Etar Architectural-Ethnographic Complex, Open-air ethnographic museum in Gabrovo, Bulgaria
Etar is an open-air museum in Gabrovo featuring restored buildings from Bulgaria's Revival period and working water mills powered by the stream. The complex displays how people worked and lived in the 18th century through craft workshops and traditional structures that represent rural life of that era.
The museum was established in 1964 when architect Lazar Donkov restored existing buildings and brought authentic equipment from across Bulgaria to this site. This effort rescued craft traditions and techniques from disappearing and preserved them for future generations.
Working craftspeople demonstrate traditional trades throughout the site, keeping alive skills like woodcarving, pottery, and metalworking that shaped everyday life. You can watch artisans practice these techniques and see how such knowledge has been passed down through families.
The site is easy to explore on foot with all buildings and workshops accessible via connected paths. Plan to spend an hour or two wandering through and watching craftspeople at work.
Several water mills still function today, showing how water power was used for energy two centuries ago. The millers and craftspeople use genuine techniques to demonstrate how these systems made life easier for people back then.
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