Museum of Mummer's Masks - Turia village, Pavel Banya

Overview

Turia is a village in southern Bulgaria. It is located in the municipality of Pavel Banya, Stara Zagora district, in the heart of the Rose Valley. The village was burnt down during the fall of the Ottomans, and the population scattered in Sredna Gora. People survived and years later created the current village of Turia. The village is small, pretty, nestled at the foot of Sredna Gora. People live together, cohesive and rely on each other. The population is entirely Bulgarian. This helps him to preserve his traditions and customs. Up the river is the Mummer's Museum - the only one of its kind in Bulgaria. Here are exhibited mummer's masks and balls, which tell in themselves the history of mummers. Turia hosts annual mummer's games. Sirni Zagovezni is the carnival that presents how traditions and beliefs have been preserved over the centuries. The museum is housed in a house renovated by the Municipality with the help of European funds under the Rural Development Program. For the opening was presented a rich exhibition with photos of mummers' customs in the settlements of Pavel Banya - from the beginning of the last century until today. It is planned to collect mummer's costumes and "nozzles" in the permanent museum exposition. About BGN 15,000 from the municipal budget have been earmarked for their purchase. Mummer's costumes, bells and bells, called by the Pavelbans "nozzles" are very expensive - a complete team of mask, costume, bells exceeds 1000 levs. The mummers or old men, as they are known in Turia and Pavelbansko, go out on the streets of Sirni Zagovezni / exactly seven weeks before Easter /, they are armed with wooden swords and most of them are stained with soot. Turian to wash away the unclean forces.