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The Balkan mountain range (, , known locally also as Stara planina) is a mountain range in the eastern part of the
Balkan Peninsula The Balkans ( ), also known as the Balkan Peninsula, is a geographical area in southeastern Europe with various geographical and historical definitions. The region takes its name from the Balkan Mountains that stretch throughout the who ...
in Southeastern Europe. The range is conventionally taken to begin at the peak of Vrashka Chuka on the border between Bulgaria and Serbia. It then runs for about , first in a south-easterly direction along the border, then eastward across Bulgaria, forming a natural barrier between the northern and southern halves of the country, before finally reaching the Black Sea at
Cape Emine Cape Emine ( bg, Нос Емине ) is a headland located at the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast. It is located south of Varna, north of Burgas and south of Obzor. It forms the tip of Stara Planina. Cape Emine is said to be Bulgaria's stormiest cap ...
. The mountains reach their highest point with Botev Peak at . In much of the central and eastern sections, the summit forms the watershed between the drainage basins of the Black Sea and the Aegean. A prominent gap in the mountains is formed by the sometimes narrow
Iskar Gorge The Iskar Gorge is a gorge passing through the Balkan Mountains (Stara Planina) in Bulgaria. It is the chief pass through the Balkans, which otherwise cross northern Bulgaria in a solid line. The pass connects the capital of Sofia with other major ...
, a few miles north of the Bulgarian capital, Sofia. The
karst Karst is a topography formed from the dissolution of soluble rocks such as limestone, dolomite, and gypsum. It is characterized by underground drainage systems with sinkholes and caves. It has also been documented for more weathering-resistant ro ...
relief determines the large number of caves, including Magura, featuring the most important and extended European post-Palaeolithic cave painting, Ledenika,
Saeva dupka Saeva dupka ( bg, Съева дупка) is a cave in northern Bulgaria near the village of Brestnitsa, Lovech Province (). The cave has naturally formed 400 meters of corridors and halls. The cave has hosted many choral music performances, thanks ...
, Bacho Kiro, etc. The most notable rock formation are the
Belogradchik Rocks The Belogradchik Rocks ( bg, Белоградчишки скали, ''Belogradchishki skali'') are a group of strangely shaped sandstone and Conglomerate (geology), conglomerate rock formations located on the western slopes of the Balkan Mountains ...
in the west. There are several important protected areas: Central Balkan National Park, Vrachanski Balkan, Bulgarka and Sinite Kamani, as well as a number of nature reserves. The Balkan Mountains are remarkable for their flora and fauna. Edelweiss grows there in the region of ''Kozyata stena''. Some of the most striking landscapes are included in the Central Balkan National Park with steep cliffs, the highest waterfalls in the Balkan Peninsula and lush vegetation. There are a number of important nature reserves such as Chuprene, Kozyata stena and others. Most of Europe's large mammals inhabit the area including the brown bear, wolf, boar,
chamois The chamois (''Rupicapra rupicapra'') or Alpine chamois is a species of goat-antelope native to mountains in Europe, from west to east, including the Alps, the Dinarides, the Tatra and the Carpathian Mountains, the Balkan Mountains, the Ril ...
and deer. The mountains are the source of the name of the Balkan Peninsula. In
Bulgarian Bulgarian may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to the country of Bulgaria * Bulgarians, a South Slavic ethnic group * Bulgarian language, a Slavic language * Bulgarian alphabet * A citizen of Bulgaria, see Demographics of Bulgaria * Bul ...
and
Serbian Serbian may refer to: * someone or something related to Serbia, a country in Southeastern Europe * someone or something related to the Serbs, a South Slavic people * Serbian language * Serbian names See also

* * * Old Serbian (disambiguat ...
the mountains are also known as ' (pronounced in Bulgarian as and in Serbian as ), a term whose literal meaning is 'old mountain'.


