Kazanlak Rose Museum

Who could have thought that an entire museum could be dedicated to a single flower? Well, in the Bulgarian city of Kazanlak they have done so, is the Museum of the Rose of Kazanlak . It is also a museum dedicated to a specific kind of rose, the damask rose.

Entrance to the Kazanlak Rose Museum

The story is really not that simple. The city of Kazanlak, located in the center of the country, is known in Bulgaria as the capital of the “Valley of the Roses”, because it is located in the center of a valley where the cultivation of rosa damascena roses predominates for the extraction of rose oil. Practically the entire valley is covered with cultivated fields of rose bushes. Rose oil is a product of high economic value and most of it is exported to other countries to be a component of perfumes (for example in Chanel No. 5) also in soaps, cosmetic, foods, drinks, etc…

Hand-picking roses during the Kazanlak Rose Festival

A couple of years ago the museum opened a new building, In the city center, next to a public park where there are also rose bushes, although these are ornamental. The address is as follows: park “Rosary”, st. “Soldier”, 6100 Kazanluk, Bulgaria. And the opening hours are 9:00 a 17:30 hours every day of the week. Certainly the Museum is not very big, but nevertheless it is very interesting and curious to visit due to its uniqueness, is unique in the world. The visit will not take us too long and if we are in the city of Kazanlak it is highly recommended to visit it. It is common for tourists to visit the events of the Rose Festival of Kazanlak but due to ignorance they miss the opportunity to visit the Museum of the Rose.

Inner courtyard of the Museum of the Rose

Oil storage drum, distillation alembic and water tank, all of the old traditional system

The Museum has a curved main corridor with different information panels written in Bulgarian language and also in English.. They describe the history of this crop that has been carried out in Bulgaria for centuries., the process of extracting rose oil from the flower petals is also explained, both the traditional system using stills heated with wood fires and modern industrial systems. To get an idea of ​​the value of rose oil, it must be taken into account that to produce 1 kg of pure rose oil a minimum of 3.500 damascene rose petals. The importance of this crop in Bulgaria is reflected in these figures: an annual production of around 1.500 kg of rose oil (Bulgaria is the world's largest producer) and a total of 3.500 cultivated hectares.

Old stills in the courtyard of the Kazanlak Rose Museum

Several traditional stills are exhibited in the courtyard of the Museo de la Rosa, which by the way are also used during the days of the Rose Festival in different outdoor demonstrations so that visitors can see live the traditional process of extraction of rose oil. These demonstrations are usually held on the outskirts of Kazanlak, right next to the rose growing fields where they are collected. One is also usually installed for demonstration in the courtyard of the Kazanlak church..

Rose Oil Distillation Demonstration

If you want to buy products derived from rose oil, the Museo de la Rosa has a shop where you can buy various products.. Its price is competitive, cheaper than the touristy rose product stores that can be found in Sofia Airport or on Sofia's Vitosha Boulevard…

Shop inside the Kazanlak Rose Museum.

Products derived from damascena rose.

In the surroundings of Kazanlak it is also possible to visit a modern factory that produces rose oil from damask rose flowers. Unlike the Kazanlak Rose Museum, This is a privately owned factory but admits visits and also has an ethnographic museum with old farm implements., as well as a well-stocked shop for rose-derived products…

We organize guided tours with a private driver, or trips at your own pace with a rental car, to the Valley of the Roses, contact us to request a quote for you and your companion / s: info@senderismoeuropa.com

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