7th century.

In the Pantheon building, located east of the city center, local revolutionaries who are considered heroes of the Bulgarian people are buried: Lyuben Karavelov, Zachary Stoyanov, Baba Tonka Obretenova, Angel Kanchev, Stefan Karadzha, Panayot Hitov.

IN Art gallery a collection of works by local artists has been collected.

In the youth park, 50 m from the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, in 1837, in honor of Sultan Mahmud’s visit to the city, a marble column was installed - “Royal Stone” (Bulgarian: Tsarev Kamak).

Profitable building(Bulgarian) Profitable building) is a large theater building that symbolizes the period of the Bulgarian Renaissance (Bulgarian). Vazrazhdane). It was built in neoclassical and baroque style.

Cathedral of St. Paul of the Cross(Bulgarian) Cathedral Church "St. Paul of the Cross") is a Catholic church located near the banks of the Danube. Built in 1890-1892. in the neo-Gothic style designed by the Italian architect Valentino del Antonio. The cathedral houses the first organ in Bulgaria, built in 1907.

Monument to Freedom(Bulgarian) Monument to freedom) represents an impressive creation by the Italian sculptor Arnoldo Tsochi of the early 20th century. The monument is located in the city center.

Kuntukapia Bridge. It is located south of the city center. The bridge is all that remains of the Turkish fortress, which was located near the modern railway station.

In the vicinity of Ruse is located National Park"Rusenski Lom". This park, stretching over 3260 hectares, is located 20 km south of the city. Rare birds are kept in the reserve park. You can observe them, and also visit the caves formed as a result natural conditions. There are monasteries in the same park. Every year in September, exhibitions of so-called natural art are organized.

Population

Year	1880	1887	1910	1934	1940	1946	1999	2001	2004	2006	2008	2010
Population	26 163	27 194	36 255	41 447	51 000	57 509
Permanent Address							202 793	190 798	179 514	177 104	175 374	173 672
current address							182 323	179 666	172 833	170 208	168 116	166 056

Political situation

In the Pantheon building located east of the city center, local revolutionaries who are considered heroes of the Bulgarian people are buried: Lyuben Karavelov, Zachary Stoyanov, Baba Tonka Obretenova, Angel Kanchev, Stefan Karadzha, Panayot Hitov.

The Art Gallery houses a collection of works by local artists.

Kuntukapia Bridge. It is located south of the city center. The bridge is all that remains of the Turkish fortress, which was located near the modern railway station.

In the vicinity of Ruse there is the Rusenski Lom National Park. This park, stretching over 3260 hectares, is located 20 km south of the city. Rare birds are kept in the reserve park. You can observe them and also visit caves formed as a result of natural conditions. There are monasteries in the same park. Every year in September, exhibitions of so-called natural art are organized.

Climate

Climate Ruse
Index	Jan.	Feb.	March	Apr.	May	June	July	Aug.	Sep.	Oct.	Nov.	Dec.	Year
Absolute maximum, °C	22	25	33	34	37	42,4	44,7	44,2	40,2	39	28	22	44,7
Average maximum, °C	4	7	14	20	26	30	32	32	27	19	12	5	19,0
average temperature, °C	0,3	2,3	8,4	14,1	20,1	23,5	25,8	25,2	20,4	13,8	8,1	1,6	13,7
Average minimum, °C	−3	−2	3	8	14	18	20	19	15	9	4	−2	8,5
Absolute minimum, °C	−28	−26	−18	−4	3	7	9	8	1	−5	−14	−21	−28
Precipitation rate, mm	66	39	45	31	72	62	71	60	58	50	31	61	646
Source: , and

Economy

Ruse is the most Big city, industrial centre and the port of Bulgaria on the Danube. Near Ruse there is a large two-tier bridge (length 2800 m) across the Danube, built in 1952-1954. by using Soviet Union. It is the main land gateway for the transport of goods and passengers between Bulgaria and Romania and between Bulgaria and Russia. In terms of the development of mechanical engineering (agricultural, shipbuilding, electronics and instrument making, heavy equipment), Ruse is on a par with Plovdiv and is second only to Sofia. There are enterprises in the chemical, textile and especially food-flavoring industries. Ruse is the center of a region with developed viticulture and beet growing.

