TROYAN – the green heaven in the heart of Bulgaria!

Tourism:

The favourable climatic circumstances in combination with nature fact ors make Troyan region a charming place for tourism and rest.

            The Natural History Museum in Cherni Osam has grown from a collection of stuffed animals originally meant to help biology teaching at the village school. The collection has de veloped thanks to the enthusiasm, knowledge and commitment of the local teacher, Iliya Hristov who has been involved since 1956. Now famous throughout the country, the museum provides another exciting attraction for visitors to the region. There are over 700 exhibits in the museum; one can see samples of all species native to the Central Balkan Range. Moving animals, and bird and animal sounds help to convey the excitement of the natural world in the museum's galleries. The museum is still used as a practical tool for natural science teaching in many schools throughout Bulgaria.

            In Oreshak, 10 km from Troyan, the National Arts and Crafts Exhibition displays works by craftsmen from all over the country. There are nine exhibition halls, with 4500 sq. m of display space, as well as a multifunctional conference hall, spread over a 50,000 sq. m site. The main purpose of the exhibition is to show the distinctive features of the Bulgarian artistic genius in folk arts, and also to stimulate their development. This aim is fulfilled through changing exhibitions of individual artists' work, or national and international shows to which craftsmen from the whole of Bulgaria and the outside world contribute. The exhibition is open 365 days a year, with a bazaar in one of the halls where the works of Bulgarian and foreign craftsmen are on sale.

The favourable climate combined with the natural beauty make the Troyan region an attractive place for tourism and recreation. The land of the municipality encompasses an amazing combination of spectacular mountains, rivers and mineral springs.

The mineral waters in the village of Shipkovo have been used in a number of ways since the XVIII century. Currently Shipkovo has swimming pools, physiotherapy centers, private hotels, holiday houses and a variety of food and entertainment opportunities.

Around the village of Chiflik the hot water mineral springs (55 l/s, 54° C) combined with the fresh mountain air and forests form a new spa complex right below the marvelous peak Kozya Stena. In Chiflik one can also find private hotels with swimming pools, holiday houses and an Olympic sized swimming pool. In addition, local residents often offer rooms in their homes to tourists.

            Many tourists visit Troyan because of its beautiful surroundings and many historical places. The town is a centre of enlightenment and civilization. Many old houses from the time of the Bulgarian National Revival, which remind of the old town and its atmosphere, are preserved.

            Troyan is a starting point for tourism to the high peaks of the Central Balkan - Levski, Botev, Rusalka, and also to the Kozyata Stena Reserve with its edelweiss fields. This reserve, as well as the three reserves with unique flora and fauna - Boatin, Tsarichina and Steneto, the natural sights Chemerikata, Vidimskoto Praskalo, Sokolovo Stene and others are part of the Central Balkan National Park.

CENTRAL BALKAN NATIONAL PARK

            In the region of Troyan are the natural reserves - Kozya Stena, Steneto, Severen Jendem. They are part of the Central Balkan National Park famous for its unique flora and fauna. There are about 30 waterfalls in the North Djendem Reserve with height more than 20 meters. The relief is varied and rich in rock forms, which are often difficult to pass through.

In the Troyan Mountains, to the west of the village of Neykovtsi, along the valley of the Cherni Osam River is situated the Steneto Park. The Steneto Reserve is in the beginning of the water-supplying system called "Cherni Osam". It is in the spring part of the Cherni Osam River and covers an area of 3578 hectares. One part of the park was turned into a biosphere reserve in 1979. In 1983, the spring area was decided to be a buffer zone of the reserve. Steneto is one of the widest reserves in Bulgaria, with an exceptionally rich and unaffected vegetable kingdom and animal world. It is one of the 17 biosphere reserves in Bulgaria, included in the structures of UNESCO. The Steneto Reserve covers the whole upper course of the Cherni Osam River. The relief is diverse with matchless rock formations, waterfalls, abysses, caves. The area is rich in caves, which are not well studied, because of their abyss character. Rock formations with fantastic shape can also be seen in the reserve. An interesting karst formation is the "Krali Markova Dupka" rock arch, near the Ambaritsa mountain-hostel. Most interesting are the Kumanitsa and Ptichata Dupka caves.

