Balgarianovinite.com A Curly Stars kilim kept as a family heirloom for 147 years was donated to Kotel History Museum by Rayna Knyaginya’s great-grandson Zdravcho Zdravchev on Sunday. It once belonged to Kotel’s first post-Liberation mayor Krastyo Baychev, who served from 1878 to 1879.
The donation took place during the tenth edition of the Ethnicity, Colour and Carpet Festival, where Zdravchev also presented his book Know Your Roots and Language. Long regarded as the family’s most treasured heirloom, the kilim became part of the museum’s collection.
“It should return to where it came from,” Zdravchev said in a BTA interview. He preserved the kilim because of its link to Baychev’s memory and the family’s roots in Kotel.
“When we draw closer to the Lord and begin to follow His command, ‘Give, and it will be given to you,’ things in Bulgaria will improve. ‘Give, and it will be given to you.’ That is the truth about life,” Zdravchev said.
The book was a documentary study devoted to family memory, historical continuity and Bulgarian identity. In it, Zdravchev traced his family’s genealogical links to several prominent figures in Bulgarian history. They included Saint Sophronius of Vratsa, Gadzhal Voyvoda, Prince Stefan Bogoridi, Bishop Polikarp of New Patras, Captain Georgi Mamarchev, Colonel Kancho Kanchev, Gavril Krastevich, Metropolitan Damaskin of Veles, Georgi S. Rakovski, Knyaginya and General Ivan Dipchev, among others.
The publication also included a family tree compiled by Zdravchev, adding further detail to his family history. Rayna Knyaginya’s Great-Grandson Zdravchev Donates 147-Year-Old Family Kilim to Kotel History Museum 2026 THE NEWS FROM BULGARIA – NEWS AGENCY 2009-2025 2026-08-02 14:15:19 Latest news World news Country news Most important news latest news most important latest of the day Justice Petar Nizamov Feathers Petar Nizamov- Feathers Justice bg iustitia.bg iustitia iusticia usticia investigation Burgas Bulgaria news news of the last hour news of the day news of today Bulgaria news The news from Bulgaria blitz news top news most important most commented latest news Boyko Borisov news weather coronavirus news news weather facebook youtube facebook instagram news today news of the last minutes news today today news news bg news leading news hot news bg news site for news all news news bg news of the last hour latest latest news bg news of today news today news today news of the last hour latest news today news bg news news 24 hours news vesti bg novini news world bird bg bivol bg bivol trud bg novini latest news today novinite bg news hello bulgaria political party coat of arms delyan peevski scandalous Bulgarian National Television Free Europe Television scandal exclusive live tv live right now tv tv online tv program bg live now tv news online tv online live court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas district court Burgas appellate court Burgas prosecutor Burgas prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Prosecutor General Ivan Geshev Prosecutor Geshev Tsatsarov Ministry of Internal Affairs Burgas ODMR Burgas ODPR Burgas police Burgas district police Burgas prosecutor Tsatsarov SGS cases Varna court chairman of the SGS court decisions on civil cases decisions on cases Plovdiv court decision of the court decisions cases Varna court criminal cases district district court decisions work in the court SGS chairman of the SGS judges Sofia court post judges Plovdiv court Plovdiv judges Plovdiv Supreme Court Inspectorate Supreme Court Supreme Judicial Council lawyer lawyer criminal cases lawyer civil cases lawyer marriage cases lawyer administrative criminal law criminal process civil law civil process administrative law constitutional law