The city has a developed network of various supermarkets: Kaufland, Bill, Metro, Technopolis, Technomarket "Europe", Moshu Bricolage, Practitioner. 6 large supermarkets are being built MOL(MALL) and a modern financial center.

International relationships

Consulates

Twin Cities

Notable natives and residents

This section is an unordered list of various facts about the subject of the article.

Please bring the information into an encyclopedic form and distribute it to the appropriate sections of the article. According to the decision of the Wikipedia Arbitration Committee, lists are preferably based on secondary summaries containing criteria for inclusion of elements in the list.

Atanas Kosev - composer
Boyko Nedelchev - pop singer, composer (04/24/1965)
Boris Chakyrov - composer
Vasil Kazandzhiev - composer, conductor, academician
Venelina Veneva - track and field athlete
Violeta Shakhanova - opera and chamber singer
Deyan Nedelchev - pop singer, composer (01/16/1964)
Iskren Petsov - singer, composer
Iskren Petsov - pop singer
Yosif Tsankov (1911-1971) - musician, composer.
Kamen Donev - actor, director, playwright and choreographer (1971)
Konstantin Evtimov - cellist, concertmaster of the Symphony Orchestra at the BNR (1975).
Leon Daniel - theater director (1927-2008).
Luchnikov, Svetoslav - Bulgarian lawyer, politician.
Mimi Balkanska (1902-1984) - opera and operetta artist.
Minkov, Fedor Nikolaevich - Bulgarian teacher and educator of the 19th century.
Mirzoyan, Manuk Bey (1769-1817) - statesman of the Ottoman Empire.
Mikhail Arnaudov - academician.
Nelina is a pop-folk and folk singer.
Neshka Robeva - trainer, artistic director. gymnastics.
Orlin Anastasov - opera singer (1976).
Pyotr Petrov-Parcheto is a jazz musician.
Vladimir Polyanov (1899-1988) - writer, director, theater figure.
Rositsa Bordzhieva - pop singer, teacher (20.4.1954).
Silvia Miteva - gymnast.
Stefan Tsanev - writer.
Stefan Tsanev - poet.
Sunai Chalykov is a pop singer.
Topalov, Veselin Alexandrov - Bulgarian chess player, FIDE world champion (2005).
Fakhri Pasha - Turkish military leader, commandant of Medina.
Elias Canetti – writer and playwright, winner of the 1981 Nobel Prize in Literature.
Janica - pop folk singer

Cards

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Notes

grao.bg/tna/tab02.txt
“Ruse – Biography of Dunavskiyat grad” – Vasil Doykov.
BNR - “Old books - knowledge and aroma from the passing of time.”
Consulate in Ruse prez 1928 - “The almanac in Ruse is illustrated”
Passed through Shumen. See: “A picturesque journey through European and Asian Turkey and the South Slavic countries,” Chapter XXXVIII “From Ruschuk to Varna.” – Moscow, 1878.
History on BJJ
Nikolay Michev, Petar Koledarov, “Rechnik na selishchata and village names in Bulgaria 1878 – 1987”, Sofia, 1989.
Museum of Ruse
Bulgarian academy of sciences-geographical institute
The locality located on the territory of the Crimean Peninsula, most of which is the subject of territorial disputes between Russia and Ukraine. According to the administrative-territorial division of the Russian Federation, which actually controls Crimea, the federal subjects of the Republic of Crimea and the federal city of Sevastopol are located on its territory. According to the administrative-territorial division of Ukraine, the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city with a special status of Sevastopol, which are part of Ukraine, are located on the territory of Crimea.

