A 1980 Summer Holiday in Слънчев бряг

1976, 7 April, Industrial Plants

On 7 April 1976, five stamps depicting industrial plants were issued. It appears the dealer counted to five but did not notice the missing 13st. stamp. There, however, were two 5st. stamps in different shades.

The 5 st. stamp depicts the The Kozloduy Nuclear Power Plant (АЕЦ -атомна електроцентрала - «Козлодуй»). Construction of its first reactor started near the town of Kozloduy, on 6 April 1970. Currently, only units 5 and 6 constructed in 1987 and 1991, respectively, remain operational.

The 8 st. stamp depicts the lignite-powered Bobov Dol Thermal Power Plant (ТЕЦ - топлоелектрическа централа - «Бобов дол»). Construction of the plant started in 1969. Its three units became operational on 13 December 1972, 2 October 1974, and 18 February 1975. The plant, currently, uses coal to generate electricity.

The Sviloza Chemical Plant - Svishtov (Химически Комбинат «Свилоза»-Свищов) for the production of viscose fibre pulp was built in Svishtov, in 1971.

The hydro-electric Cascade Sestrimo (Каскада «Сестримо») near Sestrimo in the Rila Mountains was inaugurated in 1973. It linked with the Stankovi Baraki Reservoir via a pressure derivation with a length of 4.9 km and an average water fall of 534 m. It has become part of the Belmeken–Sestrimo–Chaira Hydroelectric Cascade, the largest hydroelectric complex in Bulgaria,

1976, 20 December, New Year 1977

The single 2 st. stamp marking the New Year festivities for 1977 depicts a colourful snowflake.

1977, 16 May, Wildlife

Wildlife featured on a set of five stamps issued on 16 May 1977. The animals depicted are the wolf (1 st., Вълк, Canis lupus), the red fox (2 st., Лисица, Vulpes vulpes), the common weasel (10 st. Невестулка, Mustela nivalis), the European wildcat (13 st. Дива котка, Felis silvestris), and the golden jackal (23 st. Чакал, Canis aureus).

1977, 17 June, 95th Birthday of Georgi Dimitrov

I posted one of the stamps commemorating the 90th birthday of former prime minister of the People’s Republic of Bulgaria Georgi Dimitrov (Георги Димитров) issued on 8 May 1972 (see first page). A single stamp was issued on 17 June 1977 to commemorate his 95th birthday.

1977, 29 June, Thirty Years of Bulgarian Civil Aviation

On 29 June 1977, Bulgaria issued a miniature sheet of six 35 st. airmail stamps commemorating 30 years of civil aviation in Bulgaria. The six stamps in the miniature sheet were organised in two columns of three stamps, divided by a column of three labels. The labels are inscribed ‘Тридесет Години Българска Гражданска Авиация 1947 – Балкан – 1977' (Thirty Years Bulgarian Civil Aviation 1947 – Balkan - 1977).

In 1946, Bulgaria’s Ministry for Transport and Communication established the administration for aerial communication (DVS). Under the name Български въздушни линии (Balgarski vazdushni linii, Bulgarian airlines), the DVS made its first flight from Sofia via Plovdiv to Burgas, on 29 June 1947. The Russian occupier took control of the airline and renamed it Български въздушни линии - ТАБСО (TABSO, Bulgarian-Soviet Transport Aviation Corporation). On 1 January 1968, TABSO was renamed “Българска гражданска авиация Балкан” (БГА - Балкан, Bulgarian civil aviation Balkan). The company went bankrupt in 2002 and was acquired by Bulgaria Air.

The stamps inscribed ‘БГА – Балкан 1947 - 1977’ depict the tail of a Tupolev Tu-154B with registration LZ-BTM in the livery of Bulgaria’s national air carrier ‘BGA Balkan.’ Balkan was the first air carrier outside the Soviet Union to fly Tupolev 154 aeroplanes, including the Tu-154B. The aeroplane with registration LZ-BTM was delivered to Balkan in 1977. It remained in service until 1996.

1977, 5 October, Tourism

Two stamps issued on 5 October 1977, depict popular tourist destinations in Bulgaria. The beach resort of Albena (Албена) depicted on the 35 st. stamp also appeared on a stamp issued on 26 October 1970 (see page 1).

The 43 st. depicts the Rila Monastery (Рилски Манастир) located in the Rila Mountains. The monastery stands on the bank of the Rila river at an elevation of 1,147 metres above sea level. It was founded in the 10th century by students of the hermit Saint Ivan of Rila (Свети Иван Рилски) who lived in a nearby cave. The complex acted as a depository of Bulgarian language and culture during the Ottoman occupation of Bulgaria.

The monastery was destroyed and reconstructed several times. The current monastery dates to a reconstruction in the style of the National Revival between 1834 and 1836 after a fire destroyed the previous monastery in 1833. The stamp shows an aerial view of the monastery. At the centre of the monastery is the richly decorated Църква Рождество Богородично (church of the Nativity of Virgin). Around it arise the fortress-like residential quarters with 300 chambers.

The stamps were issued in a miniature sheet containing four of each stamp positioned around a central label that shows a stylised sun.