Despite its small size, Veliko Turnovo Street is situated in the central part of Sofia and holds the name of a Bulgarian town of great historical and cultural importance.

Veliko Turnovo was built in the outskirts of central Stara Planina. Situated about 240km southeast of Sofia, the town occupies four hills - Tsarevets, Trapezitsa, Momina Krepost and Sveta Gora - and has the Yantra River running through it.

In and around Veliko Turnovo, archeologists have discovered traces of life dating from the Paleolithic, Neolithic, Halcolithic, Bronze and Iron Ages. However, it developed as a significant town from the ninth to 12th century, when the territories of today's Bulgaria were under the rule of the Byzantine Empire. Over the years, it has been known under different names, such as Tsarevgrad (King's town), Turnovo and Turnovgrad.

In 1186, after the establishment of the Second Bulgarian Kingdom, Turnovo became its capital. Gradually, the capital developed into the centre of the political and spiritual life in Bulgaria. It was also the centre of coin minting.

Historical artefacts preserved from that period show the might of the Bulgarian tsar dynasties and the influence of the Bulgarian Patriarch. Archeological excavations give evidence of significant civil, residential and cult buildings. Among the best-preserved examples are the King's and Patriarch's Palaces. Both were built on the Tsarevets hill, which occupies 12ha in the eastern part of Veliko Turnovo.

From the seventh to the 14th century, the residences of the tsar, the boyars and the patriarch were located here. Built over a Thracian settlement and a Byzantine fortress, Tsarevets turned into an unapproachable fortress. Two fortress walls enforced by battle towers and flying buttresses surrounded the site.

The main entrance was to the west and one had to pass through three consecutive gates, each defended by a battle-tower. The rock in front of the first was cut so that a drawbridge could be lowered and then withdrawn.

The palace compound was situated on the central plateau of the hill. It was a separate fortress surrounded by strong walls. Most impressive was the northern facade of the palace by the main entrance.

The patriarch's compound occupied the highest elevation of the hill, and was surrounded by fortress walls, enforced with towers.

The Gate of Assen, consisting of a two-winged door and a two-storey tower at the western fortress wall, connected Tsarevets and Trapezitsa. The latter comprised the inner town of the Bulgarian capital. The foundations of 17 churches have been preserved on Trapezitsa hill. On some of their inner walls, one can see fragments of paintings in the style of the mural paintings characteristic of the artistic school of Turnovo. It is believed that the churches were family chapels.

In 1393, the town was conquered by the Ottoman army and burned to the ground. During the years of Ottoman rule, it remained a fortress of Bulgarian national spirit and one of the centres of the struggle for liberation.

The most active period during the centuries of the Ottoman rule were the years of the Bulgarian National Revival - from the 17th to the 18th century. Valuable architectural ensembles, which have been preserved from that time, bring the atmosphere of a time long past. Many buildings by the great Bulgarian architect Kolyu Ficheto have also been preserved, mainly in the Old Town, which has been declared an architectural-historical reserve.

In 1879, the Constituent National Assembly had its first session in Veliko Turnovo and adopted the Constitution of Turnovo - the first constitution of the Bulgarian state liberated in 1878.

Today, Veliko Turnovo remains an administrative, economical and cultural centre. Visitors find the audiovisual performance Sound and Light at the Tsarevets hill very attractive, as it tells the history of the place.