Etymology

It is believed the name was brought to the region in the 7th century by
Bulgars The Bulgars (also Bulghars, Bulgari, Bolgars, Bolghars, Bolgari, Proto-Bulgarians) were Turkic semi-nomadic warrior tribes that flourished in the Pontic–Caspian steppe and the Volga region during the 7th century. They became known as nomad ...
who applied it to the area, as a part of the
First Bulgarian Empire The First Bulgarian Empire ( cu, блъгарьско цѣсарьствиѥ, blagarysko tsesarystviye; bg, Първо българско царство) was a medieval Bulgar- Slavic and later Bulgarian state that existed in Southeastern Europ ...
. In
Bulgarian Bulgarian may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to the country of Bulgaria * Bulgarians, a South Slavic ethnic group * Bulgarian language, a Slavic language * Bulgarian alphabet * A citizen of Bulgaria, see Demographics of Bulgaria * Bul ...
, the archaic word ''balkan'' (балкан) was borrowed from Turkic and means "mountain". It may have ultimately derived from the Persian ''bālkāneh'' or ''bālākhāna'', meaning "high, above, or proud house." The name is still preserved in Central Asia with the
Balkan Daglary The Uly Balkan, also known as the ''Great Balkan Range'' is a mountain range in Turkmenistan. The highest summit is Mount Arlan Mount Arlan (''Uly Balkan Gerşi'') is an peak in the western plains of Turkmenistan in Balkan Province. Mount ...
(Balkan Mountains) and the
Balkan Province Balkan Region ( tk, Balkan welaýaty, Балкан велаяты) is the westernmost of the five regions of Turkmenistan. Clockwise from north it borders Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan (north); two provinces of Turkmenistan (east), Iran (south), and ...
of Turkmenistan. In
Turkish Turkish may refer to: *a Turkic language spoken by the Turks * of or about Turkey ** Turkish language *** Turkish alphabet ** Turkish people, a Turkic ethnic group and nation *** Turkish citizen, a citizen of Turkey *** Turkish communities and mi ...
' means "a chain of wooded
mountains A mountain is an elevated portion of the Earth's crust, generally with steep sides that show significant exposed bedrock. Although definitions vary, a mountain may differ from a plateau in having a limited summit area, and is usually higher th ...
." In Antiquity and the Middle Ages the mountains were known by their Thracian name: the
Haemus Mons In earlier times, the Balkan Mountains were known as the Haemus Mons ( ). It is believed that the name is derived from a Thracian language, Thracian word ''*saimon'', 'mountain ridge', which is unattested but conjectured as the original Thracian ...
. Scholars consider that the name Haemus (Αἷμος) is derived from a Thracian word ''*saimon'', 'mountain ridge'. The name of the place where the range meets the Black Sea,
Cape Emine Cape Emine ( bg, Нос Емине ) is a headland located at the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast. It is located south of Varna, north of Burgas and south of Obzor. It forms the tip of Stara Planina. Cape Emine is said to be Bulgaria's stormiest cap ...
, is derived from ''Aemon''. A
folk etymology Folk etymology (also known as popular etymology, analogical reformation, reanalysis, morphological reanalysis or etymological reinterpretation) is a change in a word or phrase resulting from the replacement of an unfamiliar form by a more famili ...
holds that 'Haemus' derives from the Greek word "haima" () meaning 'blood', and is based on Greek mythology. During a fight between Zeus and the monster/titan Typhon, Zeus injured Typhon with thunder; and Typhon's blood fell on the mountains, which were then named for this battle. Other names used to refer to the mountains in different time periods include ''Aemon'', ''Haemimons'', ''Hem'', ''Emus'', the Slavonic ''Matorni gori'' and the Turkish ''Kocabalkan''.


Geography

Geologically, the Balkan Mountains are a
mountain chain A mountain chain is a row of high mountain summits, a linear sequence of interconnected or related mountains,Whittow, John (1984). ''Dictionary of Physical Geography''. London: Penguin, p 87. . or a contiguous ridge of mountains within a larger m ...
of fold mountains, a "young" part of the Alp-Himalayan chain that stretches across most of Europe and Asia. It can be divided into two parts: the main Balkan Chain and the Pre-Balkans (Fore-Balkan) to the north, which intrude slightly into the Danubian Plain. To the south, the mountains border the
Sub-Balkan valleys The Sub-Balkan Valleys ( bg, Подбалкански котловини, Podbalkanski kotlovini) are row of 11 valleys running from the Bulgarian border with Serbia east to the Black Sea. They are separating the Balkan mountains from a chain of o ...
- a row of 11 valleys running from the Bulgarian border with Serbia east to the Black Sea, separating the Balkan mountains from a chain of other mountains known as ''Srednogorie'' which includes Vitosha and Sredna Gora. The range consists of around 30 distinct mountains. Within Bulgaria the Balkan Mountains can be divided into three sections: * The ''Western Balkan Mountains'' extend from Vrashka Chuka at the border with Serbia to the Pass of Arabakonak with a total length of . The highest peak is
Midžor Midžor ( sr-cyr, Миџор, ) or Midzhur ( bg, Миджур, ) is a peak in the Balkan Mountains, situated on the border between Bulgaria and Serbia. At , it is the highest peak of the Western Balkan Mountains, as well as the highest of Serbia o ...
at . * The ''Central Balkan Mountains'' run from Arabakonak to the Vratnik Pass with a length of . Botev Peak, the highest mountain in the Balkan range at , is located in this section. * The ''Eastern Balkan Mountains'' extend from the Vratnik Pass to
Cape Emine Cape Emine ( bg, Нос Емине ) is a headland located at the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast. It is located south of Varna, north of Burgas and south of Obzor. It forms the tip of Stara Planina. Cape Emine is said to be Bulgaria's stormiest cap ...
with a length of . The highest peak is Balgarka at . The eastern Balkan Mountains form the lowest part of the range.


