One of the most visited places in Panagyurishte is the house-museum of Raina Futekova – the head teacher of the girls’ school, who was only 20 years old when she sewed the main flag of the insurgents. April 22, 1876 – the day of its consecration, at the request of the citizens, she led the solemn procession, mounted on a selected horse, girded with a saber and a revolver.
For the celebration of the 25th anniversary of the April Uprising, she sewed three new flags – copies of the original, two of which have been preserved – in her native house in Panagyurishte and in the Military History Museum in Sofia.
Twenty-five days after the pogrom of the uprising, Raina Knyaginya was captured by the Turks and subjected to severe suffering in the Plovdiv prison. Foreign diplomats saved her from the gallows, later she arrived in Russia, studied midwifery, wrote her autobiography and became the guardian of 32 rescued children from Panagyurishte. After the Liberation, she became a teacher in Tarnovo, then married Vasil Dipchev, mayor of Panagyurishte. Five sons were born to them. Raina also adopts a girl, an orphan. She works as a midwife in Orlandovtsi.
Work time:
every day from 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Entrance fees:
adults – 3.00 BGN.
students and pensioners – 2.00 BGN.
talk for an organized group – 20.00 BGN.
Contacts:
Address: Panagyurishte – 4500,
“Rayna Knyaginya” street #26
tel.: 0357/62012 – director;
tel.: 0357/63712 – curators.