            The slopes are covered by untouched beech forests more than 200 years old. Interesting relic species are yew, laurel, silivryak. Here is one of the two fields of mezereon. 97 species of birds are protected from extinction in the park.

            Kozyata Stena is the smallest reserve in the park, created to protect the endemic species Balkan Edelweiss, the century-old beech and beech-fir woods. There are many unique rock formations on its territory, inhabited by many species of birds of pray.

THE TROYAN MONASTERY

            The Troyan Monastery (10 km east from the town) is one of the greatest sacred places of the country. It was an asylum for Vasil Levski and his room was transformed into a part of the monastery museum. In Troyan were born the brothers-in-arms of the Deakon Vasil Levski - G. Smilov, Aleksandar Belkovsky and others.

The Troyan Monastery "The Assumption" is situated on the left riverside of the Cherni Osam river. It is the third largest and significant monastery in Bulgaria. It is supposed that it originated in the ХІV century, but the first document evidences for its existence are from ХVІІ century. Most interesting are the monastery church, built by Master Konstantin from Peshtera (1835). Zahary Zograf made the wall paintings (1847-1849). With great art worth are the wood-craved iconostasis - made by craftsmen from Tryavna (1839). The monastery was a significant educational and revolutionary centre. The room in which Vasil Levski spent some nights and in which meetings of the local revolutionary committee with leader Abbot Hadji Makarii took place is preserved. The monastery has an interesting museum collection.

BEKLEMETO

            The tourist town Beklemeto is situated on the northern slopes of the historical Troyan Pass, 20 km away from the town of Troyan. In 1877 – 1878 the Russian armies, with leader general Katsarov, passed through it. Many holiday homes, huts, hotels and restaurants were built in Beklemeto. The town provides wonderful conditions for winter tourism. Very close to it is the best track for biathlon in broad-leaved woods in Bulgaria, built in accordance with the European requirements.

ORESHAKA

            5km to the south-east of Troyan, along the Cherni Osam Valley is situated the beautiful resort Oreshaka. The People's Crafts National Museum for pottery, wood-cravings, poker-worked products is in it .

APRILTSI

            24 km to the east of Troyan, at an altitude of 500-700 m in the Novo Selo Valley is the town of Apriltsi. 25 holiday homes are built in it. A marvelous view of the highest part of the Balkan between Levski (Ambaritsa) Peak and Botev (Iumrukchal) Peak, to Rusalka (Maragidik) Peak reveals here. The town is a starting point for the tourists, going to climb the highest point of the Balkan - Botev Peak (2376 m) and the other beautiful peaks. At the foot of these colossi alternate thick wood slopes, picturesque hills, lush meadows, cut through by the fascinating curves of the Ostreshka, Vidimska, Zla Reka rivers. These natural conditions provide the resort with cool nights in the summer heats, mild, sunny winters, fresh mountain air.

            The most beautiful and highest waterfall in Bulgaria is the Praskaloto Waterfall. Under the ridge of the Botev Peak, an "eternal drift" gives the beginning of a small limpid stream, which jumps from the stones and rocks and suddenly throws itself down into 125 m deep abyss. Around are the deep, vertical layers known as the South Djendem. The water hits the rocks with rumble and drafts off down the gorge of the Djendem.

            During the last years Apriltsi gradually turns into an attractive mountain resort with renewed holiday equipment - new hotels, restaurants, modern discos and cafes, some swimming pools. Apriltsi gives its guests good conditions for fishing, mountaineering, horse riding, cycling, swimming, tennis, skiing, countless tourist routes and rich hunting equipment, charming places for picnic and beaches along the riversides.

KRAVENIK

            9 km to the east of the town of Apriltsi is the village of Kravenik, famous for the mass participation of its inhabitants in the April Rising. On the territory of the village is the rounded Baban Hill, on which on 14 May 1876, in a way, similar to the affairs in Oborishte, was organized a common gathering with a leader the old man Filyu Radev. The decision for the rising in Sevlievo was taken here.

