Bulgarka Nature park

Bulgarka national park was announced in 2002 with the purpose to protect, recover and maintain the beech ecosystems and landscapes typical for Central Stara Planina mountain, as well as the flora, fauna and culture-historical variety of the region. It occupies an area of approx. 22,000 ha. It is situated over the ridge parts and Northern slopes of Shipchenska and Trevnenska mountains and on parts of the Forebalkan adjacent to them. The territory includes springs of the Yantra river and the main feeders in its upper part. The park embraces the territories of nine settlements, located within the boundaries of the municipalities Gabrovo, Maglizh and Tryavna. In its area falls also the Hristo Smirnenski dam lake.

BIOLOGICAL VARIETY

The rich structure, the various soil and climate conditions and the big displacement are a precondition for the presence of lots of plant and animal species.

FLORA

The forests on the territory of the park are 80.2 % of its total area. Among them, main place takes the beech (60%). There are also Common Hornbeam, Hop-Hornbeam and Oriental Hornbeam, four species of oaks, five species of sycamore, three species of ash-tree, wild cherry,Macedonian pine and many other tree species. Up to the moment have been found over than 1,800 representatives of the higher vegetation, 25 of which are listed in the Red Book of the Republic of Bulgaria (2011). One of them is in the ‘extinguished’category - Green hound’s tongue (Cynoglossum germanicum Jacq). Numerous are also the species in the categories ‘rare’ and ‘protected’ which are listed in the Biological Variety Act, Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), Bern Convention, Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)etc. The territory of the park is rich in rare and protected endemic types of plant species, medical and etheric-oil plants, mushrooms, mosses and ferns.

FAUNA

On the zoo-geographical planning, the territory of the Park falls in the zone of the European fauna – Stara Planina region.  Big is the variety of invertebrates and vertebrates. Typical forest representatives are the Brown Bear, Wolf, Wild-boar, Doe etc. From the bird species, here could be met Imperial Eagle, Lesser spotted eagle, several species of wood-peckers, four species of swallows, white-throated dipper, hazel-hen etc. The Park is inhabited by 15 species of bats, living in the old forests and caves. Representatives of the batrachofaunaare the Common Frog, the European tree frog, the Salamander etc., and of the herpetofauna – viper, blind-worm, Hermann’s tortoise etc. From the invertebrate species, here could be seen Morimus funereus, Rosalia longicorn, Lucanus cervus, Peacock butterfly, the Apollo butterfly etc.

PROTECTED AREAD

MAHCHENITSA – YOVOVTSY

The protected area Mahchenitsa – Yovovtsy is situated in Trevnenska Stara Planina mountain on average altitude around 900 m. Through these areas in the Antiquity passed a road connecting Northern and Southern Bulgaria. Namely here happened the battle at the Trevnenski passage between the armies of Ivan Asen II and Isaac II Angelus. Mahchenitsa peak bears its name from the fact that on its Northern slopes is located a centuries-old beech forest in which the tree trunks are covered in moss (mah means ‘moss’ in Bulgarian).

SOKOLSKI MONASTERY

The protected area covers a surface of 75.5 ha of forest owned by the monastery and the municipality, located on the Northern slopes of Stara planina, at the upper course of Yantra river. The area bears the name of Sokolski monastery which is 12 km away from the town of Gabrovo. The monastery is directly connected to the historical events from the national wars of liberation. 

STOLISHTA

This protected area is located on the Northern slope of the Tryavna Balkan, on average altitude of approximately 1,000 meters. It embraces centuries-old beech trees aged over 170 years and average height over 25 meters.

STUDEN KLADENETS (COLD WELL)

The protected area Studen kladenets is located on the territory of the village of Stanchev han, municipality of Tryavna. It includes the region of the springs of Belitsa river in Stara Planina mountain. It is a natural beech forest at an average age of 110-160 years. The highest point of the area is the Murzhov Lom peak (altitude 862 m), near which is situated the highest impounded spring. 

