Complex-monument "Founders of the Bulgarian State" near city of Shumen was officially launched in 1981, on the occasion of 1300 years since the founding of the Bulgarian state. It re-creates the most important moments in the history of the 1st Bulgarian Kingdom – from Khan Asparuh to Tsar Simeon.

The monument consists of two semi-halls, formed through a complicated composition of eight concrete bodies, built at different angles.

The exposition starts with the figure of Khan Asparuh, with a dog in his feet (the dog was used by proto-Bulgarian as an offering); behind the khan there is a horse. Above the tail of the horse, there are inscriptions of parts of  "Imennik na Balgarskite Khanove" – the oldest written document in Bulgaria.

The Khans’ gallery presents: Khan Tervel known as the best diplomat, Krum – the law-maker, Omurtag – the builder. Their figures rise 18 m above the ground and are surrounded by inscriptions from old chronicles.

The second semi-hall, called "The Golden Century" contains a composition of 4 groups of sculptures: Simeon – the ruler who built the capital after a Byzantine model, who also managed to expand Bulgaria’s borders to three seas; the bookmen Naum, Clement and Angelarius, who established the literary schools in Pliska and Ochrid and translated the liturgical books into plain language; the boyars, who followed the ruler in all his undertakings; and the soldiers, without whom Simeon couldn’t have won his numerous battles.