            Geographic position

 Тroyan is a town with strong and distinctive personality, moulded by history, climate and topography. It has some 25000 inhabitants and is the centre of a municipality with the same name, including 21 villages (approx. 893 sq. km). The town of Troyan is situated in Northern Bulgaria, 160 km North -East of Sofia. It lies on the richly terraced banks of the river Beli Osam at the Northern foot of the Troyan-Kalofer area of the Central Balkan Mountains. Just north of Troyan Pass, the municipality sits 400m above the sea level.

The climate in the region is transitional from temperate and continental to mountainous, and combines rainy springs, warm summers, and sunny autumns with mild snowy winters. The rainfall is above the average for the country and the snow cover holds for about 50 days.

The geographic location of Troyan is favorable for its transport links. Now there are roads connecting Troyan with the capital Sofia and with the principal cities of the country. Once outside the main cities, the roads are relatively uncrowded and touring becomes a pleasure. Troyan is also the terminal of the railway from Svishtov via Levski to Troyan. The nearest airports are Gorna Oryahovitsa (105 km) and Sofia, the nearest seaport is Bourgas (245 km) and the nearest river port is Svishtov (110 km).

            Region map and pictures: Geographic map, which pictures the village places in Troyan municipality:

Economics

Troyan town has a well developed economics , thanks to enterprises like Balkanpharma, Mashstoy, Hemus and other which support many work places.

     Today all the large companies have been made private, the undeveloped enterprises have been replaced and the middle and smaller sized production companies have picked up speed. The Troyan unique production is given the label “Everything Produced in Troyan", which enables it to be sold at the world markets. As a whole, enterprises of Bulgaria are distinguished by ‘ISO 2001’ Certificate which is a symbol of quality and is essential for exporting goods to the world markets. Gradually the craftsmen's work developed into industrial metal working and machine building, wood processing, leather, fur, woolens and carpet enterprises. The chemical and pharmaceutical industry is also introduced. Economic development of Troyan is aided by both the municipality and the private sectors. New technologies and qualified specialists are contributed to the maintaining of the partnership with ex-clients, qualifying to compete on new markets. The Bulgarian economy passed through several stages of development, in which Troyan was directly affected. Individuality, originality and unique ideas are interwoven into everything the Troyan people produce. Many years have passed since Troyan turned from an unsophisticated town to a dynamic modern community, opened to partnerships with others from Bulgaria and beyond. Descendants of the previous craftsmen are now managing Troyan's companies and factories.

Culture:

Established over a century ago, the town's oldest cultural institution is the ‘Science’ Culture Centre, which remains the focus for the artistic activity in Troyan. It has a successful and constantly developing program for activities and is still a centre of intensive cultural life. Among the groups working there are the amateur theatre, the female-voice choir, the vocal group 'Usmivka' (‘Smile’), the 'Zdravets' (‘Geranium’) folk ensemble, the Children's Folk Dance School and the Association of the Troyan writers.

            The last of them has its own publishing house. Over 120 thousand volumes are available at the culture house library, it has a unique range of stock, and a well maintained cata logue. The cultural centers in many villages within the Municipality of Troyan give the opportunity for re laxation and emotional stimulus of a kind that can only be obtained through books in the libraries, songs from the authentic folklore groups, and dances from the amateur the atre stagings.

            The town is famous throughout Bulgaria and abroad for its brass band, founded in 1980, with a troupe of dancing girls. They have participated many times in festi vals in the Czech Republic, North ern Ireland, Russia, France and Italy and won awards in competi tions for youth brass bands, including a first prize in Germany and a second prize in Spain . In addition it has won the 'Representative' title in Bulgarian national compe titions.

            Drawings from Troyan'smany art ists are shown in the Seryakovata Kushta gallery. The town's printing trade dates back to 1892. The local press has been a mouthpiece for public opin ions and controversy. The 'Balkan Wave' newspaper was the first, founded in 1904; the 'Troyan Voice' has been pub lished since 1967, and 'Troyan 21' from 2002.

