The first institutions of this kind emerged towards the end of the Ottoman era, in 1856 in the towns of Shumen, Lom and Svishtov. Later, the chitalishte became an important multi-purpose institution in villages and smaller towns.
At the end of the Ottoman era, around 1856, the initial establishments of such kind emerged in Shumen, Lom, and Svishtov. Later, these chitalishehs became significant multi-purpose institutions in rural areas and small towns.