The complex promotes local arts and crafts including wood-carving, pottery, coppersmith, furriery, cutlery making, needlework etc. with craftsmen working onsite.
There are about 50 workshops and shops scattered throughout the village, giving a very comprehensive view of what was made and how.
The village itself is actually false and the exhibits built up on site to showcase the crafts which the area is famous for but, is well done and quite natural in appearance.
The only downside I encountered was that some of the people didn't like being on the end of a camera lens. A bit strange when you ply your trade in a tourist attraction but if you respect that, there is a myriad of good subjects for a photographer
An interesting feature of the park is the machinery driven with nothing but the power of water which flows from a feeder channel above the workshops.
In addition to the crafts on sale in the shops, you can buy souvenirs or recharge in a number of restaurants. The village itself is very attractive in the Bulgarian Revival Style, the colourful wooden houses offering some fantastic photo opportunities. The entire village follows the central stream into which all the water used to power the different tools and machines on display in the Etar Village Complex is drained.
The complex was opened on 7 September 1964 and proclaimed a national park in 1967, as well as a monument of culture in 1971. It is another place which attracts crowds with weekends being very busy and attracts visitors from all over the world.
If you don't turn up on a Bulgarian holiday then parking shouldn't be a problem either in the car park or the lane which runs the length of the village.
The far end of the village where the car park is situated offers flat entry but if you park straight away at the start then entry is via quite a few steps down. A third entrance along the lane can be found over a footbridge.
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