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Excerpt characterizing Ruse

“If He didn’t exist,” he said quietly, “you and I wouldn’t be talking about Him, my sir.” What, who were we talking about? Who did you deny? - he suddenly said with enthusiastic sternness and authority in his voice. – Who invented Him if He doesn’t exist? Why did you have the assumption that there is such an incomprehensible creature? Why did you and the whole world assume the existence of such an incomprehensible being, an omnipotent being, eternal and infinite in all its properties?... - He stopped and was silent for a long time.
Pierre could not and did not want to break this silence.
“He exists, but it’s difficult to understand Him,” the Freemason spoke again, looking not at Pierre’s face, but in front of him, with his senile hands, which from internal excitement could not remain calm, turning over the pages of the book. “If it were a person whose existence you doubted, I would bring this person to you, take him by the hand and show him to you.” But how can I, an insignificant mortal, show all His omnipotence, all eternity, all His goodness to the one who is blind, or to the one who closes his eyes so as not to see, not to understand Him, and not to see and not to understand all his abomination and depravity? – He paused. - Who are you? What you? “You dream of yourself that you are a wise man, because you could utter these blasphemous words,” he said with a gloomy and contemptuous grin, “and you are stupider and crazier than a small child who, playing with parts of a skillfully made clock, would dare to say that , because he does not understand the purpose of this watch, he does not believe in the master who made it. It is difficult to know Him... For centuries, from the forefather Adam to the present day, we have been working for this knowledge and are infinitely far from achieving our goal; but in not understanding Him we see only our weakness and His greatness... - Pierre, with a sinking heart, looking into the Freemason’s face with shining eyes, listened to him, did not interrupt, did not ask him, but with all his soul believed what this stranger was telling him. Did he believe those reasonable arguments that were in the Mason’s speech, or did he believe, as children believe, the intonations, conviction and cordiality that were in the Mason’s speech, the trembling of the voice, which sometimes almost interrupted the Mason, or those sparkling, senile eyes that grew old in that the same conviction, or that calmness, firmness and knowledge of his purpose, which shone from the whole being of the Mason, and which especially struck him in comparison with his dejection and hopelessness; - but he wanted to believe with all his soul, and believed, and experienced a joyful feeling of calm, renewal and return to life.
“It is not comprehended by the mind, but is comprehended by life,” said the Mason.
“I don’t understand,” said Pierre, fearfully feeling the doubt rising within himself. He was afraid of the ambiguity and weakness of his interlocutor's arguments, he was afraid not to believe him. “I don’t understand,” he said, “how the human mind cannot comprehend the knowledge you are talking about.”
The Mason smiled his gentle, fatherly smile.
“The highest wisdom and truth are like the purest moisture that we want to absorb into ourselves,” he said. – Can I receive this pure moisture into an unclean vessel and judge its purity? Only by internal purification of myself can I bring the perceived moisture to a certain purity.
- Yes, yes, that's true! – Pierre said joyfully.
– The highest wisdom is not based on reason alone, not on those secular sciences of physics, history, chemistry, etc., into which mental knowledge is divided. There is only one highest wisdom. The highest wisdom has one science - the science of everything, the science that explains the entire universe and the place of man in it. In order to embrace this science, it is necessary to purify and renew one’s inner man, and therefore, before knowing, one must believe and improve. And to achieve these goals, the light of God, called conscience, is embedded in our soul.
“Yes, yes,” Pierre confirmed.
