Happy Liberation Day, Bulgaria!

Precisely 143 years prior, the marking of the Treaty of San Stefano established Bulgaria as an autonomous state.

The present Doodle observes Bulgaria’s Liberation Day, a national occasion established on the 100th anniversary of this historic peace agreement.

Depicted in the Doodle artwork is the Bulgarian flag, which today is raised at landmarks the country over that have strong connections to the history of Liberation Day. Shipka Pass—a beautiful pass that winds through the Balkans Mountains—is home to one of their most significant recorded destinations loaded up with relics of the nation’s battle for independence.

A bronze lion guards the dedication entrance that prompts 890 stone steps all the way to the monument at the peak. As a vacation tradition, local people and tourists shower the memorial with wreaths of blossoms and Bulgarian flags to respect their past.

In the capital Sofia, the flag is raised high over the city to check the beginning of Liberation Day functions, as national leaders gather in solidarity to respect the individuals who brought together Bulgaria all through its glad history.