State symbols

STATE SYMBOLS

The National State Emblem is a state symbol which expresses the independence and the sovereignty of the Bulgarian people and country.

The national state emblem of Republic of Bulgaria is a standing golden crowned lion on a dark-red background in the form of a shield. Upon the shield there is a big crown, prototypes of which are crowns of Bulgarian rulers from the Second Bulgarian state, with five crosses and a separate cross above the crown. The shield is supported by two golden standing crowned lions facing the shield from the left and the right heraldic side. They are standing on two crossed oak branches with fruits.

Under the shield upon a white ribbon with a three-colored edge, got across the oak branches, is written with golden letters : "Aggregation makes the Power". The crown is a symbol of the power but also of the honor and dignity of the Bulgarian rulers. The lion represents the sublimity, power and bravery; the oak symbolizes the longevity and the cross - the Christian faith.

The Flag of Republic of Bulgaria is a basic sign of every state system. The flag had been considered as an exponent of the national identity and as a symbol of the power and sovereignty of a nation since ancient times. There is no country without a flag. There is no army without a flag. In the colors of their flag the ancient peoples had been encoding the memory of its past and nature which had to be preserved.

Today the Bulgarian flag is composed of white, green and red colors, placed horizontally one under another accordingly. This has been officially our flag since 1879 when it had been approved as a flag of the Principality of Bulgaria during the Constituent assembly. It had been proposed and approved but without being clear what exactly it had to symbolize. Even today there is not unanimity about what each color in the flag means and its position.

During the whole period of the Ottoman yoke the banners of the Bulgarian detachments and the rebel groups consisted mainly and only of these colors. The banners used to be either green and white, or red and white, or only green, or red-green and in some cases they contained the three above-mentioned colors. Georgi Rakovski was the first who paid attention to what the flag of free Bulgaria had to be. Our great nationalist and first ideologist of the organization of the revolutionary struggle for national liberation said that it was obligatory that the Bulgarian flag had to consist of white, green and red colors.

On the Bulgarian flag the white color stands first - symbol of the spirit and the mentality. Although warlike under compulsion but actually peaceful people, we have left the red color below the other two colors. It is interesting that during a war, the Bulgarian flag is turned contrariwise, i.e. the red color standing above the other two. In this way our national flag really turns into a symbol of our national identity, ancient origin and national power.

Here what is written in the modern textbooks : "The white color symbolizes the freedom, the green one - the green forests and fields of Bulgaria and the red one - the blood of the people who died for the liberation of Bulgaria - heroes and victims".ХИМН НА РЕПУБЛИКА БЪЛГАРИЯ

NATIONAL ANTHEM OF REPUBLIC OF BULGARIA

"Mila Rodino" ("Dear Motherland") became national anthem of Bulgaria in 1964. The music and lyrics are based on the song "Proud Stara Planina" created by Tzvetan Radoslavov (1863 - 1931) in 1885. He composed it on his way to the battle field during the Serbian - Bulgarian War. The text had been frequently changed but for the last time - in 1990.

For the basis of the Bulgarian Anthem was taken only one part of the original text and music by Tzvetan Radoslavov. The motif "Proud Stara Planina" with several changes in the original text is turned into a basis for the song lyrics and "Dear Motherland" - into a refrain.

Gorda Stara Planina
Do nei Dunava sinei
Sluntze Trakia ogriava
Nad Pirina plamenei.

Refrain :
Mila Rodino,
Ti si zemen raj
Tvoita hubost, tvojta prelest
Ah, te niamat krai.