The tradition of carpet-making in Chiprovtsi, north-eastern Bulgaria, has been inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2014. Now the citizens and guests of Sofia, the capital, can see for themselves how deserved this recognition is. An exhibition of traditional and modern hand-woven carpets from Chiprovtsi was opened on February 26 at the National Ethnographic Museum (located in the former Royal Palace). The opening night was inaugurated with folk songs and dances performed by a folklore group from the Peter Bogdan 1909 Chitalishte (local cultural centre) of Chiprovtsi. The VIP guests were treated to a special viewing of the exhibits, some of which are really huge and quite impressive. The Chiprovtsi carpets (called kilimi) are unique because their two sides are made identical. Local weavers use naturally dyed yarn which gives the carpets soft pastel hues, while chemical dyes produce brighter shades. They use traditional ornamental patterns which are used in the Chiprovtsi coat-of-arms, too. The Sofia exhibition can be viewed till October 5.

Source: www.evropaworld.eu