– Look with spiritual eyes at your inner man and ask yourself if you are satisfied with yourself. What have you achieved with your mind alone? What are you? You are young, you are rich, you are smart, educated, my sir. What have you made of all these blessings given to you? Are you satisfied with yourself and your life?
“No, I hate my life,” Pierre said, wincing.
“You hate it, so change it, cleanse yourself, and as you cleanse yourself you will learn wisdom.” Look at your life, my lord. How did you spend it? In violent orgies and debauchery, receiving everything from society and giving nothing to it. You have received wealth. How did you use it? What have you done for your neighbor? Have you thought about the tens of thousands of your slaves, have you helped them physically and morally? No. You used their works to lead a dissolute life. That's what you did. Have you chosen a place of service where you can benefit your neighbor? No. You spent your life in idleness. Then you got married, my lord, took on the responsibility of leading a young woman, and what did you do? You did not help her, my sir, to find the path of truth, but plunged her into the abyss of lies and misfortune. A man insulted you and you killed him, and you say that you don't know God and that you hate your life. There is nothing fancy here, my sir! – After these words, the Mason, as if tired from a long conversation, again leaned his elbows on the back of the sofa and closed his eyes. Pierre looked at this stern, motionless, senile, almost dead face, and silently moved his lips. He wanted to say: yes, a vile, idle, depraved life - and did not dare to break the silence.
The Mason cleared his throat hoarsely and senilely and called to the servant.
- What about horses? - he asked without looking at Pierre.
“They brought the change,” answered the servant. -Aren't you going to rest?
- No, tell me to lay it down.
“Will he really leave and leave me alone, without finishing everything and without promising me help?” thought Pierre, standing up and lowering his head, occasionally glancing at the Freemason, and starting to walk around the room. “Yes, I didn’t think so, but I led a despicable, depraved life, but I didn’t love it and didn’t want it,” thought Pierre, “but this man knows the truth, and if he wanted, he could reveal it to me.” . Pierre wanted and did not dare to tell this to the Mason. The person passing by, having packed his things with the usual, old hands, buttoned up his sheepskin coat. Having finished these matters, he turned to Bezukhy and indifferently, in a polite tone, told him:
-Where do you want to go now, my sir?
“Me?... I’m going to St. Petersburg,” Pierre answered in a childish, hesitant voice. - Thank you. I agree with you on everything. But don't think I'm so stupid. I wished with all my soul to be what you would have me to be; but I never found help in anyone... However, I myself am primarily to blame for everything. Help me, teach me and maybe I will... - Pierre could not speak further; he sniffed and turned away.
The Mason was silent for a long time, apparently thinking about something.
“Help is given only from God,” he said, “but the measure of help that our order has the power to give, he will give to you, my lord.” You are going to St. Petersburg, tell this to Count Villarsky (he took out his wallet and wrote a few words on a large sheet of paper folded in four). Let me give you one piece of advice. Having arrived in the capital, devote the first time to solitude, discussing yourself, and do not take the old path of life. Then I wish you a happy journey, my lord,” he said, noticing that his servant had entered the room, “and success...
The person passing was Osip Alekseevich Bazdeev, as Pierre learned from the caretaker’s book. Bazdeev was one of the most famous Freemasons and Martinists back in Novikov’s time. Long after his departure, Pierre, without going to bed and without asking for horses, walked around the station room, pondering his vicious past and, with the delight of renewal, imagining his blissful, impeccable and virtuous future, which seemed so easy to him. He was, it seemed to him, vicious only because he had somehow accidentally forgotten how good it was to be virtuous. There was no trace of the former doubts left in his soul. He firmly believed in the possibility of a brotherhood of men united for the purpose of supporting each other in the path of virtue, and this was how Freemasonry seemed to him.

