… to give a book both for information and reference, i.e. abundant with accurate facts and data, and for reading: juicy and interesting. We have tried not to violate the complete scientific impartiality towards persons, events and various doctrines anywhere

(„Bulgarian encyclopedia А – Ѫ”. 1936, s. 3.)

The encyclopedic tradition in Bulgaria takes us to the time of Tsar Simeon I (ca. 864–927). As a kind of encyclopedias, researchers define Simeon’s Collections – two large, almost entirely translated medieval monuments that have reached us in Russian copies. The first (transcribed in 1073) contains 385 excerpts from the writings of about 30 early Christian church writers. The content reflects the encyclopedic interests of the scribes of the Symeonian circle in the 10th century – it covers issues of theology, ethics, logic, grammar, poetics, philosophy, history, botany, astronomy, etc. The second Simeon collection (transcribed in 1076) contains 48 works of early Christian church writers – John Chrysostom, Basil the Great, Athanasius Sinait, Cyril of Alexandria, etc., excerpts from the paterika and from the non-canonical biblical book “Wisdom of Jesus, son of Sirachov”, anonymous works, which are supposed to have been composed by unknown Old Bulgarian scribes. Encyclopaedic knowledge is also provided by the collection “Zlatostrui“, in which the selection of words and teachings of John Chrysostom (around 340-407) is again connected with the literary activity of King Simeon I. In the Middle Ages, the book received a large popularity in Old Slavic Orthodox literature. Among the encyclopedic in nature knowledge is also the “Six Days” of John Exarch (IX-X centuries), in which basic theoretical-aesthetic maxims of Christianity are laid down. The author interprets the biblical account of the origin of the world from the standpoint of the new religion. In addition, the information about nature, about the plant and animal world, about the human body and psyche have a natural scientific character and cognitive value. It also contains data of a socio-economic nature, such as the description of Simeon’s Palace.

During the Turkish rule, the encyclopedic work was at a standstill. Interest in the systematization of knowledge was revived during the Renaissance. The first Bulgarian textbook published in 1824 is encyclopedic in content, “Primer with various teachings, collected by Petra h. Berovicha for Bulgarian schools”, or the so-called “Fish Primer” by the Bulgarian scientist, doctor and educational reformer in Bulgaria Petar Beron (1800-1871). In compiling it, Beron used material from the book “Eklogarion Grekikon” (“Greek Selection”) by the Greek educator Dimitrios Darvaris. The primer is adapted to the peculiarities of childhood, it is written in spoken language with Church Slavonic letters. Contains “Grammar” – the alphabet, syllable combinations and words that follow the grammatical categories; “Prayers”, “Good advice”, “Smart answers”, “Fables”, “Different stories” – short stories with moral content; “Physical stories” – natural science, geography, anatomy and hygiene, plants, animals; “Arithmetic”.

Educators Neofit Hilendarski-Bozveli (ca. 1785-1848) and Emanuil Vaskidovich (1795-1875) created “Slavic-Bulgarian childhood for young children” (1835) – a small encyclopedia in six parts, translated from Greek and adapted to the needs of Bulgarian mutual schools. The first periodical monthly magazine “Lyuboslovie“, which was published in Smyrna, Turkey, from 1844 to 1846 (with a trial issue in 1842) under the editorship of Konstantin Fotinov, had a general educational, encyclopedic character. Articles on history, natural science, geography, agriculture, commerce, political economy, medicine, hygiene, theology, wise thoughts, proverbs, poems, epistles, political information are published. Every year from 1869 to 1876, “Letostrui, or home calendar” was published in Plovdiv with editors Hristo G. Danov, Joakim Gruev and Yanko Kovachev. The encyclopedic calendar collection contains popular articles on natural science, physics, astronomy, geography, history, hygiene, economic issues, and educational and community work. It informs about cultural and public life. Prints literary works and criticism, biographical sketches, etc. It is illustrated with engravings, portraits and views. The writer, linguist and public figure Nayden Gerov (1823–1900) also made a significant contribution to the encyclopedic work with his “Dictionary of the Bulgarian language with a mixture of Bulgarian and Russian words” (5 parts, 1895–1904 d.), which contains over 70,000 words, expressions, proverbs, etc. With examples from folklore, life and livelihood, it explains the meaning of each word, its logical and emotional meaning in the context of the phrase, its color and impact in the folklore work.