Hydrology

In their central and eastern sections, the mountains form a water divide between the rivers flowing to the Danube in the north and those flowing to the Aegean Sea in the south. However, they are crossed by Bulgaria's longest river, the
Iskar Iskar may refer to: ;Bulgaria * Iskar (river), a river in western Bulgaria * Iskar Reservoir, situated on the Iskar River * Iskar (town), a town in the Iskar Municipality of the Pleven Province * Iskar Municipality * Iskar, Sofia, one of 24 muni ...
, which forms the
Iskar Gorge The Iskar Gorge is a gorge passing through the Balkan Mountains (Stara Planina) in Bulgaria. It is the chief pass through the Balkans, which otherwise cross northern Bulgaria in a solid line. The pass connects the capital of Sofia with other major ...
. Rivers that take their source from the Balkan Mountains and flow northwards to the Danube include the
Timok The Timok ( Serbian and Bulgarian: Тимок; ro, Timoc), sometimes also known as Great Timok ( sr, Велики Тимок, Veliki Timok; ro, Timocul Mare), is a river in eastern Serbia, a right tributary of the Danube. For the last 15 k ...
, Archar, Lom,
Tsibritsa The Tsibritsa ( bg, Цибрица, ; also transliterated as ''Cibrica'', ''Tzibritza''; la, Ciabrus) is a river in the western Danubian Plain of northern Bulgaria and a right tributary of the Danube. The river originates in the Shiroka Planina ...
, Ogosta, Skat,
Vit VIT may refer to: * Vitoria Airport (IATA code VIT; ICAO airport code LEVT), Vitoria-Gasteiz, Basque Country, Spain * VIT University (disambiguation) * Victorian Institute of Teaching * Vellore Institute of Technology * Vidyalankar Institute of ...
, Osam, Yantra, and Rusenski Lom. The mountains are also the source of the Kamchiya, which flows directly into the Black Sea. Although not so abundant in mineral waters as other parts of Bulgaria, there are several
spa A spa is a location where mineral-rich spring water (and sometimes seawater) is used to give medicinal baths. Spa towns or spa resorts (including hot springs resorts) typically offer various health treatments, which are also known as balneoth ...
s such as
Varshets Varshets ( bg, Вършец, variously transliterated; ) is a spa town in Montana Province, northwestern Bulgaria. It is the administrative centre of the homonymous Varshets Municipality. As of December 2019, its population is 5,444. The town ...
,
Shipkovo Shipkovo is a village in Troyan Municipality, Lovech Province, central northern Bulgaria.Guide Bulgaria
Accessed Dec ...
and Voneshta Voda. There are a number of waterfalls, especially in the western and central parts of the range, such as
Raysko Praskalo Raysko Praskalo (, "Heavenly Sprinkler"), 124.5 m in height, is the highest waterfall in Bulgaria and the Balkan Peninsula. It is situated under Botev Peak (2,376 m) in the central section of the Balkan Mountains and is part of the Dzhendema Reser ...
which is the highest waterfall in the Balkan Peninsula,
Borov Kamak Borov Kamak ( bg, Боров камък, "Pine Stone") is a waterfall in the Vratsa mountain, western Balkan Mountains, Bulgaria. The waterfall is situated on one the tributaries of the river Leva which flows through Vratsa. It is located on the ...
,
Babsko Praskalo Babsko Praskalo ( bg, Бабско пръскало) is a waterfall in the Central Balkan National Park, Balkan Mountains, central Bulgaria. With a height of 54 m the waterfall is among the lowest in the area. Babsko Praskalo is located near th ...
,
Etropole Waterfall Etropole Waterfall ( bg, Етрополски водопад), known also as ''Varovitets'' (Варовитец) is a waterfall in the Balkan Mountains, Bulgaria, located near the Etropole Monastery The Etropole Monastery of the Holy Trinity ...
,
Karlovsko Praskalo Karlovsko Praskalo ( bg, Карловско пръскало) is a waterfall in the Central Balkan National Park, Balkan Mountains, central Bulgaria Bulgaria (; bg, България, Bǎlgariya), officially the Republic of Bulgaria,, ) ...
, Skaklya and others. Developments in the recent two decades completely changed the geography of Serbia, when it comes to waterfalls. Area of the Stara Planina has always been sparsely populated and inaccessible because of the rugged and forested terrain, but also as a location of the Serbian-Bulgarian border. As armies relinquished the borders giving control to the border police, civilians were allowed to explore the area. As a result, higher and higher waterfalls have been discovered on the Serbian side of the Stara Planina since then: Čungulj in 1996 - ; Pilj in 2002 - ; Kopren in 2011 - ;vodopadisrbije.com Kopren (Stara planina)
/ref>
Kaluđerski Skokovi Kaluđerski Skokovi ( sr, Калуђерски Скокови) is the highest waterfall in Serbia. It is located on the Stara Planina mountain in southeast Serbia. Only discovered in 2012, it is high, which is over twice more than the Kopren Wat ...
in 2012 - .


Passes

The mountains are crossed by 20 passes and two gorges. There are paved roads crossing the Balkan Mountains at the following passes (listed from west to east): *
Petrohan Pass Petrohan Pass ( bg, Петрохански проход, ) is a mountain pass in the Balkan Mountains (Stara Planina) in Bulgaria. It connects Sofia and Montana. The pass is part of Pan-European Corridor IV. As the pass represents the shortest rou ...
: Sofia - Montana *
Iskar Gorge The Iskar Gorge is a gorge passing through the Balkan Mountains (Stara Planina) in Bulgaria. It is the chief pass through the Balkans, which otherwise cross northern Bulgaria in a solid line. The pass connects the capital of Sofia with other major ...
(''Iskarski prolom''): Sofia - Vratsa (also railroad) *
Vitinya Pass Vitinya Pass ( bg, Витиня) is a mountain pass in the Balkan Mountains (Stara Planina) in Bulgaria. It connects Sofia and Botevgrad. The Hemus motorway passes it in a tunnel just below the summit. The motorway includes a notable girder brid ...
:
Hemus motorway The Hemus motorway (, ) or Haemus motorway, designated A2, is a partially built motorway in Bulgaria. Its planned length is 418 km, of which 191 km are in operation . The motorway in operation is divided into two sections — the first ...
(A2), Sofia - Botevgrad * Beklemeto Pass: Troyan - Sopot * Shipka Pass: Gabrovo - Kazanlak (also railroad) *
Pass of the Republic Pass of the Republic ( bg, Проход на Републиката ), is a mountain pass in the Balkan Mountains (Stara Planina) in Bulgaria. It connects Veliko Tarnovo and Gurkovo. It is also known as Hainboaz Pass ( ). The road was constructe ...
(''Prohod na republikata''): Veliko Tarnovo - Gurkovo * Vratnik Pass: Elena - Sliven *
Kotel Pass Kotel Pass ( bg, Котленски проход, , Pass of Kotel) is a mountain pass in the Balkan Mountains (Stara Planina) in Bulgaria Bulgaria (; bg, България, Bǎlgariya), officially the Republic of Bulgaria,, ) is a countr ...
(''Kotlenski prohod''): Kotel - Petolachka (''Pentagram'') crossroads *
Varbitsa Pass Varbitsa Pass ( bg, Върбишки проход ) is a mountain pass in the Balkan Mountains (Stara Planina) in Bulgaria. It connects Shumen and Petolachka crossroads. The famous Battle of Pliska was fought in the pass on July 26, 811 between ...
(''Varbishki prohod''):
Shumen Shumen ( bg, Шумен, also romanized as ''Shoumen'' or ''Šumen'', ) is the tenth largest city in Bulgaria and the administrative and economic capital of Shumen Province. Etymology The city was first mentioned as ''Šimeonis'' in 1153 by t ...
- Petolachka crossroads *
Rish Pass Rish Pass ( bg, Ришки проход, Rishki Prohod) is a mountain pass in the Balkan Mountains (Stara Planina) in Bulgaria. It connects Shumen and Karnobat. On the Shumen side of the pass is the village of Rish. The Battle of the Rishki Pas ...
(''Rishki prohod''): Shumen - Karnobat * Luda Kamchiya Gorge (''Ludokamchiyski prolom''): Provadiya - Karnobat (also railroad) * Aytos Pass (Aytoski prohod) - Provadiya - Aytos *
Dyulino Pass Dyulino Pass is a mountain pass in the Balkan Mountains (Stara Planina) in eastern Bulgaria. It connects Varna and Aitos Aytos ( bg, Айтос ), sometimes written Aitos and Ajtos, is a town located in eastern Bulgaria some 30 kilometers fro ...
(''Dyulinski prohod''):
Varna Varna may refer to: Places Europe *Varna, Bulgaria, a city in Bulgaria **Varna Province **Varna Municipality ** Gulf of Varna **Lake Varna **Varna Necropolis *Vahrn, or Varna, a municipality in Italy *Varniai, a city in Lithuania * Varna (Šaba ...
- Aytos * Obzor Pass (''Obzorski prohod''): Varna - Burgas, future
Cherno More motorway The Cherno More motorway or the Black Sea motorway (, ) is a Bulgarian motorway planned to link the major coastal cities of Varna and Burgas, passing along the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast. It is part of the Pan-European Corridor VIII and is estimat ...
(A5)


