Bulgaria; city of Pleven: wine museum in Kaylaka National Park; 5 km from Pleven; liquor (schnapps) destilllery of 19th century; Key wine attraction in Kaylaka National Park is Bulgaria磗 first and only wine museum. Vis-?vis statue of Russian General Totleben; who in 1877 blocked the waters of the nearby river to finish the siege of Ottoman ruled Pleven; shows the way to the entrance gate: Plamen Petkov of Chateau Kaylaka winery (250 m from museum) opened this privately run cave of treasures; 2008.The cross shaped cave; created by General Vinarov to celebrate Russian military glory; houses the history of Bulgarian wine making; starting with a column of a young god of wine Dionysus. Traditional vessels called Lynn respectively Vat were used in 19th century by young ladies with bare feet to smash harvested grapes. A section is dedicated to Bulgarian grape Mavrud; cultivated for 3000 years. Luciano Pavarotti was enthusiast of it.Thracian; Greek and Roman artifacts in the historic hall pay tribute to ancient wine gods Zagreus; Dionysus and Bacchus. Copies of gold and silver bowls; phials; ancient pottery for fermentation or spilling wine and conical amphorae tell of Thracians; who loved to drink wine pure; or Romans and Phoenicians; who preferred to mix it with water; herbs or honey. The multifunctional Thracian knife Mahaira is used for cutting grapes.The wine hall has a selection of 6000 Bulgarian wines; the oldest one from 1912. A distiller for Rakia (late 19th century) is not missing.