The foundation stone was laid in 1925, and a year later one of Vratsa’s most recognizable buildings was already rising on this site. The “Hizhata” Tourist Lodge marked the 100th anniversary of its opening with a celebration organized by its current tenant with the assistance of the Youth Center.
To mark the anniversary, Vratsa Municipality opened an exhibition of archival photographs. It presents materials from the Regional History Museum, the State Archives and the family archive of public figure Ognyan Pishchikov.
The idea dates back to 1903
The history of the tourist lodge began more than two decades before its opening. In 1903, Metodi Mazhdragov, a member of Vratsa’s tourism association, proposed the creation of a tourist lodge to accommodate visitors to the city. The following year, the association’s members established a fund for the construction of the building, but raising the money took a long time.
The foundation stone was laid on Ilinden in 1925 to mark the 25th anniversary of the establishment of Vratsa’s tourism association. According to Ognyan Pishchikov, securing the funds was also connected with the aftermath of the great fire in Vratsa in 1923.
“The government at the time, influenced by Vratsa-born Minister of Trade and Industry Tsvyatko Boboshevski, decided to compensate the patriotic residents of Vratsa who had become victims of the fire because they had hidden ammunition in their homes,” Pishchikov recounted.According to him, the funds collected by the residents of Vratsa remained at the disposal of the Municipal Council, which decided to use them to build a tourist lodge.
Architecture conceived as a story
The project was designed by architect Petar Dogramadzhiev, who worked without payment. During construction, he published a text in the “Chitalishte Affairs” newspaper about the idea behind the building: “A dream long cherished in the souls and hearts of Vratsa’s tourists is now on the verge of becoming reality.”
Georgi Ganetsovski, director of the Regional History Museum in Vratsa, describes “Hizhata” as a unique building and a kind of map of the architecture of Europe at the time. Its lower section incorporates references to a castle and a fortress wall with battlements, connected to the medieval city that gave Vratsa its name. Above them are elements of the contemporary architecture of the early 20th century.
The tourist lodge was opened on November 8, 1926, with a grand celebration. Over the years, the building established itself as a symbol of the community and of the efforts through which the residents of Vratsa created a place for tourism, meetings and remembrance.
To this day, the story of “Hizhata” also remains connected with the sound of the trumpet played by Russian soldier Ivan Petlak. Every Sunday at noon, the signal recalls the liberation of Vratsa and continues to be part of the character of this iconic site.
Source: bta.bg