Arriving in St. Petersburg, Pierre did not notify anyone of his arrival, did not go anywhere, and began to spend whole days reading Thomas a à Kempis, a book that was delivered to him by an unknown person. Pierre understood one thing and one thing while reading this book; he understood the still unknown pleasure of believing in the possibility of achieving perfection and in the possibility of brotherly and active love between people, opened to him by Osip Alekseevich. A week after his arrival, the young Polish Count Villarsky, whom Pierre knew superficially from the St. Petersburg world, entered his room in the evening with the official and solemn air with which Dolokhov’s second entered his room and, closing the door behind him and making sure that there was no one in the room There was no one except Pierre, he turned to him:
“I came to you with an order and a proposal, Count,” he told him without sitting down. – A person very highly placed in our brotherhood petitioned for you to be accepted into the brotherhood ahead of schedule, and invited me to be your guarantor. I consider it a sacred duty to fulfill the will of this person. Would you like to join the brotherhood of free stonemasons on my guarantee?
The cold and stern tone of the man whom Pierre almost always saw at balls with an amiable smile, in the company of the most brilliant women, struck Pierre.
“Yes, I wish,” said Pierre.
Villarsky bowed his head. “One more question, Count,” he said, to which I ask you not as a future Freemason, but as an honest man (galant homme) to answer me with all sincerity: have you renounced your previous convictions, do you believe in God?
Pierre thought about it. “Yes... yes, I believe in God,” he said.
“In that case...” Villarsky began, but Pierre interrupted him. “Yes, I believe in God,” he said again.
“In that case, we can go,” said Villarsky. - My carriage is at your service.
Villarsky was silent all the way. To Pierre's questions about what he needed to do and how to answer, Villarsky only said that brothers more worthy of him would test him, and that Pierre needed nothing more than to tell the truth.
Having entered the gate of a large house where the lodge was located, and walking along a dark staircase, they entered a lighted, small hallway, where, without the help of a servant, they took off their fur coats. From the hall they went into another room. Some man in a strange attire appeared at the door. Villarsky, coming out to meet him, said something quietly to him in French and went to a small closet, in which Pierre noticed clothes he had never seen before. Taking a handkerchief from the closet, Villarsky placed it over Pierre's eyes and tied it in a knot from behind, painfully catching his hair in the knot. Then he bent him towards him, kissed him and, taking him by the hand, led him somewhere. Pierre was in pain from the hair being pulled in by the knot; he winced in pain and smiled from shame for something. His huge figure with his arms hanging down, with a wrinkled and smiling face, moved with uncertain timid steps behind Villarsky.
After walking him ten steps, Villarsky stopped.
“No matter what happens to you,” he said, “you must endure everything with courage if you firmly decide to join our brotherhood.” (Pierre answered in the affirmative by bowing his head.) When you hear a knock on the door, you will untie your eyes,” Villarsky added; – I wish you courage and success. And, shaking Pierre’s hand, Villarsky left.
Left alone, Pierre continued to smile the same way. Once or twice he shrugged his shoulders, raised his hand to the handkerchief, as if wanting to take it off, and lowered it again. The five minutes he spent with his eyes tied seemed like an hour. His hands were swollen, his legs were giving way; he thought he was tired. He experienced the most complex and varied feelings. He was afraid of what would happen to him, and even more afraid of not showing fear. He was curious to know what would happen to him, what would be revealed to him; but most of all he was happy that the moment had come when he would finally embark on that path of renewal and actively virtuous life, which he had dreamed of since his meeting with Osip Alekseevich. Strong knocks were heard on the door. Pierre took off the bandage and looked around him. The room was black and dark: only in one place was a lamp burning, in something white. Pierre came closer and saw that the lamp stood on a black table, on which lay one open book. The book was the Gospel; that white thing in which the lamp was burning was a human skull with its holes and teeth. Having read the first words of the Gospel: “In the beginning was the word and the word was to God,” Pierre walked around the table and saw a large open box filled with something. It was a coffin with bones. He was not at all surprised by what he saw. Hoping to enter into a completely new life completely different from the previous one, he expected everything extraordinary, even more extraordinary than what he saw. The skull, the coffin, the Gospel - it seemed to him that he expected all this, expected even more. Trying to evoke a feeling of tenderness in himself, he looked around him. “God, death, love, brotherhood of people,” he said to himself, associating with these words vague but joyful ideas of something. The door opened and someone entered.
In the dim light, which Pierre had already managed to take a closer look at, a short man entered. Apparently entering the darkness from the light, this man stopped; then, with careful steps, he moved towards the table and placed his small hands, covered with leather gloves, on it.
This short man was dressed in a white leather apron that covered his chest and part of his legs, he had something like a necklace on his neck, and from behind the necklace protruded a tall, white frill that framed his elongated face, lit from below.
– Why did you come here? - asked the newcomer, following the rustle made by Pierre, turning in his direction. - Why do you, who do not believe in the truths of the light and do not see the light, why did you come here, what do you want from us? Wisdom, virtue, enlightenment?
At that moment the door opened and an unknown man entered, Pierre experienced a feeling of fear and reverence, similar to the one he experienced in confession as a child: he felt face to face with a complete stranger in terms of living conditions and with someone close to him, in the brotherhood of people, person. Pierre, with a breathless heartbeat, moved towards the rhetorician (that was the name in Freemasonry for the brother who prepares the seeker for entry into the brotherhood). Pierre, coming closer, recognized in the rhetorician a familiar person, Smolyaninov, but it was insulting to him to think that the person who entered was a familiar person: the person who entered was only a brother and a virtuous mentor. Pierre could not utter the words for a long time, so the rhetorician had to repeat his question.
“Yes, I... I... want an update,” Pierre said with difficulty.

