World War One Sites - The NETWORLD Database

Monument of the perished for the motherland warriors from Targovishte and region, Targovishte, Bulgaria

Hundreds are the unknown solders fallen in the battles near Targovishte and sacrificed their lives for the consolidation of the nation. The heroism of these people was immortalized by the sculptor Lyubomir Dalchev in his work "Ustrem", better known as the Soldier's Monument. The architectural and sculptural composition consists of two bronze figures of an officer and a soldier on a pedestal. They say that when the monument was founded in 1939, Dalchev took the features of his painting teacher Prof. Nikola Marinov and created the face of the officer. The monument is the earliest work of the famous sculptor. In the park behind the composition there is a memorial plaque of the people who died in 1915-1918 and found by the museum workers. The original is stored in the yard of the museum.

Bulgaria, Targovishte

Type of WWI-heritage

War monument

Dimensions

300m2

State of repair/preservation

Good

Historical WWI Context

MONUMENT OF THE PERISHED FOR THE MOTHERLAND WARRIORS FROM TARGOVISHTE AND THE REGION / The Soldier's Monument / On the 3rd of January, 1926, the Union of Reserve Officers "Saglasie" decided to build a Monument of the Unknown Soldier in the town of Troyan. Veterans want to pay a tribute to their courageous comrades. This initiative has a strong public response. In 1934, the place where the monument has to be situated was chosen - at the central city square "Svoboda" and is guaranteed by donations and redemption of terrain. From 1934 to 1937 famous architects such as Kiril Shivarov, Andrea Nikolov, Asen Peikov, Mina Ivanov, etc. gave ideas and projects for the monument. On the 6th of October, 1937, the winner was selected, it was the work titled “Ustrem”of the young sculptor Lyubomir Dalchev. The construction of the monument began on the 7th of April, 1938. In its base a glass vessel with local and central press issues from the same date was built in, as well as the Monument Building Act, a List of the Names of the 47 dead officers and 194 soldiers. The monument was officially opened on the 4th of June, 1939, after two days of celebrations. All the relevant documents are currently stored in the museum. For many years, the monument was at the center of the town, but for political reasons it was dismantled and thrown out on the outskirts of the city. After the public changes in 1944, the military monument became an object of political conspiracy and speculations. Some of the elements disappeared, and the corrosion started to ruin .the monument. In 1961, the Town Council of Targovishte made a decision to restore the monument. Lubomir Dalchev was invited to help the monument shine again. Instead of the missing bas-relief to express the events from 1916, a new but not so precise one was made. In 1968 the monument was once again raised in the city park, where it stays now. After almost 40 years of oblivion, in 201 the restoration of the monument in its original appearance has started. The local Rotary club donates 15,000 BGN to revive the historical memory.

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