Exhibition dedicated to Prof. Benyo Tsonev
The University Library on the occasion of the 135th anniversary of Sofia University presents one of the Rectors of the Alma Mater – Prof. Benyo Tsonev. Born 160 years ago in the city of Lovech, he studied Slavic Philology at the University of Vienna under Prof. Vatroslav Jagić and Romance Studies and Philosophy in Leipzig under Prof. August Leskin. He completed a Doctorate of Philosophy in Slavic Philology, Romance Studies and Philosophy at the University of Leipzig. Since 1891, his professional career had been associated with the School of Higher Education and the University. From 1893 to 1895 Prof. Tsonev was an Associate Professor, and after 1895 – Professor. He was the Head of the Department of History of the Bulgarian Language from 1.09.1893 until his death on 5.10.1926. He was Dean of the Faculty of History and Philology for five consecutive terms and Rector of the University, in the academic 1910-1911 year.
In the lobby of the Central University Library are exhibited the scientific publications by Prof. Benyo Tsonev in the field of History of the Bulgarian Language, Dialectology, Paleography, Grammar, Spelling and Orthography, also his first articles, dialectological studies, his descriptions of the Old Printed Book collections in the Sofia and Plovdiv National Libraries, along with his research about the Saints Cyril and Methodius, Saint Paisius Hilendar and Dr. Peter Beron. The exhibition highlight is the presentation of the volumes of the “History of the Bulgarian Language”, and Prof. Tsonev’s monographs on the Kyustendil Gospels, the Dobreyshovo Gospels, and the Vraca Gospel, from the 13th century.
The exhibition will be on view until February 2024.