The Museum House “Tsar Liberator Alexander II”

Cultural Monument of National Significance

The house of Ivan Vatsov – a tradesman from Pleven, was built on the eve of the Russo-Turkish war 1877-1878. With its rich furniture it is a typical house of the Bulgarian national revival. On 11th December 1877 the Russian emperor Alexander II was given a warm welcome in that house and he was given a letter of grateful acknowledgement on behalf of the citizens of Pleven. Here, in the presence of Grand duke Nickolay Nickolaevich, the Romanian Prince Karol I, the Russian minister of war Milljutin and other eminent Russian generals, the taken captive Turkish marshal Osman Pasha was met by the Russian emperor.

The first military governor of Pleven – general M. D. Skobelev, lived and worked in that house from 12th to 22nd December 1877. On the initiative of the committee “Tsar Liberator Alexander II” it was bought to be turned into a museum. A very beautiful park was formed round the house. The fence was made from parts of weapons, rifles, swords and bayonets given by the Russian War ministry.

The museum-house “Tsar Liberator Alexander II” was inaugurated on 3rd September 1907 in the presence of Royal Prince Ferdinand I, Grand duke Vladimir Alexandrovich, Grand duchess Maria Pavlovna, and general P. Parensov – participant in the war, Russian generals, Bulgarian ministers, deputies, and members of the committee “Tsar Liberator Alexander II”, volunteers, guests and citizens of Pleven.