A raised access platform in front of Tryavna’s iconic Clock Tower has attracted public attention and prompted questions on social media. The lack of information led to confusion among residents, with the mayor later explaining what was happening during a Municipal Council meeting.
The long-awaited repair of the tower itself has not yet begun. The platform, with a worker on it, is only being used to install sheet metal designed to stop a leak inside the tower, mayor Dencho Minev explained in response to a question from municipal councillor Boyan Grozev.
No approval from the National Institute for Immovable Cultural Heritage required
“What is happening and has it been coordinated with the National Institute for Immovable Cultural Heritage?” Grozev asked.
Minev explained that the work requiring the platform was routine maintenance and did not require approval from the institute. The immediate aim was simply to stop the leak.
There is another leak as well, but it can be repaired without using an access platform, the mayor said.
The major repair needs substantial funding
The council discussion also turned to progress on the comprehensive renovation of the tower, which has had a compromised load-bearing beam for more than a year.
Minev said the project has already been approved by the National Institute for Immovable Cultural Heritage, but carrying it out will require significant funding. He said this had become clear after discussions with the culture minister.
The planned work includes comprehensive treatment and reinforcement of the wooden structural elements.
The expectation is that the main repair work will begin once a regular government is formed. According to the mayor, there is currently no immediate threat to the stability of the tower, despite the visible damage to its wooden structure.
Responsibility lies with the owner
At the end of 2025, “Za Istinata” received information from the Ministry of Culture that on 5 December 2025 the ministry had approved a design permit and investment project for the “Repair of the tower-belfry, roof, internal staircase and façade restoration of the Clock Tower”, classified as a single immovable cultural heritage property of national importance.
The ministry said that responsibility for maintaining such a site, as well as for its preservation and restoration, lies with its owner.
“Za Istinata” subsequently asked Tryavna municipality how it intended to select a contractor for the works, given the specific requirements set by the Ministry of Culture and the legal rules governing the repair and restoration of protected cultural heritage.
The municipality’s response was not specific. It said that the contractor would be selected according to the rules of the funding institution and, if Tryavna municipality were the beneficiary, through the relevant procedure under Bulgaria’s Public Procurement Act.
The money is expected from the state
The latest answer given by mayor Dencho Minev to the Municipal Council indicates that the repair of Tryavna’s Clock Tower is expected to be funded by the state.
At present, however, there is no bill of quantities and cost estimate, which will be a required part of the documentation for any future public procurement procedure.
If the procurement is challenged, the timetable could be delayed further.
For now, there is no visible tension in the local government despite the delays affecting the repair of one of Tryavna’s most recognisable landmarks.
