Home / Cultural Routes / Cultural Route The Time of the Secession

The Popnikolov House

Located at 27 Demokratsia Street, on the corner with Vasil Levski Street.
The house was home to Vasil Popnikolov, a well-known Kyustendil lawyer. It was built in the Secession style, fashionable at the turn of the last century; its history dates back to 1911–1912. The design is by architect Angel Momov. The house has two storeys and was furnished, in keeping with the era, with Viennese furniture. The ground floor comprised the lawyer's office, a kitchen, a dining room, and a winter garden with metal columns, topped by a terrace with an ornamented metal railing. The exterior captivates with original artistic details sculpted by the celebrated Bulgarian sculptor Ivan Lazarov. The refinement of the facade decoration is achieved through panels with floral motifs beneath the windows, female heads above them, lions on the consoles supporting the bay window facing Demokratsia Street, and the pointed roofline with a corner turret.

The House of Todor Raychilovski

It stands on the corner of Colonel Stefan Manov Street and Demokratsia Street, on the southern side of Velbazhd Square.
The building has a stately appearance in the Art Nouveau ("Modern") style and was built to a design by architect Rudolf Fischer. It is also known as the old Dragoman Hotel. It has two storeys, with beautiful pediments, roof lunettes, and a pointed turret.

The House of Haralampi Popanastasov

Located between Targovska Street and Ilarion Lovchanski Street.
A house modern for its time, it was most likely built at the beginning of the 20th century (1903). The ground floor is of stone laid in lime-cement mortar; the two upper storeys are of brick masonry with wooden beam ceilings. The facade features rusticated plasterwork and ornaments around the windows.

The House of Ivan Stradalski

Located at 111–113 Tsar Osvoboditel Street.
Refined in its architecture, the house was built in 1911 to a design by the Czech architect Rudolf Fischer (then the town architect), with tall, elegant pediments. Individual facade panels display sculpted, stylized floral compositions.