TROYAN
The town of Troyan lies 160 km northeast of Sofia, 120 km north
of Plovdiv, 220 km southwest of Rouse, and about 300 km inland of
the Black Sea coast. It is a focal municipality comprising 21 villages
and with a population of 25, 000 residents. The town spreads out along
the terraced banks of the Beli Osum river at the northern foot
of the Troyan-Kalofer ridge of the Balkan Mountains, and is 430-450
m above sea level. The Troyan Pass,is 22 km off the town. The geographical
location of Troyan ensures favourable transport links: the Troyan Pass
road is the highest one across the Balkan Mountains that connects North
to South Bulgaria. Regular bus-lines run from Troyan to Sofia, Pleven,
Lovech, Sevlievo, Apriltsi, Cherven Bryag, and the nearby villages.
Troyan is a railway terminus, but by changing at Levski junction it
joins the national railway lines network.Troyan is a 130-year old town,
but its roots may well be tracked down to the ancient times. Historians
have found traces of both life of a settled Thracian tribe and substantial
Roman presence in the region. The town adopted its name from Via
Trajana an ancient Roman road crossing the mountains. Various crafts
flourished over the first half of the 19th century. Pottery Indisputably
ranked among the most thriving crafts, for later on it developed into
a viable and leading even nowadays school of ceramics in This Town Of
Crafts In The Mountain Of Magic.
The Museum Of Traditional Crafts And Applied Arts in the heart
of Troyan houses the most striking samples of craftsmanship output;
it studies and treasures a rich legacy left by master craftsmen. A successor
of the old craftsmen's tradition has become the Secondary Applied Arts
School (ceramics, restoration). The town art gallery shows the unique
art pieces of young talents. The National Fair Of Traditional Crafts
And Arts in the village of Oreshak showcases works of contemporary
masters of crafts and applied arts from all overthe country, and, frequently,
from abroad. The town art gallery housed in the Serekov House
can be found in the central part of the town. Art works by local artists
are on display there. St.Paraskeva Church was built up in 1835;
it is a functioning temple and a monument of architecture and culture
towering above the town centre. October 14th, the Day Of St.Petka-Paraskeva
(the heavenly patron saint of Troyan) is also the municipal Holiday
of Troyan. The Troyan Monastery is among the most distinguished
Christian monuments in Bulgaria. It was built in the 17th century, and
is the third biggest in this country. The wonder-working icon of the
Three-Handed Madonna is kept in the monastery church of the Assumption.
Once yearly, on August 15th the church holiday a litany procession takes
the icon out to a nearby chapel. A place worth visiting is the Natural
History Museum in the village of Cherni Osum. Its 500 exhibits on
display reveal a variety of the Balkan Mountains flora and fauna. Along
the Beli Osum valley a warm mineral water spring combines with thick
coniferous woods, lush meadows and swimming-pools on less than a stretch
of land. Local people from the nearly merged villages of Beli Osum and
Chiflik offer accommodation facilities to holidaymakers and visitors.
The Shipkovo Spa is a popular place over the summertime with
its outdoor swimming pool, beach, balneotherapy establishment and private
lodgings at reasonable prices.
Beklemeto (1,360 m above sea level) is located 20 km off Troyan along
the road to the Troyan Pass. This tourist complex encompasses a couple
of hotels, skiing facilities and a private skiing school over the wintertime.
The locality is a convenient starting point of summer and wintertreks
high up in the mountains; it is to the east of Dermenka, Dobrila, Ambaritsa
and Chouchoul chalets, and to the west of Kozya stena, Haidoushka pesen
and Vezhen chalets. Climbing And Hiking Routes on the territory of the
municipality A part of E-3 European trekking route, known as
'Kom - Emine', runs along the crest of the Central Balkan Mountains.
Blazed trails lead one to chalets Ambaritsa, Dermenka, Kozya stena,
Eho, Koman, Haidoushka pesen, Vasilyov and Dobrila. The Mountain Rescue
Service maintains radio communication with all the chalets in the region.
Maps of the Troyan portion of the Balkan Mountains are available withthe
Municipal Tourist Office. There are three game farms functioning on
the territory of Troyan Municipality - in Troyan, Cherni Osum and Borima
that develop hunting tourism. The game farm in Troyan offers hunters
up-to-date accommodation facilities in Shipkovo and Beklemeto.
Sopot Dam provides good opportunities for water sports, excellent
spots for seasonal camping and fishing. Troyan region and municipality
territory are well mapped out thanks to the town's good orienteering
and cartography experts. An annual orienteering marathon for men, women
and veterans is held in October. One can rent a bike from the Municipal
Tourist office; cycling trails are well blazed. Troyan Municipality
offers many other sports facilities too - a tennis-court in Oreshak
village, Osmos Water Sports Club provides accommodation facilities by
the dam in Golyama Zhelyazna village, two mineral water swimming-pools
in Chiflik and Shipkovo villages. One can relax in the coolness of the
clear mountain pools in the Beli Osum and the Cherni Osum rivers. Part
of the municipal territory of Troyan is incorporated intothe Central
Balkan Mountains National Park which aims to safeguard the high
portions of the mountain from man's gross interference, and preserve
the existing rare species of animals and plants. Within the park borders
are Kozya stena - the smallest nature reserve within the National Park
and Steneto biospheric nature reserve with the fauna represented by
brown bear, reindeer, wild goat, and a great variety of birds. In proximity
to Ambaritsa chalet is located a unique karst formation in the form
of a rocky arch known as 'Krali Marko's Hole'. The region abounds in
caverns and caves insufficiently explored owing to their precipitous
character.
Festivals, Festivities And Celebrations
Winter Alpine Games and Alpine Ski-Race -held
atthe end of January; Easter - festive masses in the Troyan Monastery,
a 3-night-running vigil, Easter chain-dance (horo) in the town
centre. National Fair of Traditional Crafts and Arts in Oreshak village
- opened in mid June; encompasses exhibitions, competitions for the best
master craftsman, demonstrations, international shows and concerts.
Art-ceramics International Plein Air Event - held in July/August;specialreferencetothe
art of ceramics. Virgin Mary's Day - Holiday of the Troyan Monastery
(August 15th); a litany procession carries out the wonder-working icon
of the Three-Handed Madonna; one-week fair in Oreshak village and in the
vicinity of the monastery. Traditional Senior Citizens Singing Competition
at Beklemeto - held atthe end of August.
Festival of the Plum and the Plum Brandy (Rakiya) - held traditionally
in late September; various competitions and brandy sampling are also part
of thefestival. Borima Fair - in October - a traditional agricultural
produce fair in Borima village. Traditional Christmas, Easter, spring
and autumn group exhibitions and one-man shows of paintings, graphics,
icon-paintings, ceramics items, etc., staged by the Society of Troyan
Artists in the town art gallery - Serekov House.
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