Velikite Balgari (Bulgarian: „Великите българи“, The Great Bulgarians) is a Bulgarian spin-off of the 2002 BBC television program 100 Greatest Britons. Aired on the Bulgarian National Television's Kanal 1, its first stage began on 9 June 2006 and finished on 10 December, with a show on 23 December announcing the names of the Top 100 as chosen by popular vote. The Top 10 were announced in alphabetical order. In the second stage, which lasted until 17 February 2007, the viewers determined the order in the Top 10. Documentaries dedicated to every Top 10 personality were aired during the second stage.
1–10
edit- Vasil Levski (1837–1873), revolutionary and national hero
- Peter Deunov (1864–1944), spiritual master of a school of Esoteric Christianity
- Asparuh of Bulgaria (d. 681), founder of the First Bulgarian Empire
- Tsar Simeon I of Bulgaria (c. 866–927), ruled during the Golden Age of Bulgarian culture and military power
- Hristo Botev (1848–1876), national poet and revolutionary
- Knyaz Boris I of Bulgaria (d. 907), ruled during the Christianization of Bulgaria
- Saints Cyril and Methodius (9th century), devised and spread the Glagolitic alphabet
- Stefan Stambolov (1854–1895), successful Prime Minister
- Ivan Vazov (1850–1921), national writer
- Saint Paisius of Hilendar (1722–1773), wrote Istoriya Slavyanobolgarskaya
11–100
edit- John Atanasoff (1903–1995) Physicist and inventor credited with inventing the first digital computer
- Hristo Stoichkov (1966–) The greatest Bulgarian football player
- Baba Vanga (1911–1996) claimed mystic
- Todor Zhivkov (1911–1998) The communist leader of the People's Republic of Bulgaria (PRB) from 4 March 1954 until 10 November 1989.
- Georgi Asparuhov (1943–1971) football player
- Tsar Kaloyan of Bulgaria (1170–1207) Tsar of Bulgaria
- Khan Krum of Bulgaria Khan of Bulgaria
- Tsar Ivan Asen II of Bulgaria Emperor
- Vladimir Dimitrov (1882–1960) painter
- St John of Rila (876–946) The first Bulgarian hermit
- Azis (1978–) Chalga singer
- Ivan Kostov (1949–) 47th Prime Minister
- Aleko Konstantinov (1863–1897) writer, known for Bay Ganyo
- Volen Siderov (1956–) politician
- Georgi Benkovski (1843–1876) revolutionary
- Neno Yurukov (1978 -) physics teacher at 91 German Language High school
- Slavi Trifonov (1966–) actor and singer
- Nikola Vaptsarov (1909–1942) poet, communist and revolutionary, shot to death at 32 because of his revolutionary ideology
- Boyko Borisov (1959–) 50th Prime Minister of Bulgaria
- Lili Ivanova (1939–) singer
- Dan Koloff (1892–1940) wrestler and mixed martial artist
- Khan Kubrat
- Tonka Obretenova (1812–1893) revolutionary
- Georgi Rakovski (1821–1867) freemason and writer
- Petko Voyvoda (1844–1900) haydut leader and freedom fighter
- Rayna Knyaginya (1856–1917) teacher and revolutionary
- Valya Balkanska (1942–) folk music singer
- Georgi Dimitrov (1882–1949) communist politician
- Albena Denkova (1974–) ice dancer
- Ghena Dimitrova (1941–2005) operatic soprano
- Evlogi (1819–1897) merchant, banker and Hristo Georgiev
- Atanas Burov (1875–1954) banker and politician
- Kolyu Ficheto (1800–1881) architect and sculptor
- Emil Dimitrov (1940–2005) singer
- St Evtimiy, Patriarch of Tarnovo Patriarch of Bulgaria
- Tsar Samuil of Bulgaria Tsar of the First Bulgarian Empire
- Aleksandar Stamboliyski (1879–1923) Prime Minister
- Georgi Partsalev (1925–1989) film actor
- Zahari Stoyanov (1850–1889) writer and historian
- Nikolay Haytov (1919–2002) fiction writer
- St Clement of Ohrid (840?–916) saint and scholar
- Veselin Topalov (1975–) chess Grandmaster
- Yordan Yovkov (1880–1937) writer
- Gotse Delchev (1872–1903) revolutionary figure
- Peyo Yavorov (1878–1914) Symbolist poet
- Rayna Kabaivanska (1934–) opera singer
- Khan Tervel of Bulgaria Khan of Bulgaria
- Ahmed Dogan (1954–) politician of Turkish descent
- Hadzhi Dimitar (1840–1868) voivode and revolutionary who wrote for the Liberation of Bulgaria from Ottoman rule.
- Tsar Boris III of Bulgaria (1894–1943) Tsar of Bulgaria
- Neshka Robeva (1946–) former Rhythmic Gymnast and coach
- Nevena Kokanova (1938–2000) film actress
- Boris Christoff (1914–1993) opera singer
- Yordan Radichkov (1929–2004) writer and playwright
- Yane Sandanski (1872–1915) national hero
- Dimitar Peshev (1894–1973) Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly of Bulgaria and Minister of Justice
- Elin Pelin (1877–1949) writer, best narrator of country life
- Vasil Aprilov (1789–1847) educator
- Apostol Karamitev (1923–1973) actor
- Georgi Parvanov (1957–) 3rd President of Bulgaria from 2002 to 2012
- Dimcho Debelyanov (1887–1916) poet
- Zahari Zograf (1810–1853) painter
- Panayot Volov (1850–1876) revolutionary
- Sergey Stanishev (1966–) President of the Party of European Socialists since November 2011 and Member of the European Parliament
- Simeon Sakskoburggotski (1937–) Last reigning Bulgarian monarch
- Lyudmila Zhivkova (1942–1981) politician, art historian
- Dimitar and Konstantin Miladinovi (1810–1862 and 1830–1862, respectively) poets and folklorists
- Stefan Karadzha (1840–1868) national hero
- Nicolai Ghiaurov (1929–2004) opera singer
- Stoyanka Mutafova (1922–2019) actress
- Capt. Dimitar Spisarevski (1916–1943) fighter pilot
- Lyuben Karavelov (1834–1879) writer
- Stefka Kostadinova (1965–) athlete who competed in high jump
- Hristo Smirnenski (1898–1923) poet and prose writer
- Major General Georgi Ivanov (1940–) military officer and first Bulgarian cosmonaut
- Petar Beron (1799–1871) educator
- Valeri Petrov (1920–2014) poet
- Georgi Kaloyanchev (1925–2012) actor
- Geo Milev (1895–1925) poet and journalist
- Sophronius of Vratsa (1739–1813) cleric
- Ekaterina Dafovska (1975–) Biathlete, the only Bulgarian who won a gold medal at Winter Olympics
- Dimitar Talev (1898–1966) writer
- Todor Aleksandrov (1881–1924) freedom fighter
- Pencho Slaveykov (1866–1912) poet
- Filip Kutev (1903–1982) composer
- Krakra of Pernik feudal lord
- Ivet Lalova (1984–) Bulgarian athlete, sprint events
- Panayot Hitov (1830–1918) hajduk and voivode
- Khan Omurtag of Bulgaria Great Khan
- Prof. Asen Zlatarov (1885–1936) biochemist
