Balkan Mountains

城市概覽

Geography The mountain range's official name in both Bulgarian and Serbian is actually Stara Planina (Cyrillic: Стара планина), literally "[the] Old Mountain". The name "Balkan" is of Turkish origin, dating back to the Ottoman Empire, and in all three languages can also refer generically to any wooded height, or "in the mountains" in general. Geographically, the Balkan Mountains stretch from the border between Serbia and Bulgaria in the west to the coast of the Black Sea in the east. Because it runs like a horizontal axis through Bulgaria, the mountain chain naturally divides the country in northern and southern parts. The mountain can be split into three parts: west, central and east. West Stara Planina is average in height compared to the other Bulgarian mountains. Because of the proximity of its southern ridges to the other mountains of the Bulgarian Shopluk cultural region the west portion of the Balkan is a part of that region. Sredna Gora (Средна гора, The Middle Woods) is a parallel mountain range to the south that stretches only along the central part of the mighty heights. It is neither as high nor as large as the Balkan but still it is the second longest mountain in Bulgaria.

Culture Standing relatively alone, the high Central Balkan and the low Eastern Balkan form the Balkan cultural region. The region has a special meaning in Bulgarian folklore and culture. The Balkan region is a symbol for the Bulgarian people. For centuries the high, difficultly-accessible mountain served as a natural fortress guarding from enemies. But during the times of the Ottoman rule the towns situated in the foot of the Balkan were the birthplaces of many of the Bulgarian revolutionaries, freedom-fighters, enlighteners and keepers of the Bulgarian spirit as a whole. Indeed, the Balkan was also the scene of some of the most glorious battles, heroic deaths and memorable events in the new history of Bulgaria. Naturally, the influence of the region is not constrained and the We

必看景點

The diverse biosphere of the Balkan has led to the constitution of two protected parks which include a total of fourteen out of the twenty five nature reserves in the region. National Park Central Balkan, nestled in the central and higher portions of the mountain range, contains rare and endangered wildlife species and communities, self-regulating ecosystems of biological diversity, as well as historical sites of global cultural and scientific significance. It is one of the largest and most valuable of the protected areas in Europe. The landscape of the national park alone is astonishing with its variation from naked stone talons and snowy caps to humid forests and breathtaking waterfalls. The other protected park, Nature Park Bulgarka, is in the significantly lower and sloping Eastern part of Stara Planina. The region is characterized by significant diversity in terrain so it supports a rich diversity in flora and fauna. There are numerous mountain tracks within both parks that lead to various points of interest such as waterfalls, centurial trees, typical animal habitats, picnic areas, mineral water fountains and magnificent panoramas. Some of them had been adjusted for mountain biking and horse riding. In the northern area of Predbalkana the mountain gently transforms into small hills so that the dense forests gradually give way to vast meadows and some remarkable basins with small waterfalls. The Dryanovo monastery is such an environment of small streams and green fields among the still high hills of the Balkan. The many lakes and rivers in the area form a perfect conditions for picnics, outdoor barbecues and camping amidst the "wilderness" just minutes away from some town full of cultural landmarks. The steep southern ridges of Stara planina quickly form Podbalkana. The Rose Valley is startling during the spring and early-summer months when the sea of roses could be smelled all the way from Thrace behind the mountain of Sredna gora. The valley along with the m