University Botanic Garden Balchik
University Botanic Garden Balchik
Magurata is one of the biggest caves in Bulgaria. It is situated in the south slope of the Rabisha hill, Western Fore-Balkan. The cave is formed in limestone from the Cretaceous period. There are archaeological remnants in the Magurata cave from early Bronze epoch, early Iron Age, early Roman epoch. Archaeologists have found dwellings, instruments of production and arms, ceramic utensils. The cave is remarkable with its paintings and the so-called Sunny Hall. They were created in the late Bronze Age and were done with cave manure. The cave was declared for tourist landmark in 1960 on an area of 83 hectares situated in the village of Rabisha, Belogradchik municipality, Vidin region.
Petkov Tzerak Waterfall is a natural landmark established in 1982 on an area of 20 hectares. It is situated in the region of the Boynitza village, Boynitza municipality, Vidin region.
Suhi Pech Caves, in Dolni Lom village, Chuprene municipality, Vidin region are natural landmark from 1976 on an area of 20 hectares.
Lipaka is a territory populated by endangered, rare and vulnerable plant species habitats. It was declared protected territory in 2003 on an area of 17.30 hectares in the region of Milchina Luka village, Gramada municipality, Vidin region.
Vrashka Chuka is a protected territory aiming preservation of endangered, rare and vulnerable plant species habitats. It was registered in 2003 on an area of 67.60 hectares on the land of Izvor Mahala village, Kula municipality, Vidin region.
Byalata Voda waterfall is a natural landmark established in 1976 on an area of 1 hectare and situated in Stakevtzi village, Belogradchik municipality, Vidin region.
Boroviyat Kamak is a rocky formation in the region of the village of Borovitza village, Belogradchik municipality, Vidin region. The rocky formation was included in the list of natural landmarks in 1976 on an area of 1.30 hectares.
Venetz Cave inthe Chukara area, the village of Oreshetz, Dimovo municipality, Vidin region is a natural l
Kaliakra Cape is a natural and archaeological reserve. It is steep, rock cape with height up to 70m, deeply cut into the sea, situated at 12 km southeast of the town of Kavarna. Kaliakra Cape was built of marlstones and conglomerates and there are many caves on it. It was declared for national park in 1941 and later was listed in higher category and enlarged. It is situated on an area of 687.5 hectares. Kaliakra is the only protected territory that includes sea aquatoryof 400 hectares. There are protected animal species nesting here and one could observe even dolphins. The aim of the natural reserve is to preserve the coastal sea ecosystems, characteristic steppe vegetation and animals. The natural park is situated in Balgarevo village, Kavarna municipality, Dobrich region.
Baltata Reserve was declared in 1978 and in 1999 was listed in higher category as well-kept reserve. It is situated on the land of Obrochishte village, Balchik municipality, Dobrich region. The aim was to preserve the dense forest with its flora and fauna on an area of 205.60 hectares.
Dolinata na Rozite (Valley of the Roses) is the other name of Karlovsko and Kazanlashkata valley. The valley has a prolonged form situated at west-east. The lay of the valley is from plain to hilly. The soils and the climate conditions are suitable for growing of oil-bearing roses, suitable for getting ethereal oil which is used in perfumery industry. There is even a special day dedicated to the rose and celebrated as Holiday of the Rose.
The town of Vratza is the centre of the district and has a population of 65 000 inhabitants. It lies at a distance of 112 km from Sofia. The town is situated at an altitude of 370 m in the Western part of Stara Planina at its northern foot. Vratza is the municipal centre of 21 settlements.
Active life has existed on the territory of the district since ancient times. There are findings from the time of the old Paleolith at the caves of Pech (the village of Staro selo), Samuilitza (the village of Kunino); Neolith settlements by the villages of Gradeshnitza, Dobrusha, Banitza; settlements from the Halcolith at the villages of Galatin, Lesura and Malorad. In V-IV c. B.C. the region around Vratza was populated by the Thracian tribes of Tribals. In 339 the Thracian tribe of Tribals waged a war with the troops of Philip the Macedonian in the Iskar Defile and are victorious. Philip the Macedonian himself was seriously wounded in this battle. In 335 they waged against his son Alexander the Macedonian and signed an alliance agreement. From this period are discovered two significant treasures - the Mogilan and the Rogozen treasures.
