Forgotten, Renamed, Reclaimed: Bulgaria’s Ottoman Heritage beyond the Authorised Dissonance

The study explores the presence of the Ottoman heritage in Bulgaria. Despite its exclusion from the national heritage canon, different communities engage with and valorise it. Using a scalar approach, we examine how heritage operates at various levels, revealing the dynamic interplay of dominant and vernacular discourses. Drawing on anthropological fieldwork, the paper highlights the mosaic of memories, narratives, and practices that reclaim Ottoman heritage today.