Peaks

* Botev Peak (named after Hristo Botev) * Malkiyat yumruk * Golyam Kademliya (Triglav) * Mlechen chal * Zhaltets * Paradzhika *
Vezhen Peak Vezhen ( bg, Вежен ) is a peak in the western Balkan Mountains, located in western Bulgaria. At Vezhen is the 77th highest mountain in Bulgaria. It is situated in the Teteven mountain. Its slopes mark the border of the Tsarichina Reserve. Ar ...
*
Midžor Midžor ( sr-cyr, Миџор, ) or Midzhur ( bg, Миджур, ) is a peak in the Balkan Mountains, situated on the border between Bulgaria and Serbia. At , it is the highest peak of the Western Balkan Mountains, as well as the highest of Serbia o ...
, the highest peak in Serbia proper and north-western Bulgaria, 12th in the Balkan Mountains. * Golyam Kupen * Levski (named after Vasil Levski) * Yurushka gramada * Martinova chuka * Malak Kupen * Tetevenska Baba * Buluvaniya * Golyam Krastets * Kostenurkata (The Turtle) * Oba * Kartala * Pascal * Ravnets *
Kom Peak Kom Peak ( bg, Ком ) or Golyam Kom (Голям Ком, "Big Kom") is a peak in the western Balkan Mountains, located in western Bulgaria, not far from the Serbian border. The peak is 2,016 metres high and lies south of the town of Berkovitsa, ...
* Kositsa * Replyanska tsarkva * Golema chuka * Svishti plaz * Mara Gidia * Todorini Kukli * Haydushki kamak * Murgash * Koznitsa * Chukava (Golema mountain) * Gorno Yazovo * Chumerna * Ispolin * Ravno buche * Buzludzha * Manyakov kamak * Guvnishte * Golemi Del * Vetren Peak *
Shipka Shipka may refer to: * Shipka Monument, in Bulgaria * Shipka (town), in Bulgaria * Shipka Pass, in Bulgaria * Shipka (stadium), in Asenovgrad, Bulgaria * Shipka Saddle, in the Tangra Mountains, Livingston Island, Antarctica * Shipka Valley, in the T ...
(Stoletov, St. Nikola) * Goten ( Sofiiska mountain) * Petrovski krast


