The Bulgarka Natural Park ( Bulgarian: Природен парк ″Българка″) is a Bulgarian nature park on the northern slopes of the

Balkan Mountains The Balkan mountain range (, , known locally also as Stara planina) is a mountain range in the eastern part of the Balkan Peninsula in Southeastern Europe. The range is conventionally taken to begin at the peak of Vrashka Chuka on the border bet ...

(Stara Planina), occupying 22,000

hectares The hectare (; SI symbol: ha) is a non-SI metric unit of area equal to a square with 100- metre sides (1 hm2), or 10,000 m2, and is primarily used in the measurement of land. There are 100 hectares in one square kilometre. An acre is ...

of territory in the central and eastern part of the mountains between the cities of

Gabrovo Gabrovo ( bg, Габрово ) is a town in central northern Bulgaria, the administrative centre of Gabrovo Province. It is situated at the foot of the central Balkan Mountains, in the valley of the Yantra River, and is known as an internat ...

and

Kazanluk Kazanlak ( bg, Казанлък , Thracian and Greek Σευθόπολις (''Seuthopolis''), tr, Kazanlık) is a Bulgarian town in Stara Zagora Province, located in the middle of the plain of the same name, at the foot of the Balkan mountain ...

. Located between the steep topography of the Central Balkan and the significantly lower and sloping eastern part of Stara Planina, the region is characterized by significant diversity in terrain. This supports a rich diversity in flora and fauna. Further, due to the area's position in a section of the Balkans that served as a crossroads for the region for centuries, the park is home to many historic sites. The area’s historical and biological significance lead to the establishment of the Bulgarka Natural Park on August 9, 2002.

Fauna

In terms of zoology, the park is in the Balkan region of European fauna. Many wild animals, such as the Eurasian wolf, fox, the

golden jackal The golden jackal (''Canis aureus''), also called common jackal, is a wolf-like canid that is native to Southeast Europe, Southwest Asia, South Asia, and regions of Southeast Asia. The golden jackal's coat varies in color from a pale creamy ...

, Eurasian brown bear, wild boar,

red deer The red deer (''Cervus elaphus'') is one of the largest deer species. A male red deer is called a stag or hart, and a female is called a hind. The red deer inhabits most of Europe, the Caucasus Mountains region, Anatolia, Iran, and parts of ...

, roe deer, hare, eastern hedgehog, squirrel, badger, mink and others inhabit the forested lands of the Bulgarka Park. Birds include the

golden eagle The golden eagle (''Aquila chrysaetos'') is a bird of prey living in the Northern Hemisphere. It is the most widely distributed species of eagle. Like all eagles, it belongs to the family Accipitridae. They are one of the best-known bird ...

, the

common kestrel The common kestrel (''Falco tinnunculus'') is a bird of prey species belonging to the kestrel group of the falcon family Falconidae. It is also known as the European kestrel, Eurasian kestrel, or Old World kestrel. In the United Kingdom, where n ...

, rock dove, great spotted woodpecker, black woodpecker, green woodpecker, cuckoo,

common buzzard The common buzzard (''Buteo buteo'') is a medium-to-large bird of prey which has a large range. A member of the genus '' Buteo'', it is a member of the family Accipitridae. The species lives in most of Europe and extends its breeding range acr ...

, owl, white wagtail, turtledove, jay, magpie, raven, hooded crow, blackbird, starling, nightingale, oriole, great tit and others. Reptiles native to the park lands include three species of snakes as well as lizards and others. Amphibians include several frogs, salamander; invertebrates include snails, tritons and many kinds of insects. Fish include trout, black fish, and others.

Flora

Forests cover about 80.2% of the park area, or 17,461 hectares. Varieties of

beech Beech (''Fagus'') is a genus of deciduous trees in the family Fagaceae, native to temperate Europe, Asia, and North America. Recent classifications recognize 10 to 13 species in two distinct subgenera, ''Engleriana'' and ''Fagus''. The ''Engl ...

constitute the largest portion of the forest, at 65%. Other deciduous trees include oaks, water locust, birch hornbeam, linden, elm, acacia, aspen, maple, ash, wild cherry, holly, rowan, birch and others. Coniferous trees found in the park include white and black pine, spruce, fir, white fir and others.