            History, myth and legend are interwoven to produce a unique cultural tapestry that is at once Troyan's past and present. The Museum of Folk Crafts and Applied Arts, opened in 1968, displays a selection from its rich collections of traditional and contemporary folk art. The Museum plays a vital role in presenting the region's craft traditions, and also has a lively display on local history. Troyan's Ceramic School is popular through out Bulgaria on account of the master-craftsmen's skill and experience in producing functional, beau tiful pottery.

The town's craftsmen are also famous for wood work, making hand-worked carts, yokes and bridal chests, plank-beds and icon-frames, even building barns. Among the metalworkers, the blacksmiths are the most numerous, though the coppersmiths maintain their own special bazaar.

            Troyan's cloth workers produce art tex tiles, ideal for furnishing and domestic use. The town's distinctive fleecy rugs and finely-woven tow els, often brightly colored, are handmade using cen turies-old methods, and warm the heart with their vibrant tones.

Education:

The people from Troyan and the area possess not only a wake and enterprising spirit, but also so many other qualitatives, as Mountain Stockbreeding and Agriculture - how to stockbreed, how to manage growth of grasses, forage and fruit, and finally how to deal with environmental preservation and protection of the mountain ecosystems against erosion.

In conjunction with the former institute is the College of Economic Management of Mountain Regions which was founded in 2002. This college provides the opportunity for students to specialize in economic management of Stockbreeding, growing plants and forestry. In addition to the fore mentioned curriculum of the greater institute, these students study market economy and finances, information technology, computer systems, and other related fields. Those who successfully complete this program will be awarded a diploma qualifying them as specialists in economic development.

            Troyan is the native home of a number of distinguished scientists and talented writers known locally, as well as nationally and internationally. These great people include: Dr. Naiden Sheitanov (1890-1970) - national psychologist and cultural historian, Dr. Nikola Shipkovenski (1906-1972) - internationally known psychologist, Ivan Hadzhiyski (1907-1944) -our greatest sociologist and national psychologist, Dr. Marko Semov, academic Angel Balevski, literary critic Minko Nickolov, and many others. Dr. Naiden Sheitanov once

wrote, "The Troyan man is a tough man. He lives and dies stoically. In his heart and mind he is storing up treasures for a new age of culture whose dawn is just breaking." Let's believe that this time has come!

The medical needs of Troyan's citizens are entrusted to the highly trained staff at the Multi-Departmental Hospital for Active Treatment in Troyan. With the help of the Swiss Government the hospital is equipped with modern apparatus' of the latest technology. It should also be noted that Troyan was the first town in Bulgaria where the fight against tuberculosis began and a hospital with the capabilities to treat the illness was built. For nearly a century this specialized hospital has been functioning in the town.

            History

The most ancient population which inhabited the Northern slopes of Central Balkan and Pre-Balkan lived in the caves of Mount Vasilyov. Archeological excavations carried out in the Toplya cave near the village of Golyama Zhelyazna which started at the end of the previous century prove that the region had already been inhabited at the end of the late Paleolithic Age (40 000-10 000 BC). During the Bronze Age (3 000- 1 200 BC) the land beyond the upper reaches of the Osam river and its tributaries was inhabited by Thracians. According to Herodotus, the V c. BC Greek historian, these were members of the Krobizi tribe. The same tribes still lived in the Troyan region in the first century BC which chronologically covers the time of the Iron Age (XII - I c. BC). The burial mounds are most numerous landmarks of that time. During archeological excavations, many relics from this period have been discovered, including black and red ceramics made either by hand or on a pottery wheel, iron weapons, bronze and silver vessels and utensils. What has been found is proof for the comparatively high social and economic level of the local Thracian population and strongly developed cult of ancestor-worship. In 2002, archeologists unearthed the oldest known Thracian sanctuary (XIII-X1 c. BC) in the Hemus, or Stara Planina, in Turlata, a hamlet close to Troyan. Materials found during excavations of mounds in Troyan prove that there had been a Thracian population living in the site of the current town in the XI-X c. BC. In the year 15 AD the lands of present-day north Bulgaria lay within the boundaries of the Roman province of Mizia. Even in the middle of the 1st c. AD, there was a strong Roman presence in the stations situated along the road through the Balkan. The active use of the Central Balkans during the two Dacian wars fought by the Emperor Marcus Ulpius Trayanus (98-117) firmly connected the road with his name. Passed down through the ages, his name survives today in the name 'Troyan'. To date, the ruins of fifteen fortresses and dozens of Thracian sanctuaries have been found during surveys in Troyan and around. Objects discovered inside date from the Iron Age, Roman domination, late antiquity and Middle Ages, a certain mark of their constant use by the local population in the course of three thousand years.