History

The Balkan Mountains have had a significant and special place in the history of Bulgaria since its founding in 681. It was a natural fortress of the
Bulgarian Empire In the medieval history of Europe, Bulgaria's status as the Bulgarian Empire ( bg, Българско царство, ''Balgarsko tsarstvo'' ) occurred in two distinct periods: between the seventh and the eleventh centuries and again between the ...
for centuries and formed an effective barrier to
Moesia Moesia (; Latin: ''Moesia''; el, Μοισία, Moisía) was an ancient region and later Roman province situated in the Balkans south of the Danube River, which included most of the territory of modern eastern Serbia, Kosovo, north-eastern Alban ...
where most of the medieval capitals were located. The Balkan mountains were the site of numerous battles between the Bulgarian and Byzantine Empires including the Battle of the Rishki Pass (759), Battle of the Varbitsa Pass (811), the
Battle of Tryavna The Battle of Tryavna ( bg, Битка при Трявна) occurred in 1190, in the mountains around the contemporary town of Tryavna, central Bulgaria. The result was a Bulgarian victory over the Byzantine Empire, which secured the successes ...
(1190) and the
Battle of Devina A battle is an occurrence of combat in warfare between opposing military units of any number or size. A war usually consists of multiple battles. In general, a battle is a military engagement that is well defined in duration, area, and force ...
(1279). In the battle of the Varbitsa Pass, Khan Krum decisively defeated an enormous Byzantine army, killing Emperor
Nikephoros I Nikephoros I or Nicephorus I ( gr, Νικηφόρος; 750 – 26 July 811) was Byzantine emperor from 802 to 811. Having served Empress Irene as '' genikos logothetēs'', he subsequently ousted her from power and took the throne himself. In r ...
. For many centuries the Byzantines feared these mountains, and on several occasions Byzantine armies pulled back on approaching the Balkan Mountains. During the Ottoman rule, many ''
haiduk A hajduk ( hu, hajdúk, plural of ) is a type of irregular infantry found in Central and parts of Southeast Europe from the late 16th to mid 19th centuries. They have reputations ranging from bandits to freedom fighters depending on time, p ...
s'' found refuge in the Balkan Mountains. Close to the highest summit, Botev Peak, is Kalofer, the birthplace of Hristo Botev, a Bulgarian poet and national hero who died in the western Balkan Mountains near Vratsa in 1876 in the struggle against the Ottoman Empire. Also close to Botev Peak is Shipka Pass, the scene of the four battles in the Russo-Turkish War, 1877-78, which ended Turkish rule in the Balkans.