The end of the Thracian hegemony in the district was put by the Roman proconsul Mark Licinius Kras in 28 A.D. For almost 400 years Vratza and the district were part of the Roman Empire. The district later entered the limits of the Thrace Province and it was in this period when the settlement was turned into a town of a typical Roman outlook. The population of the town was mainly Thracians, war veterans, Helens and Maloasians brought by the Romans. In V-VI c. the town of Vratza was a territory of a new empire - the Byzantine. The Byzantine Prokopius Kesariyski was the first to mention the Valve fortress. In Latin "valve" means gate and this is the old name of the town. The town had a natural defense of steep rocks and where there were no rocks it had fortified walls. In VII c. the population consisted mainly of Slavs and had the name of Vratitza.
The town of Gabrovo has a population of 65 000 inhabitants and lies at a distance of 227 km northeast of Sofia at the foot of the Shipka part of Stara Planina along both banks of the Yantra River at an altitude of 390 m. Gabrovo is a municipal centre of 133 settlements.
The historical beginning of the present-day town dates from the Middle Ages. Due to its proximity to the capital of Bulgaria of the time-Veliko Tarnovo and the passes towards the Balkan some forges and gunsmith workshops were opened in the town. The first name of the town is Gabruva and in XVII c. it was written under the name of Gabrovo. In the years of the Ottoman domination the settlement was a craftsman's and trade centre. In XIX c. were developed 26 crafts - smithery, weaving, cutlery, silkworm-breeding and others. In 1835 the first school was opened in the town - the present-day Aprilov's High School. It was named after its benefactor Vasil Aprilov. Many houses, churches, bridges and a clock tower were built in the Revival period. Gabrovo was proclaimed for a town in 1860 and in 1882 was built the first textile factory.
The tourist sights of the region are: the church" Uspenie Bogorodichno"/The Assumption/(1865) is among the masterpieces of the Revival period architecture, the clock tower from 1835, the Dechkov's house, the Aprilov's high school, Bayov's Bridge, the outdoor museum "Etara" and the architectural reserve "Bozhentzi". The town of Gabrovo is also known as the capital of humour and satire. The museum of the world's humoristic art was opened in 1972 under the motto "The world has survived because it has laughed".
On the territory of Gabrovo District are located the following natural landmarks: part of the "Central Balkan" natural park, the "Bacho Kiro" cave, the Dryanovo's eco path and many other.
The most famous monasteries of the district are: Dryanovo Monastery, Batoshevo and Sokolovo monasteries.
The Home of humour and satire in Gabrovo was opened on 1st April 1972. In Bulgar
The city of Sozopol is located on a scenic bay along the southern Bulgarian coast, about 35 km south of Burgas.
The city, which has a population of 5,000, is one of the oldest on the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast and one of the country’s most popular seaside resorts. The romantic atmosphere of the city’s beautiful old town attracts visitors from all over the world.
Archeological research indicates that the city has a cultural tradition that is some 7,000 years old. The first settlement grew up on the Sozopol bay during the Neolithic Era, some 6,000 years BCE. In 610 BCE, the inhabitants of Milet, a city in Asia Minor, made the Sozopol peninsula their city-state and called it Apolloniya. The city-state enjoyed rapid growth during the first centuries of its existence. In the 5th century BCE, massive fortress walls were constructed to protect its monumental public buildings. Ancient writers describe The Temple of Apollo the Healer as colossal, housing a 13-meter high statue of the god. In 72 BCE, Apollonia was conquered by Roman legions commanded by Marcus Lucullus, who razed and plundered the city. The legendary statue of Apollo was removed to Rome as spoils of war.
During the 1st century, the city was rebuilt, and when Thrace became a Roman province Sozopol continued to function as an administrative maritime center. When Christianity was accepted as the official sate religion, Apolloniya was rechristened Sozopolis, in keeping with the new Christian dogma.
In the 5th century, the city was again fortified by new protective walls, remnants of which remain to the present day and can be seen at the southeastern end of the peninsula. The city was first incorporated into Bulgaria when the army of Han Krum occupied it in 812. Sozopol became an important diocese, with more than 20 Orthodox churches and 5 monasteries. Remains of the Saint Ivan (Saint John) monastery complex dating from the X-XII century are still preserved, as are the Medieval basilica in the city center a
The town of Sliven is the district center with a population of 97 500 inhabitants. It is situated at a distance of 276 km from Sofia at the southern foot of the eastern part of Stara Planina at an altitude of 275 m. The town is the municipal administrative center of 48 settlements.
The site of the present-day town has been populated for centuries. The first inhabitants of the town were the Thracians. The name of the town at that time was Tuida and was found inscribed on a stone finding from that period.
The Romans had a garrison on the spot guarding the passes of Stara Planina. During the great movement of the nations the fortress was demolished. In the VII c. many Avar, Slav and Thracian tribes pass through this site. The lands of the settlement entered the limits of Bulgaria in 705.
