Architect Ivan Tsokov Vasilyov was born on February 28, 1893 in Oryahovo. Even as a child he showed a penchant for drawing. At the age of 10 he was sent to his uncle Toma Vasil'ev in Sofia. He assisted him in his studies. He graduated from high school in 1911. His drawing teacher Otto Horeishi encouraged him to develop his abilities. In 1910 Vasilov went to Munich. He entered the Academy of Fine Arts. Architectural monuments attracted him and after a severe mental struggle he decided to study architecture. He enrolled at the Higher Technical School in Karlsruhe. After completing his studies in Germany he returned to Bulgaria. In 1927 he became friends with architect Dimitar Tsolov. Together with him they formed a design firm known as the Vasilov-Tsolov Architectural Bureau. This bureau worked for 20 years and created some of the most significant buildings of our capital. Nedelya, the Bulgarian National Bank, the University Library and the National Library "St. The National Library of St. Cyril and Methodius. With Tsolov they are preparing the projects for the buildings of the community centers in Oryahovo and Vratsa. In 1954, in connection with the opening of the building of the National Library "St. Cyril and St. Methodius" (then the State Library "Vasil Kolarov") Vasilov received the Dimitrov Prize, and his name, along with that of Tsolov is quoted in many newspapers and magazines, both at home and abroad.

More interesting information can be found in the publication of Severozapazena BG - The architects from Oryahovo who built Sofia.