Dupnitsa museum opens exhibition on regional architectural heritage

The Historical Museum in Dupnitsa has opened an exhibition titled ‘Old City Houses Tell Their Stories,’ showcasing the shared architectural and cultural heritage of four cities: Dupnitsa, Kyustendil, Kriva Palanka, and Kratovo.

Developed through the ‘CULTURAL AREA’ project funded by the Interreg VI-A Bulgaria-North Macedonia program, the initiative aims to photographically and architecturally document ‘disappearing’ houses built in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. These structures are at risk of losing their original character due to renovations and modernizations. The project serves as the foundation for a transboundary cultural route connecting Bulgaria and North Macedonia.

The exhibition is organized into two layers: a chronological view of Revival-era houses and early 20th-century buildings, and an analytical view focusing on three pillars of regional connectivity: the ‘Path of the Masters’ (influenced by the Debar art school), the ‘Path of Capital’ (trade links with Vienna, Thessaloniki, and Dubrovnik), and the ‘Path of Ideas.’