The name of Sliven was mentioned for the first time by the Arabian traveller Al Idrisi in 1153 when he described the town as very big and beautiful. In 1388 the town was conquered by the Turks and 24 monasteries from the Small Sveta Gora complex in the vicinity of the town were burned down. The town gradually turned into a craftsman's center. In 1834 the first textile factory was established by Dobri Zhelyazkov. Sliven was a center of a strong rebellious movement during the Ottoman yoke and was known as the town of the 100 rebellion leaders.
The tourist sights of the town are: the churches "St. Dimiter" (1831), "St. Nikola" (1834), "St. Sofia" (1836), the clock tower from 1808, the History Museum, the Art Gallery, the house-museum of Hadzhi Dimiter, the house-museum of Dobri Chintulov.
The Sliven mineral baths are situated at a distance of 12 km southwest of Sliven along the Tundzha River. The mineral water has a capacity of 17 liters per second and a temperature of 44-45oC. The mineral water is suitable for healing diseases of the locomotory system, the peripheral nervous system, liver and gastro-enteric diseases.
The following natural landmarks are situated in Sliven District:
The town of Bourgas is situated at the most western part of the Bourgas Bay on a peninsula surrounded by three lakes-Burgasko, Atanasovsko and Mandrensko lakes. The town has a population of 191 000 inhabitants. It is the second biggest town on the Bulgarian Black Sea coast. Bourgas lies at a distance of 387 km from Sofia. The town is a district center, a seaside resort and a port. Bourgas is the municipal center of 14 settlements.
The first inhabitants of the town were the Thracian people. During archaeological excavations were discovered settlements from the Halcolith and the Bronze Age in the Bourgas lake, while on the southern coast of the Mandrensko lake were discovered the remains of the ancient fortress of Skafida, at the bottom of the Bourgasko Lake was discovered the ancient Poros. Bourgas is the successor of the Roman town Debeltus. During the Middle Ages here was built a fortress having the name of Pirgos which controlled the road leading to Mala Asia. The first written evidence for the town is from XIII c. The town got its present-day name in XVII c. Before the Liberation the town had a population of 3 000 inhabitants. Today Bourgas is an important economic and agricultural centre.
The tourist sights of the town are: the sea garden, the cathedrals "Sveta Bogoroditsa"/Holy Virgin/ (1895), "St. St. Cyril and Methodius" (1895), the Armenian Church (1855), the Catholic cathedral, the church "St. Ivan Rilski", the Art Gallery (with its rich collection of icons and the works of local artists), the History Museum and the Ethnographic Museum.
The Bourgas mineral baths have been used ever since ancient times. Near the mineral spring from IV c. B.C. existed a Roman thermal bath. The Bourgas mineral baths are a national spa and mud-treatment center. They are situated at a distance of 15 km northwest of Bourgas. The mineral water has a temperature of 41oC and a capacity of 50 liters per second. The mineral water is suitable for treating diseases of the locomotory sy
The town of Kardzhali is situated along both banks of the Arda River in a small valley in the Eastern Rhodope Mountains. Kardzhali has a population of 42 000 inhabitants. The town lies at a distance of 259 km from Sofia. Kardzhali is a district and municipal administrative centre of 117 settlements. The district is a unique combination of historic monuments from ancient times and natural phenomena.
Traces of the prehistoric, Thracian and Roman culture were discovered in the region of Kardzhali. Undoubtedly the sacred Thracian site Perperikon is of the greatest interest. The sanctuary lies at a distance of 20 km from Kardzhali, 2 km from the village of Gorna Krepost and 6 km from the village of Perperek. The evidence of human activity in the complex dates back to V-IV c. B.C. The excavations show that a huge palace of several floors was built on the site over the rocky formations. During the Middle Ages the palace was often transferred from the Bulgarian to the Byzantine limits and back. The remains of the medieval town of Monyak were discovered in the Veselchane quarter. The architecture of the town is like the one of Preslav, Mesembria and Turnovo. The settlement was conquered by the Turks in 1379. In 1607 the settlement was registered in the Ottoman documents under the name of Kardzhala. In 1878 Russian Kazakhs led by general Chernobuzov liberated the town which according to the Berlin Peace Contract remained within the limits of the vassal principality of East Roumelia. Kardzhali went back to the limits of Bulgaria on 8th October 1912.
The tourist sights of the town are: The History Museum, the medieval monastery complex "St. Yoan Predtecha", the temple "St. Georgi", remains from the medieval fortress Monyak.
Other cultural-historic sights on the territory of the district are: the medieval fortresses Kaleto, Ustra, Vishegrad and Asara.
The most famous natural landmarks of the region are: the reserves "Valchi Dol", "Kazalcherpa", "Borovetz", "Chamlaka"; the ro