Gymnosperm The gymnosperms ( lit. revealed seeds) are a group of seed-producing plants that includes conifers, cycads, '' Ginkgo'', and gnetophytes, forming the clade Gymnospermae. The term ''gymnosperm'' comes from the composite word in el, γυμν ...

plants covers about 0.6 ha. This botanical uniqueness — which occurs only in this part of Bulgaria and has includes special combinations of beech, yew, and laurel — makes the park a significant conservation habitat. In Bulgarka Park, designated areas are established to promote greater habitat conservation. Nearly 70% of the officially recognized medicinal plants in Bulgaria may be found in Bulgarka Park. At least 360 plant species including 31 species listed as threatened or endangered, may be found in the park. This includes yew, wild ticket silivryak

gesneriaceae Gesneriaceae, the gesneriad family, is a family of flowering plants consisting of about 152 genera and ca. 3,540 species in the tropics and subtropics of the Old World (almost all Didymocarpoideae) and the New World (most Gesnerioideae), ...

, mountain maple, Bulgarian types of orchids, medicinal tweeter, mountain onion cytisus, mountain vetch astragalus, among other. However, as one of the youngest nature parks in Bulgaria, a full classification of all the types of flora and fauna is yet to come.

Cultural heritage

Sites of cultural heritage inside Bulgarka Park include the

Shipka Pass Shipka Pass ( bg, Шипченски проход, ) (el. 1150 m./3820 ft.) is a scenic mountain pass through the Balkan Mountains in Bulgaria. It marks the border between Stara Zagora province and Gabrovo province. The pass connects the t ...

, the location of the

Battle of Shipka Pass The Battle of Shipka Pass consisted of four battles that were fought between the Russian Empire, aided by Bulgarian volunteers known as opalchentsi, and the Ottoman Empire for control over the vital Shipka Pass during the Russo-Turkish War (18 ...

which was pivotal in gaining Bulgarian independence from the

Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University ...

. The

Shipka Memorial The Liberty Memorial is the symbol of modern Bulgaria and the liberation of Bulgaria. The monument is the heart of the Shipka National Park-Museum and is located on Shipka Peak. Its outline resembles a medieval Bulgarian fortress and can be see ...

commemorates the battle. Also in the park are the Etar Architectural-Ethnographic Complex, the

Sokolski Monastery The Sokolski Monastery is a Bulgarian Orthodox monastery founded in 1833 and named after its founder Yosif Sokolski. It is located 15 km southwest of Gabrovo on the northern slopes of the Balkan Mountains in the Bulgarka Nature Park and is clos ...

and

Dryanovo Monastery The Dryanovo Monastery ( bg, Дряновски манастир, ''Dryanovski manastir'', ) is a functioning Bulgarian Orthodox monastery situated in the Andaka River Valley, in Bulgarka Nature Park in the central part of Bulgaria five kilometer ...

. The park is home to the Uzana area, a large mountain meadow high in the Balkans which is a popular winter resort. Uzana has been home to winter sports since the 1930s and has 15 hotels, which provide recreational opportunities year-round.

Gallery

Image:Bulgarka1.JPG, Bulgarka Nature Park - view from peak Bulgarka Image:Bulgarka2.JPG, Forest in Bulgarka Nature Park Image:Bulgarka3.JPG, The "Shouting rock" in Bulgarka Nature Park Image:Bulgarka4.JPG, Forest spring in Bulgarka Nature Park Image:Bulgarka5.JPG, Mushroom in Bulgarka Nature Park Image:Bulgarka6.JPG, Forest flower in Bulgarka Nature Park Image:Bulgarka7.JPG, Forest fruits (Daphne mezereum) in Bulgarka Nature Park Image:Bulgarka8.JPG, Centuries-old tree (beech-tree (Fagus)) in Bulgarka Nature Park Image:Bulgarka9.JPG, The roots of the centuries-old beech tree in Bulgarka Nature Park File:Ruscus hypoglossum L. 2.jpg, Ruscus hypoglossum L., plant under conservation and regulated use of nature in a forest near Gabrovo.

References

External links