City Ruse(162,128 inhabitants, 50 meters above sea level) is located on the high right bank of the Danube, 496 kilometers from the mouth of the large river. It is located 320 kilometers northeast of Sofia, 203 kilometers northwest of Varna, 106 kilometers north- east of Veliko Tarnovo, 146 kilometers northeast of Pleven, 97 kilometers northeast of Svishtov, 122 kilometers southwest of Silistra, 66 kilometers northwest of Razgrad. The largest and most significant Bulgarian city on the Danube, also known as “Little Vienna” due to its ancient architecture. Regional center.

Story

Within the contours of the modern city is the famous village grave of Ruse - a prehistoric settlement that existed more than 500 years ago. At the beginning of the new era, the ancient settlement of Sexaginta Prista (Sixty ships) arose on part of the territory of the current city. The word "prista" refers to a specific type of Greek river patrol ship. In all likelihood, the village was founded by the Roman emperor Vespasian (69 - 79). Later the village is found under the names Pristisi Pristapolis. It existed until the 6th century, when it was destroyed by the Vars. In the Middle Ages, near the ruins of an ancient village, a new village, which was first mentioned in the Brusch guide from the 14th century as Rosi, and in the Sultan's register from 1431 and in the peace treaty between the Ottoman Empire and the Magyar state from August 20, 1503 - in the name of Rus. In the chronicles of Ahmed Neshri and in a number of old maps, the city is designated as a single village together with the city of Gyurgevo, located on the opposite bank of the Danube, under the names of Yorgyogi, Yorgovo, Yurukova, Rus on this and the other side of the Danube, Gyurgevo on this and the other side of the Danube.

In 1595, the Wallachian ruler Mihai Vityazul (Hrabri) made an attempt to liberate Bulgaria with the help of the Wallachian-Bulgarian army, as a result of which the city was destroyed. After its restoration at the beginning of the 17th century, the city received the name Ruschuk (Little Russia). The city is increasingly turning into an important port and a strong border fortress. In 1811, the Russian general Kutuzov fought the famous Battle of Ruschush, in which he proved himself to be a talented commander. In 1864 the city became the center Danube region in the Ottoman Empire. In 1866, the construction of the first railway line on the Bulgarian land of Ruschuk - Varna was completed. The first modern agricultural farm Nomine (model estate) was created. The River Authority was founded, and in a short period 7 steamships and 15 barges were purchased. A printer was opened with machines from Vienna, in which newspapers, books and textbooks were printed. The book house of Hristo G. Danova was opened. For the needs of secular education in Ruschuk, in 1843 Alexander Ruset published the first geographical map of Bulgaria in the Bulgarian language in Strasbourg.

With active shipping on the Danube River (mainly Austro-Hungarian ships), European influence penetrated into the city, and this had a positive reflection on its development as a whole. Architecture also did not lag behind, and the construction of private and public buildings began in the likeness of the style of the capital of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Vienna. European fashion in clothing also first penetrated into this city. On January 1, 1866, here, with the help of modern Austrian equipment, the first meteorological observations on Bulgarian soil began.

Ruschuk did not stand aside in the struggle for spiritual and national liberation, especially since, being the entrance gate to Europe, it was here that the modern freedom-loving ideas of the Old Continent first penetrated. Reading "Zora" by the outstanding Bulgarian patriot Babushka Tonka Obretenova became the center of national struggle. A number of revolutionaries were helped to leave the empire or return to their homeland. Here, Angel Kynchev, one of Levsky’s most faithful and ardent associates, died in a shootout with the Turkish police. Grandmother Tonka, her sons and daughters, revolutionaries who gave their lives for the freedom of Bulgaria - Stefan Karadzha, Angel Kynchev, Zakhary Stoyanov, Lyuben Karavelov, Panayot Hitov, Hristo Makedonski, Dimitar Tsenovich and a number of other great Bulgarians are buried in the city.