Protection


Bulgaria

Significant areas of the Balkan mountains are under protection by Bulgarian law, including one national park — Central Balkan National Park; three nature parks — Vrachanski Balkan Nature Park, Bulgarka Nature Park and
Sinite Kamani Nature Park This list contains tribes or other groups of people named in the Bible of minor notability, about whom either nothing or very little is known, aside from any family connections. A Accaba, descendants of For the descendants of "Accaba" (1 Esd ...
, over 20 nature reserves, as well as numerous natural landmarks. Central Balkan National Park is among the largest and most valuable of the protected areas in Europe. Since 2017, its ancient beech forests have been included in the Primeval Beech Forests UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is the third largest protected territory in Bulgaria, spanning an area of 716.69 km² with total length of 85 km from the west to the east and an average width of 10 km. Within its territory are located the highest summit of the mountain range, Botev Peak (2376 m), as well as the highest waterfall in the Balkan peninsula
Raysko Praskalo Raysko Praskalo (, "Heavenly Sprinkler"), 124.5 m in height, is the highest waterfall in Bulgaria and the Balkan Peninsula. It is situated under Botev Peak (2,376 m) in the central section of the Balkan Mountains and is part of the Dzhendema Reser ...
(124.5 m). The rugged and diverse relief determines the presence numerous gorges, cliffs, waterfalls and caves, including Raychova Dupka, the second deepest cave discovered in Bulgaria and in the mountain range, reaching depth of -377 m. The flora of Central Balkan National Park is diverse and consists of 1689 species of vascular plants, 45 species of algae and 238 species of mosses. These include 23 Bulgarian endemic species, such as leafy primrose (''
Primula frondosa ''Primula frondosa'', the leafy primrose ( bg, Старопланинска иглика), is a species of flowering plant in the family Primulaceae, native to the Balkans. It inhabits shady spots in a small region of the central Balkan Mountain ...
''), which is only found within the park's boundaries, '' Аlchemilla аchtarowii'', ''
Alchemilla jumrukczalica ''Alchemilla'' is a genus of herbaceous perennial plants in the family Rosaceae, with the common name lady's mantle applied generically as well as specifically to ''Alchemilla mollis'' when referred to as a garden plant. The plant used as a herb ...
'', ''
Betonica bulgarica ''Betonica'' is a genus of the plants in the family (biology), family Lamiaceae. Species Species include: * ''Betonica alopecuros'' L. * ''Betonica betoniciflora'' (Franz Josef Ruprecht, Rupr. ex Olga Fedchenko, O.Fedtsch. & Boris Fedtschenko, B. ...
'', ''
Centaurea davidovii ''Centaurea'' () is a genus of over 700 species of herbaceous thistle-like flowering plants in the family Asteraceae. Members of the genus are found only north of the equator, mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere; the Middle East and surrounding reg ...
'', as well as another 75 Balkan endemics. The vertebrate fauna of Central Balkan National Park consists of 309 species. The number of mammal species is 60, including animals of high conservation value, such as brown bear,
gray wolf The wolf (''Canis lupus''; : wolves), also known as the gray wolf or grey wolf, is a large canine native to Eurasia and North America. More than thirty subspecies of ''Canis lupus'' have been recognized, and gray wolves, as popularly ...
, wildcat, marbled polecat, European pine marten, Eurasian otter, the only population of
chamois The chamois (''Rupicapra rupicapra'') or Alpine chamois is a species of goat-antelope native to mountains in Europe, from west to east, including the Alps, the Dinarides, the Tatra and the Carpathian Mountains, the Balkan Mountains, the Ril ...
within the mountain range, European ground squirrel,
lesser mole-rat The lesser blind mole-rat (''Spalax leucodon'') is a species of rodent in the family Spalacidae. It is found in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Greece, Hungary, Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Montenegro, Turkey and Ukraine. Prior to 2 ...
, European snow vole, etc. The avifauna includes 220 species, of which 123 are nesting. The park is important for the protection of the eastern imperial eagle, saker falcon, Eurasian eagle-owl,
Eurasian pygmy owl The Eurasian pygmy owl (''Glaucidium passerinum'') is the smallest owl in Europe. It is a dark reddish to greyish-brown, with spotted sides and half of a white ring around the back of the neck. This species is found in the boreal forests of North ...
, Ural owl, boreal owl,
white-backed woodpecker The white-backed woodpecker (''Dendrocopos leucotos'') is a Eurasian woodpecker belonging to the genus ''Dendrocopos''. Taxonomy The white-backed woodpecker was described by the German naturalist Johann Matthäus Bechstein in 1802 under the b ...
, semicollared flycatcher and corn crake. The park's herpetofauna includes 15 reptile and nine amphibian species. It hosts population of national importance of
common European adder ''Vipera berus'', the common European adderMallow D, Ludwig D, Nilson G. (2003). ''True Vipers: Natural History and Toxinology of Old World Vipers''. Malabar, Florida: Krieger Publishing Company. . or common European viper,Stidworthy J. (1974). ...
, viviparous lizard and
common frog The common frog or grass frog (''Rana temporaria''), also known as the European common frog, European common brown frog, European grass frog, European Holarctic true frog, European pond frog or European brown frog, is a semi-aquatic amphibian o ...
. Due to the park's high altitude, the ichtyofauna consists of six fish species, with
brown trout The brown trout (''Salmo trutta'') is a European species of salmonid fish that has been widely introduced into suitable environments globally. It includes purely freshwater populations, referred to as the riverine ecotype, ''Salmo trutta'' morph ...
being the dominant one. Vrachanski Balkan Nature Park is situated in the western section of the mountain range and spans an area of 301.29 km². Its territory includes some of the most extensive karst areas in Bulgaria with over 600 caves, such as Ledenika, the gorge Vratsata whose 400 m vertical cliffs are the highest in the Balkans, and numerous waterfalls, such as Skaklia (141 m drop but unlike Raysko Praskalo it is seasonal) and
Borov Kamak Borov Kamak ( bg, Боров камък, "Pine Stone") is a waterfall in the Vratsa mountain, western Balkan Mountains, Bulgaria. The waterfall is situated on one the tributaries of the river Leva which flows through Vratsa. It is located on the ...
(63 m drop). The flora includes 1082 species of vascular plants and 186 species of mosses.The endemism is lowers when compared to the Central Balkan National Park — 6 Bulgarian and another 36 Balkan endemic species. The vertebrate fauna encompasses 276 species. The recorded mammal species are 58 and include gray wolf, golden jackal, wildcat, marbled polecat, European polecat, European pine marten and 22 bat species. The birds are 181 species, including 124 nesting ones. Typical species are the golden eagle, long-legged buzzard,
peregrine falcon The peregrine falcon (''Falco peregrinus''), also known as the peregrine, and historically as the duck hawk in North America, is a Cosmopolitan distribution, cosmopolitan bird of prey (Bird of prey, raptor) in the family (biology), family Falco ...
, Eurasian eagle-owl, Alpine chough,
Alpine swift The alpine swift (''Tachymarptis melba'') formerly ''Apus melba'', is a species of swift found in Africa, southern Europe and Asia. They breed in mountains from southern Europe to the Himalaya. Like common swifts, they are migratory; the souther ...
,
Eurasian crag martin The Eurasian crag martin or just crag martin (''Ptyonoprogne rupestris'') is a small passerine bird in the swallow family. It is about long with ash-brown upperparts and paler underparts, and a short, square tail that has distinctive white pat ...
, red-rumped swallow, wallcreeper, etc. There are 15 reptile and 11 amphibian species; of them important populations exist of the meadow lizard, European copper skink,
Balkan crested newt The Balkan crested newt or Buresch's crested newt (''Triturus ivanbureschi'') is a newt species of the crested newt species complex in genus ''Triturus'', found in Southeastern Europe and Anatolia. It was originally described as a subspecies of ...
, as well as the only habitat in Bulgaria of the
northern crested newt The northern crested newt, great crested newt or warty newt (''Triturus cristatus'') is a newt species native to Great Britain, northern and central continental Europe and parts of Western Siberia. It is a large newt, with females growing up to ...
, which is also its southernmost locality worldwide. There have been successful efforts in the reintroduction of two vulture species that went extinct from the mountain range in the past several decades. In 2021 the first cinereous vulture in Bulgaria in nearly 30 years hatched in Kotel mountains in the eastern section of the mountain range, thus establishing the second breeding colony in the Balkans, after the one in north-eastern Greece. In recent years, several breeding pairs of griffon vulture have established themselves in the Vratsa Balkan to the west, as well as in the eastern sections of the Balkan Mountains. The eastern Balkan Mountains are among the priority areas in the reintroduction programme for the bearded vulture. Since the early XXI century there have been several records of the Eurasian lynx, which has been considered extincts in Bulgaria since the 1940s, in a number of localities along the Balkan Mountains.


