140 years ago - only two years after Bulgaria’s liberation from the Ottoman Yoke, the Principality of Bulgaria adopted its own currency. And in order to invest it with a strong and independent future, the parliamentarians gave it the name "lev", as was the pronunciation at the time of the Bulgarian word for lion, “lav”.
The minting of coins in Bulgaria dates back to the 13th century when the name of the Bulgarian ruler Tsar Ivan Asen II was first written on а coin. On May 28, 1880, a sitting of the Second Ordinary National Assembly of Bulgaria was held, which ended with the adoption of the Law on the Right to Mint Coins. At this sitting, the deputy Stefan Stambolov insisted that the currency be called "franc" following the example of Belgium, and Dr. Ivan Bogorov, a prominent linguist, publisher and encyclopaedist, suggested the name “svobodnik" (freeman). In the end, the deputy Yosif Kovachev prevailed in the discussion with the name "lev". The Law on the Right to Mint Coins in the Principality of Bulgaria entered into force on June 4, 1880 and this date is considered to be the birth date for the Bulgarian currency "lev" and its subdivision "stotinka".
You can read more about the history of the Bulgarian currency in the publication from the archives of Radio Bulgaria HERE.
English Rossitsa Petcova
On September 13 and 14 th the Orthodox Church celebrates the Universal Exaltation of the Precious and Life-Giving Cross, which is one of the greatest Christian holidays, celebrated with special solemnity. In Bulgaria it is widely known as..
On September 8, when the Bulgarian Orthodox Church celebrates the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Nativity of the Holy Theotokos), we take a look at the beautiful valley of Gabrovnitsa River and the Monastery of the Holy Theotokos, better..
Bulgaria is celebrating 145 years of the Shipka Peak epopee - the heroic six-day epic battle in which the native defenders proved that freedom is not a gift, but was won with the blood and sacrifice of thousands of Bulgarians. The Balkan peak of Saint..
+359 2 9336 661