In 1979, the Pantheon of figures of the era of the Bulgarian National Revival with an eternal flame was opened in Ruse. The remains of many of the 453 worthy Bulgarians who were born in the city or connected their lives with it, and whose names are inscribed in the Pantheon, are buried in it. On February 20, 1878, Russian troops led by General. Totleben entered Ruschuk, where the population, led by Metropolitan Kliment Branitsky (Vasil Drumev), enthusiastically greeted them.

Ruse was largest city liberated Bulgarian lands - it had over 20,000 inhabitants. On July 31, 1879, the Bulgarian flag was raised on ships donated by Russia, and this marked the beginning of organized shipping in Bulgaria. In 1881, the first maritime technical school was opened, which was later moved to Varna. In 1881, the first Bulgarian bank “Girdap” was created. In 1889, the first Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce was established, and two years later - our first joint-stock insurance company "Bulgaria". By the end of the nineteenth century free city Russet was created by a number of famous architects (Eduard Winter, Udo Riebau, Georg Lang, Edwin Petritsky, Negos Bedrosyan, Todor Lazarov, etc.), decorative artists (Carlo Francescani, Giovanni Pitor, etc.), park builders (Ferdinand Galober, Richard Neuwirth, etc. .) It is no coincidence that Ruse is still considered the most European Bulgarian city. Born here: the writer Elias Kaneti, awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1981, Dobri Nemirov, Michael Arlyn, Lyuben Karavelov, Ivan Vazov, Stoyan Mikhailovsky lived here, the poet Tsvetan Radoslavov - author of the text and melody of the song “Gorda Stara Planina” (1885) , which became Bulgarian national anthem, artist Zhul Paskin (Pinkas), pianist Otto Liebig, opera artist Mimi Balkanska, academician Mikhail Arnaudov.

The role of the city increased even more after the construction of the Friendship Bridge between the Bulgarian and Romanian shores in 1954. It was here, in the city of Ruse, at the end of the 80s of the twentieth century that a civil movement arose to protect the city from air pollution by gases from a chemical plant in the city of Gurgevo (Romania). This marked the beginning of democratic changes in Bulgaria. Currently, Ruse is a major economic, transport, cultural and tourist center.

Attractions

About 200 buildings in Ruse are included in the architectural and historical heritage fund, of which 12 are especially valuable. First of all, this is a profitable building with a winged Mercury on the roof (old theater), built in 1902 by architects Raul Branck, Georgiy Lang and Frank Scholz. The building and the Freedom Monument (1908) are remarkable works of the Florentine architect and sculptor Arnoldo Zocchi and symbols of Ruse. Among the most remarkable cultural and historical monuments are the Musical Gymnasium; the Catholic Church (Episkopa Bosilkova Street, tel. 082 228188), with paintings on glass; buildings of the Savings Bank, Chamber of Commerce and Industry (library named after Lyuben Karavelov), Men's Gymnasium named after. Prince Boris (now ESPU named after Hristo Botev); House-sailor; District Administration (provided for the museum); Club of cultural figures; Duty Free Zone Authority; House of the Simeonov brothers. At 13 Gurkogo Street is the home of Elias Kaneti.

Ruse - a city of museums: Pantheon of figures of the Bulgarian National Renaissance (tel. 082 28913); City Historical Museum; Granny Tonka Museum (tel. 082 32364); House-Museum of Zakhary Stoyanov; House-Museum of Tomy Kyrdzhiev; Museum of Urban Life in the Kaliope House (tel. 082 27742). The National Museum of Transport and Communications is housed in the building of the oldest railway station In Bulgaria. It houses the carriages of Sultan Abdullah Azis, Tsar Ferdinand and Tsar Boris III. City Art Gallery.
These attractions include: the Leventabia fortress (now a restaurant complex), the gate from Mitiriz "Kuntukapia", Mahmud's Column, the Church of the Holy Trinity (St. Trinity Square, 8) from the beginning of the 17th century, the Fleet Tower, built in 1884 by the architect Franz Grunanger for meteorological observations. In Russia there are monuments to those who fell in the Serbian-Bulgarian War of 1885, Russophiles, Grandma Tonka, Lyuben Karavelov, Stefan Karadzhi, Raicho Nikolov and others.