Last updated on .
The beautiful city of Ruse, Bulgaria, sits on the banks of the Danube River. There are some interesting homes and museums near the river as well as a riverwalk.
Andrea Turio Home
The nicest homes in Ruse are located near the river. The first one I encountered was the home of Andrea Turio. It was built in 1900 and is considered to be the most beautiful home in the city.
St. Paul of the Cross Catholic Cathedral
Not too far away is St. Paul of the Cross Catholic Cathedral, which was built in 1890.
Along the River
I then walked a bit along the river. There’s not much there other than a riverwalk. I reached a pedestrian footbridge and crossed back over to the residential area.
Zahari Stoyanov Museum
Within a couple blocks are three of the most important homes in Ruse. The first one is the Zahari Stoyanov Museum. Stoyanov was a Bulgarian revolutionary who took part in and wrote a firsthand account of the April Uprising of 1876, “Memoirs of the Bulgarian Uprisings”. The museum is dedicated to the Bulgarian struggle and includes some of his personal belongings.
Nikola Obretenov House
A block to the east is the Nikola Obretenov house. Obretenov (1849-1939) was another Bulgarian revolutionary from Ruse who took part in the April Uprising. His book about thee uprising was published posthumously. His mother, Tonka Obretenova, was also an active revolutionary and lived in the house.
Maria Kaliopa Kalitsch House
Finally, the Maria Kaliopa Kalitsch house is another block away. This house was the 19th century home of the wife of the Prussian consul. It’s now the Museum of Urban Lifestyles, an ethnographic museum exhibiting the lives of Ruse’s upper class before World War I.
The upper floor displays luxurious furniture and ornate hand-painted decorations on the walls and ceilings.
Mladezhki Park
Further to the east is Mladezhki Park, which is a beautiful green space full of trees. Along the river to the north of the park is the National Transport Museum, housed in Bulgaria’s first railway station, built in 1866. It highlights Ruse’s railroad heritage. I was able to visit the park but not the museum.