NATURAL PLACES OF INTEREST

VIKANATA SKALA

The rock phenomena having an area of 0.5 ha is located in the Struzhnata area, near the village of Krastets. The panorama view which it offers to the Forebalkan and Danubian plain was an object of admiration of the people’s poet Ivan Vazov.

GOLEMIAT BUK (THE BIG BEECH)

The century-old beech tree aged over 500 years is located in the Maglizhka polyana area. It is 32 meters high and its circumference is 3.7 m.

NATURAL HABITAT OF YEW IN THE IZVORA AREA

This is one of the biggest natural habitats of yew (Taxus baccata) on the Balkan peninsula. It is located on 1,100 meters of altitude, South-Western from the Krastets railway station. The unique three-storey habitat is a century-old beech forest with scattered single fir-trees and Heldreich’s maple, and subforest of yew and cherry laurel.

MAHNATY SKALI (MOSSY ROCKS)

This is a group of rock wreaths with situated among them centuries old beech forests, at an average age of 140 years. The big displacement and the various petrographic construction themselves determine the extrmeley rich variety in a floristic aspect on this small surface. The interesting panorama views opening to the North to the Forebalkan and Danubian Plain add to the uniqueness and beauty of one of the most attractive recesses of the wild nature on the territory of the Balgarka Nature Park.

CULTURAL AND HISTORICAL HERITAGE

The existing data shows that the territory of the Park was inhabited since the remote past. In the Kiliite cave (village of Stanchev han) – a temple of antiquity, were found pieces of pottery vessels with lace decoration since the Thracian period.

The territory is crossed by many road arteries which were used in the Antiquity to connect Nove (present town of Svishtov) on the Danube river with Augusta Trayana (present town of Stara Zagora) and Philippopolis (present town of Plovdiv): Shipchenski passage, Vereyski road, Maliy road, Kranski, Eninski, Trevnenski and Yaikanliyski passages, Ivanov path etc.

At the Vereyski road, at the foots of Mahchenitsa peak in 1190 the Bulgarian armies led by Ivan Asen II defeated the retreating Byzantines led by emperor Isaac II Angelus. This battle strengthens the positions of the Second Bulgarian Kingdom. 

The territory of the park is connected also with dramatic events during the Russo-Turkish War (1877-1878) – the Shipka epopee and the wintery passing through the Balkan by the Russian soldiers and Bulgarian volunteers. These doings are of an significant meaning for the outcome of the war, led to the signing of the Treaty of San Stefano and recognition of the independence of Bulgaria.

Since its foundation, the town of Gabrovo was a centre of the Bulgarian craftworks. Their demonstration (in authentic form) can be seen even today at the open air Ethnographic Museum “Etar”.  There are also celebrated all important fests in the church and folklore calendar. The re-creation of the customs with their rituals and symbols is accompanied with a rich folklore programme.

Sokolski monastery is located in one of the most beautiful corners of the park. In the chapel are preserved icons painted by Zachary Zografus. In the monastery yard is a beautiful fountain built by Kolyo Ficheto. From its eight sprouts even today flows cold mountain water.

The picturesque nature pictures, the possibilities for trade and the temperate climate shaped the character features of the people lived and living in this part of the mountain. Their sense for beauty and preciseness are the ground of the developed localfolk crafts: original construction, wood-carving, icon-painting, furriery, cutlery, making of goat hair’s rugs, bags etc., braiding etc. These crafts, thanks to the many centuries old tradition, developed to a stage to transform themselves into art. It is enough to mention the old houses in Tryavna and Gabrovo region – a big part of them are masterpieces of the Renaissance architecture. The achievements of the Tryavna artistic training, Gabrovo cutlery etc. are well-known far beyond the boundaries of the region. Very indicative is also the fact that in both towns – Gabrovo and Tryavna – were opened the first secular class schools in Bulgaria – Aprilov’s high school and Slaveykov’s school.

Pictures: State Nature Park “Bulgarka”, author: Georgi Stoyanov.