The first Bulgarian general encyclopedia – “Encyclopedic Dictionary” was published in 1899-1907 and is the work of the 30-year work of the educational activist and publicist Luka Kaserov. He set himself the noble and difficult task of giving the Bulgarian reader a complete encyclopedic reference book, “… which is presented to schools and the intelligent public with the hope of becoming a table book of every private library, of every home” (Part 1, 1899 , p. 4). “Encyclopedic Dictionary” was published in three volumes by Dragan Manchov in Plovdiv. It contains about 23,000 articles in which historical, geographical, literary, mythological, biblical, biographical and other information is given, foreign words in the Bulgarian literary language are explained. In cooperation with many specialists, in 1936 the brothers Nikola and Ivan Danchovi published the “Bulgarian Encyclopedia A-Ѫ“, using a huge number of reference editions by Bulgarian and foreign authors. The encyclopedia contains about 35,000 articles. Events, phenomena and concepts from various fields of knowledge are explained, literary works are presented, Latin is explained, etc. expressions. Biographical articles on many Bulgarians and foreigners, articles on settlements, etc. have been developed. objects. The edition is richly illustrated with graphic drawings – portraits, paintings, views, diagrams.

Characteristic of the first half of the 20th century is the tendency to publish translation dictionaries, specialized and branch encyclopedias and encyclopedic dictionaries in various fields: visual arts, music, literature, philosophy, trade, agriculture: “Small art dictionary. Painting, Architecture, Sculpture, Graphics” (1928) by Nikolai Rainov, “Illustrated Musical Dictionary” (1933) by Ivan Kamburov, “Small Literary Encyclopedia” in two volumes (1940) by Marko Marchevsky, “Targovsky encyclopedic dictionary” (1930) by Alexander Hadzhiev, “Agricultural Encyclopedia” in two volumes (1937-1939) by Sava Stanev Botev and Yosif Ganchev Kovachev, etc.

In 1955, by Order of the Council of Ministers, a specialized unit was created at the BAS – “Bulgarian Encyclopedia” sector, for “writing and publishing a Short Bulgarian Encyclopedia”. Ivan Danchov’s participation in the initial stages of compiling the first “Brief Bulgarian Encyclopedia” in five volumes (1963-1969) confirms the maintenance of the tradition in encyclopedic activity and the practice of encyclopedias being the work of a large creative team . In 2003, the General Assembly of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences confirmed the status of “Bulgarian Encyclopedia” as an independent specialized academic unit – Scientific Information Center “Bulgarian Encyclopedia”. Until today, the compilation activity of the dozens of editions of the “Bulgarian Encyclopedia” is carried out according to strict scientific methodology with the assistance of an extensive network of authors and consultants from various scientific and cultural institutions.

Academic publishing house “Marin Drinov” (1949), State publishing house “Doctor Petar Beron” (1982), University publishing house “St. Kliment Ohridski” (1986) and others. Academic Vladimir Georgiev, Academician Angel Balevski, Academician Petar Dinekov, Prof. Nikolay Genchev, Prof. Stanyo Georgiev, Prof. Donka Petkanova, Prof. Rusin Rusinov, Prof. Ani Gergova and many others have made a huge contribution to the Bulgarian encyclopedic thought. After 1989, the possibilities of the book market grew. New specialized encyclopedias, richly illustrated deluxe editions, a variety of children’s and adolescent encyclopedias, as well as translated literature in cooperation with foreign publishers such as Oxford, Larus, Britannica, etc. are available.

With its new and updated encyclopedias and scientific reference editions, the National Center “Bulgarian Encyclopedia” asserts its authority as a source of comprehensive and up-to-date scientific and popular science information. This is indicative of the development of the extensive “Bulgarian Encyclopedia A-Z”: first edition – 1999, second – 2002, third – 2005; electronic edition – 2002, second electronic edition – 2004. In 2005, on the basis of the “Bulgarian Encyclopedia A-Z”, the educational portal Znam.bg was created – the first attempt in Bulgaria to build a national network of knowledge, intended before all about schools (sorry, now inactive). The popularity of the National Encyclopedia “Bulgarian Encyclopedia” is evidenced by the numerous citations in scientific works and journalism, as well as in open online encyclopedias – the alleged competitor of traditional encyclopedias in the digital space.