In the heart of modern Bulgaria, near the town of Gabrovo, there is a unique open-air museum, a must-visit for all foreign tourists. There is no better place to learn about life in Bulgaria in the 18th-19th centuries than the Architectural And Ethnographic Complex Etar. Each exposition of this museum tells its own story and invites curious travelers not only to become spectators but also to participate, to feel like a resident of the medieval Kingdom of Bulgaria, to try hand in various crafts, and maybe even to discover a bent.

A fascinating journey begins with the main symbol of the architectural and ethnographic complex, a huge wheel of an old watermill. Etar is the only place in Bulgaria that displays such an impressive collection of water mechanisms. 10 objects in this museum are still functioning, just like many centuries ago. Besides, Etar is considered one of the best museums in Europe with such a collection of technical exhibits.

The idea of creating an unusual museum came to the mind of the famous Bulgarian artist and ethnographer Lazar Donkov in 1963. The complex was opened a year later, and three years later, it was recognized as a national park. Today, the Etar Museum is a cultural monument and one of the main attractions of the country.

Visitors to the ethnographic complex can master furriery or weaving, try on the role of a carver or an icon painter, as well as bake bread in a bakery according to an old Bulgarian recipe and treat other visitors. Process copper, make horse blinders and musical instruments, find out what the craftsmen are doing in the "Mutafchia" workshop, be sure to visit a local jeweler, enjoy the glitter of gold and the iridescence of gemstones. Enjoy sweets at the pastry chef, repair the cart at the locksmith and go with traditional songs and dances through the ancient streets of the complex quick as the wind.