Bulgaria National Day Countdown 2025
Bulgaria National Day - March 3rd
Bulgaria National Day, also known as Liberation Day, is celebrated on March 3rd. It commemorates the liberation of Bulgaria from Ottoman rule in 1878, following the Russo-Turkish War (1877–1878). The Treaty of San Stefano, signed on this day, established an autonomous Bulgarian principality.
Liberation from Ottoman Rule
Bulgaria was under Ottoman rule for nearly five centuries. The April Uprising in 1876 and the subsequent Russo-Turkish War led to the defeat of the Ottoman Empire and the signing of the Treaty of San Stefano. While the treaty was later revised by the Congress of Berlin, March 3rd remains a symbol of Bulgaria's hard-won freedom and the establishment of the modern Bulgarian state.
National Festivities
March 3rd is a major public holiday in Bulgaria, marked by various celebrations across the country. These include the laying of wreaths at monuments of Russian and Bulgarian soldiers who died in the war, parades, and cultural events. The main celebrations often take place at the Shipka Pass, the site of a crucial battle during the war.