SOU “Vladimir Komarov” is the successor of enlightenment, started 150 years ago in “Cholakovtsi” - Veliko Tarnovo. Bright people designed and built the building of the religious school in the village of “Cholakova Mahala” in 1850. In the year of 1957 Mrs.Valentina Komarova has turned the first sod to build the new school building meeting the modern educational requirements.
 Over the years the school has accumulated extensive experience in the education and upbringing of young people. There are over 300 students yearly (from first to twelfth grade), 35 highly qualified teachers and non-teaching staff of 10 people. Students have the opportunity to participate in various extracurricular activities: foreign languages, art, music, dance, sports. “Cholakovtsi” is one of the suburbs of Veliko Tarnovo. It is close to the bed of the Yantra River, in a picturesque area with beautiful scenery. This makes it a quiet place to live.
 The road to “Cholakovtsi” divides “Marmarliyska rid” of east and west sides, the east side includes the area of the mouth to the junction “Kachica”. In the 19th century there were three fountains build by the blacksmiths guild. In the 19th and the early 20th century there were about 300 summer houses (huts) of Tarnovci. The lands around them were planted with vines and fruit trees. The east side of “Marmarliyska hill” was known by its beautiful vineyards, but the path to it was steep and a difficult climb. Today this place is a residential district called “Buzludzha”. Near the neighbourhood is located an industrial zone with various factories - electronics, fuel, woodworking, wine factory and scrap.To date, the inhabitants define the neighbourhood as a peaceful place to live, to the young people the fact that the neighbourhood is far away from the center of town is not a problem. There are regular public transport routes buses # 1, 2, 9, 70 and 110 take care of the transportation of people living in the neighbourhood. In the central part of the neighbourhood is situated a commercial complex, including food chain, cafes and small shops. At the foot of the so called “Pishmanska path” is nestled small church that gathers neighbourhood residents. In the residential complex is situated a school and a kindergarten - school “Vladimir Komarov” and Kindergarten “Rada Vojvoda”.

A brief history of the school

  School "Vladimir Komarov" is located in "Cholakovtsi", one of the suburbs of the city of Veliko Tarnovo, which is located 6 km from the city center. In the past it was a place bearing the same name. Located in a picturesque area with beautiful scenery and is close to the bed of the river Yantra.
 Statistics from 2004 show that the area of the neighbourhood is 33 hectares, population is 3152 people, residential units are 35 in number, 10 houses, a school, one kindergarten and a church. The road to “Cholakovtsi” divides “Marmarliyska rid” of east and west sides. “Marmarlijska” east ridge ends with the rocks at the “mouth” and to the East at the Blue Pool. They called it the Blue pool because his water with 8 meters depth looks blue-green. It is associated with many legends. Above him was the forest with the “Haydushkoto” well connected with tales of Filip Totyu. And today there are rumors among looters that Totyu buried a lot of gold there. According to legend Cholakovtsi village is founded in the mid 18th century by an old rebel called Cholak and his large family. The settlers in the new settlement came from Dryanovo and Tryavna. They were bright people and in 1848 built a school and a church. The first teacher was pop Nikita. The students were acquainted with the alphabet, reading, writing and arithmetic on elementary level. This religious school was the educational and cultural center for the local residents. The first primary school in the village was founded after the liberation in 1878/79 year. On October 4, 1936 was laid the foundation stone of a new community center and a school building in “Cholakovtsi” (still Cholakovtsi village at the time). The building was modern for the time and had two floors. On the first floor there were library and the hall of the community center. The classrooms were on the second floor. The villagers willingly offered to provide assistance with the construction of the educational home. Today the same building is an active community center “Consciousness”. Near the community center there is a beautiful pine forest and an eco path. In the year of 1957 Mrs.Valentina Komarova has turned the first sod to build the new school building meeting the modern educational requirements. SOU “Vladimir Komarov” is the successor of enlightenment, started 150 years ago in “Cholakovtsi” - Veliko Tarnovo.

Vladimir Mihailovich Komarov

  The patron of the school is Vladimir Komarov. Born 03.16.1927 in the town of Moscow, Russia. He completed his secondary education in Russian Air Force school. Then he joined the Higher Aviation School “A.K.Serov” in Bataille. In 1959 he graduated Military Air Engineering Academy “H.E. Zhukovsky”. In 1969 he is assigned in the first squad of cosmonauts. From that moment his whole life is connected with the cosmos. On 12-13.10.1964 he performed orbital flight as commander of the world’s first multi-seat spacecraft ”VOSHOD-1”. On 23-24.04.1967 - his second space flight as commander of the ship “Soyuz-1”. The flight continued for 1day, 2hours, 47 minutes and 52 seconds. Dies tragically in 4.24.1967 because of a parachute system failure when landing. There is a crated on the Moon named after him and also a small planet-asteroid 1836Komarov, discovered in 1971.

Facilities

     The school has:

* Spacious and sunny classrooms;
* Functional offices of foreign languages;
* Biology, chemistry and physics labs;
* Three computer rooms with permanent internet connection;
* Comprehensive library;
* Doctor’s office;
* Two gyms and playgrounds;
* Eco path near school;
* School lunchroom

Kindergarten "Rada Vojvoda"

   Kindergarten "Rada Vojvoda" in "Cholakovtsi" was opened on May 31, 1977. Patron of the kindergarten Rada Vojvoda. Rada Vojvoda’s biography In the village of Cholakovtsi lived a respectable and wealthy widow, known as the “Barachkata”. She had one girl called Rada. Since young age Rada Barachkina was a big-hearted, brave and very beautiful child. At age 12 she saved a drowning child, at age 18 she saved an elderly woman from a burning house. When she came of age, many young men wanted to marry her. The Aga (Ottoman Turkish- “chief, master. lord”) of the neighbouring village “Kachica” wanted to make her his wife, forcibly. There was a rebel group led by Valchan voivoda which was acting around Veliko Tarnovo’s woods. To run away from the Aga, Rada Voivoda went to the woods and join the rebel group of Valchan voivoda. After Valchan was captured by “ledenishkiq” sipahi (name of several Ottoman cavalry corps) Ahladooglu, Rada become the leader of the rebel group. Her noble feats were successful throughout Veliko Tarnovo. From 1810 to 1820 her rebel group was defending the Bulgarians in the area of Veliko Tarnovo, Drqnovo and Gabrovo from the Turks. Rada Voivoda died in battle with the Turks and fulfil her duty to her country.