In the 13th and 14th centuries the whole region, including the towns of Lovech and Troyan, played an important part in the life of the Second Bulgarian Kingdom. Well-built fortresses guarded the ancient Roman road here, the Via Trayana, regulating travel along this key route. Probably the name of the road was transferred to the settlement itself during the Middle Ages. The name of Troyan first appeared in 1660 on a map, drawn by the French cartographer Nikola Sanson. About the end of the 16th and the beginning of the 17th centuries started the economic development of Troyan. A number of crafts thrived here during the first half of the 19th century, including homespun tailoring, pottery making, and wood-turning. There were also many blacksmiths, furriers and goldsmiths. Most important was the pottery industry, which still thrives today, centered about the town's ceramic school. Troyan was granted the status of a town in 1868. Its local markets were the Troyan bazaar and the fair near the Troyan Monastery, but it had trading contacts as far afield as Istanbul, Bosna, Herzegovina, Serbia and Brashov. The native practicality and thriftiness of the people of Troyan is reflected in the region's domestic architecture. The typical house in Troyan is modest and unpretentious, but comfortable and cosy. It is a home which satisfies the needs of the people's way of life and the developing crafts. Troyan's most important historic monuments are the Troyan Monastery, the church of St. Petka-Paraskeva, built in 1835, and the church of St. Nikolai Letni in the village of Cumostnik with its wood cravings by craftsmen from Novo Selo. The Monastery itself is the third largest in Bulgaria; it was established during the 18th century, and has wall paintings by Zahari Zograf, a very famous artist of the Samokov School.

The liberation of Bulgaria from the Turkish yoke gave freedom to the characteristic activities and enterprise of the people in the region. In little more than half a century the people from Troyan managed to rebuild a prosperous community from the ashes left by the marauding bashi-bazouks in August 1877. In 1911 the whole town was supplied with electricity. Troyan was the third town in Bulgaria to be introduced to electric energy, following Sofia and Plovdiv.

Several crafts workshops developed into industrial establishments of various kinds, metal work and machine building, woodwork, tannery and furriery, productiction of knitted woolen goods, and the carpet industry. Through its thriving craft (pottery, fur-cap making, and wooden goods) and developing industry, Troyan, together with the villages from the district, became the main supplier of these products to the markets all over Bulgaria. The excellent fruit grown in the region made Troyan a very famous town, still known as 'the town of the blue plums and magical brandy'. The first stretch of the railway from Lovech to Troyan was started on 29th September 1929. That line so vital to the region’s economy, was not completed until 1948. Ever since the 1920s, Troyan's cultural and economic life has been turned towards Europe. During the 1930s products from its workshops were exhibited in Munich , Hamburg, Vienna and Milan. The permanent Crafts Exhibition, the predecessor of today's Crafts Museum, was set up to promote the town and its crafts and to attract visitors.

Knowledge and scientific endeavour have always been greatly respected in Troyan. At the beginning of the 20th century many of the local elite sent their children to be educated in universities in Switzerland, France, Germany, England, Austria and the Czech Republic . Dr Naiden Sheitanov, then a student in Germany, wrote that as a typical citizen of Troyan “in his heart and mind, he is storing up treasure for a new age of culture whose dawn is just breaking".