Serbia

First group of trees was protected in 1966, followed by the creation of 7 special nature reserves and 3 natural monuments in the 1980s. Nature park Stara Planina was established in 1997 and since 2009 is in its present borders, covering an area of . The protected area was expanded in 2020. The sediments extend from the Paleozoic to the
Cenozoic The Cenozoic ( ; ) is Earth's current geological era, representing the last 66million years of Earth's history. It is characterised by the dominance of mammals, birds and flowering plants, a cooling and drying climate, and the current configura ...
eras. Limestone terrain is known for the short losing streams and
tufaceous Tufa is a variety of limestone formed when carbonate minerals precipitation (chemistry), precipitate out of water in ambient temperature, unheated rivers or lakes. hot spring, Geothermally heated hot springs sometimes produce similar (but less ...
waterfalls. There are canyons and gorges, like those of the Toplodolska reka and ''Rosomačka reka'' rivers. The Rosomača canyon (''Rosomački lonci'' or ''Slavinjsko grlo''), with its tall, cascade limestone walls, is known for its resemblance of the Colorado's Grand Canyon, but on a much smaller scale. The long gorge is a remnant of the former cave which eroded in time. Underground waters on the mountain reach the surface in the forms of common springs, well-springs (''vrelo'') and diffused springs (''pištevina''). There are some 500 springs with the flow of over . The strongest spring is the intermittent ''Jelovičko vrelo'', known for its fluctuations, characterized by the bubbling and foaming. Montane ecosystems are diverse and include several plant communities: forests, shrubs, meadows, pastures and
peatlands A mire, peatland, or quagmire is a wetland area dominated by living peat-forming plants. Mires arise because of incomplete decomposition of organic matter, usually litter from vegetation, due to water-logging and subsequent anoxia. All types ...
. There are six different vegetation zone in the park. Oak,
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 ''Engle ...
,
spruce A spruce is a tree of the genus ''Picea'' (), a genus of about 35 species of coniferous evergreen trees in the family Pinaceae, found in the northern temperate and boreal (taiga) regions of the Earth. ''Picea'' is the sole genus in the subfami ...
, subalpine zone of the shrub vegetation of
common horsetail ''Equisetum arvense'', the field horsetail or common horsetail, is an herbaceous perennial plant in the Equisetidae (horsetails) sub-class, native throughout the arctic and temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. It has separate sterile n ...
,
blueberry Blueberries are a widely distributed and widespread group of perennial flowering plants with blue or purple berries. They are classified in the section ''Cyanococcus'' within the genus ''Vaccinium''. ''Vaccinium'' also includes cranberries, bi ...
, subalpine spruce and
mugo pine ''Pinus mugo'', known as bog pine, creeping pine, dwarf mountain pine, mugo pine, mountain pine, scrub mountain pine, or Swiss mountain pine, is a species of conifer, native to high elevation habitats from southwestern to Central Europe and So ...
. Other plants include shrub alder, steppe pedunculate oak, but also rare and endangered species like European pasqueflower,
yellow pheasant's eye ''Adonis vernalis'', known variously as pheasant's eye, spring pheasant's eye, yellow pheasant's eye and false hellebore, is a perennial flowering plant in the buttercup family Ranunculaceae. It is found in dry meadows and steppes in Eurasia. Mor ...
, Kosovo peony,
common sundew ''Drosera rotundifolia'', the round-leaved sundew, roundleaf sundew, or common sundew, is a carnivorous species of flowering plant that grows in bogs, marshes and fens. One of the most widespread sundew species, it has a circumboreal distribution ...
,
Heldreich's maple ''Acer heldreichii'' is a species of maple in the flowering plant family Sapindaceae. Commonly called Balkan maple, Greek maple, Heldreich's maple, or mountain maple the species is native to the Balkan Peninsula east along the southern and easte ...
, martagon lily,
pygmy iris ''Iris pumila'', sometimes known as pygmy iris or dwarf iris, probably originated as a natural hybrid between '' Iris pseudopumila'' Boissier & Heldreich and '' I. attica'' Tineo. It ranges from Austria through eastern Europe and the Balkans, in ...
and
marsh orchid ''Dactylorhiza'' is a genus of flowering plants in the orchid family Orchidaceae. Its species are commonly called marsh orchids or spotted orchids. ''Dactylorhiza'' were previously classified under ''Orchis'', which has two round tubers. Descrip ...
. In total, there are 1,190 plant species, including a locally endemic winged bellflower (''Campanula calyciliata'') and Pančić's frog grass (''Senecio pancicii''), which can be found only on the mountain. There are also communities of mountainous sphagnum
bog A bog or bogland is a wetland that accumulates peat as a deposit of dead plant materials often mosses, typically sphagnum moss. It is one of the four main types of wetlands. Other names for bogs include mire, mosses, quagmire, and muskeg; a ...
s on the localities of Jabučko Ravnište, Babin Zub and Arbinje. Some 350 herb species are considered medicinal or aromatic. In 2022, several independent surveys from various universities and institutes were conducted, in order to list all of them, to enhance their protection, and to check possibilities for potential plantation production. Vast areas south and southeast from the mountain are already transformed into the aromatic herbs plantations, especially the entire slopes of the nearby mountains being planted with lavender. In the 1980s, fossils of '' Thecodontosaurus'' were discovered on the mountain. It is one of the oldest recorded species of dinosaurs, and the remains are estimated to be some 250 million years old. Some 190 species of butterflies are recorded. The area is a
salmonid Salmonidae is a family of ray-finned fish that constitutes the only currently extant family in the order Salmoniformes . It includes salmon (both Atlantic and Pacific species), trout (both ocean-going and landlocked), chars, freshwater whitefis ...
region, inhabited by the riverine brown trout. Another 25 species of fish live in the rivers and streams, so as the fire salamander and newts. There are 203 species of birds, of which 154 are nesting in the park, 10 are wintering, 30 are passing and 13 are wandering. Important species include golden eagle, Ural owl and
hawk Hawks are bird of prey, birds of prey of the family Accipitridae. They are widely distributed and are found on all continents except Antarctica. * The subfamily Accipitrinae includes goshawks, sparrowhawks, sharp-shinned hawks and others. Th ...
. As the park is the most important habitat in Serbia for long-legged buzzard, Eurasian woodcock and an endemic Balkan horned lark, an area of was declared a European
Important Bird Area An Important Bird and Biodiversity Area (IBA) is an area identified using an internationally agreed set of criteria as being globally important for the conservation of bird populations. IBA was developed and sites are identified by BirdLife Int ...
. The griffon vulture disappeared from the region in the late 1940s. In 2017 a program for their reintroduction began within the scope of a wider European program. Among other things, the feeders will be placed along the vultures' migratory route. Over 30 mammalian species are found in the park, including
lesser mole-rat The lesser blind mole-rat (''Spalax leucodon'') is a species of rodent in the family Spalacidae. It is found in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Greece, Hungary, Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Montenegro, Turkey and Ukraine. Prior to 2 ...
, hazel dormouse and the Tertiary relict, European snow vole. Brown bear became extinct in Serbian part, but evidence showing the presence of the bears were found in 2014. The bears have been photographed in 2015, before disappearing again until 2019 when a young brown bear was filmed on camera. Human heritage spans from the prehistoric remains, Classical antiquity including the
Roman period The Roman Empire ( la, Imperium Romanum ; grc-gre, Βασιλεία τῶν Ῥωμαίων, Basileía tôn Rhōmaíōn) was the post-Roman Republic, Republican period of ancient Rome. As a polity, it included large territorial holdings aro ...
and
late mediaeval The Late Middle Ages or Late Medieval Period was the period of European history lasting from AD 1300 to 1500. The Late Middle Ages followed the High Middle Ages and preceded the onset of the early modern period (and in much of Europe, the Renai ...
monastic complexes. Some of those older monuments are fragmentary and relocated from their original locations. There are numerous examples of the ethnic edifices characteristic for the architecture of the region in the late 19th and early 20th century (houses, barns, etc.) Serbian section of the mountain is seen as a location for dozens of micro hydros, mini power plants which caused problem with the environmentalists and local population. Even the Ministry for environmental protection halted some of the projects and litigated with the investors. They also announced the change of the Nature protection law, which will permanently forbid the construction of plants in protected areas. In order to prevent further degradation, the Nature Park Stara Planina was nominated for the UNESCO's Man and the Biosphere Programme and for the world list of geoparks, while over tens of thousands of citizens signed petitions against the micro hydros and numerous protests have been organized by the local population. This prompted similar protests in other parts of Serbia and the association "Defend the rivers of Stara Planina" was founded, which expanded its base of operations outside of the Stara Planina region. The activism resulted in various physical altercation between the local citizens on one, and contractors and their security guards on the other side, amidst the police interventions. In October 2018, Minister of Environmental Protection
Goran Trivan Goran Trivan ( sr-cyr, Горан Триван, born 1962) is a Serbian politician. He served as the Minister of Environmental Protection since 29 June 2017 until October 2020. He is a member of the Socialist Party of Serbia since its foundation. ...
, said that the current law allows for the micro hydros to be built in the protected areas. The government allowed the construction of 800 micro hydros, which has been described as "megalomaniacal" by the ecologists, as they would produce less than 1% of the total electricity. Environmentalists also accused the government of destroying the plant and animal life using the pretext of
renewable energy Renewable energy is energy that is collected from renewable resources that are naturally replenished on a human timescale. It includes sources such as sunlight, wind, the movement of water, and geothermal heat. Although most renewable energy ...
. In September 2019,
Pirot Pirot ( sr-cyr, Пирот) is a city and the administrative center of the Pirot District in southeastern Serbia. According to 2011 census, the urban area of the city has a population of 38,785, while the population of the city administrative area ...
city administration announced it is removing from the spatial plan all 43 existing locations for the micro hydros on the protected area of Stara Planina. There are 15 locations remaining in the unprotected sector of the mountain, but city officials announced abolishing of these locations in the future, too.


See also

* Balkans *
Kom–Emine Kom–Emine ( bg, „Ком – Емине“) is a high-mountain long-distance trail in Bulgaria. The route follows the main ridge of the Balkan Mountains, which bisect the country and give the Balkan Peninsula its name. Beginning at Kom P ...
, a high-mountain long-distance trail along the main ridge of the Balkan Mountains * List of mountain ranges *
Rhodope Mountains The Rhodopes (; bg, Родопи, ; el, Ροδόπη, ''Rodopi''; tr, Rodoplar) are a mountain range in Southeastern Europe, and the largest by area in Bulgaria, with over 83% of its area in the southern part of the country and the remainder in ...
,
Rila Rila ( bg, Рила, ) is the highest mountain range of Bulgaria, the Balkans, Balkan Peninsula and Southeast Europe. It is situated in southwestern Bulgaria and forms part of the Rila–Rhodope Mountains, Rhodope Massif. The highest summit is Mus ...
, Pirin, Dinaric Alps, Šar mountain, Pindus,
Strandzha Strandzha ( bg, Странджа, also transliterated as ''Strandja'', ; tr, Istranca , or ) is a mountain massif in southeastern Bulgaria and the European part of Turkey. It is in the southeastern part of the Balkans between the plains of T ...
 – other major mountain chains in the Balkan region


Notes and references


References

* * *


External links


Regional tourist association

Euroregion Stara Planina

Hiking in Balkan Mountains

Controversy regarding ski resort development in ostensibly protected areas. (World Birdwatch, March 2009)

Tourist portal Stara Planina
{{Authority control Mountain ranges of Bulgaria Mountain ranges of Serbia Protected areas of Serbia Balkans International mountains of Europe Bulgaria–Serbia border Geography of Southeastern Europe Landforms of Vidin Province Landforms of Burgas Province Landforms of Plovdiv Province Landforms of Sofia Province Landforms of Sofia City Province Landforms of Veliko Tarnovo Province Landforms of Sliven Province Landforms of Montana Province Landforms of Vratsa Province Landforms of Lovech Province Landforms of Stara Zagora Province Landforms of Gabrovo Province Landforms of Shumen Province Landforms of Varna Province Landforms of Blagoevgrad Province Euroregions of Bulgaria Euroregions of Serbia