Belene Island

The island of Belene [ Belene ] ( Bulgarian Белене ) is located in northern Bulgaria in the Danube, immediately north of the town of Belene. The island is also known under the name Persin ( Bulg Персин ).

Geography

The island is 18 km west of Svishtov, on the Danube - km 660-675, northeast of the small town of Belene. The Belene Island is 14.5 km in length and a width of 4.5 up to 6 km, the largest island of Bulgaria. Belene is the fourth biggest Danube island. The Belene island is surrounded by five much smaller islands. The island of Belene is fully owned by the state and has an area of ​​6897.03 ha

The Danube has a total of 132 islands in the section between Romania and Bulgaria. Of these, 81 islands belong to Bulgaria and Romania on 51 islands. The three largest Bulgarian Danube islands are Belene, Kozloduy ( Козлодуй ) and Wardim ( Вардим ).

Labor camp

Became famous for the island mainly by the settled there, the same labor camp, which was built after the seizure of power by the Bulgarian Communist Party and the " Fatherland Front ". In the years from 1949 to 1989, many opponents of the regime and counter-revolutionaries were deported to the island and killed there during the reign of the Communists.

• See main article: Belene ( labor camp )

Nature Reserve

On the island of Belene is an internationally significant wetland. There is a flood forest, which consists mostly of old willows and silver poplars.

In the eastern part of the island the nature reserve " Persinski blata " is ( Bulg Персински блата; translated: the swamps of Persin ), which covers an area of ​​390 ha. It was founded in 1981 as a protected natural area ( " natural attraction ", Bulg природна забележителност ) set up to preserve the populations of rare water birds, such as the Red-necked Grebe, the Whiskered Tern, Black-headed Gull and the cormorant. The island is home to 170 species of rare water birds, such as the Ibisart Glossy Ibis, the cormorant cormorant, the Lesser Grey Shrike or the red-breasted goose.

The visitor center of the Natural Park Persina, with exhibition rooms and an observation deck, is located in the town of Belene. The symbol of the nature park is a gray stork. However, tourists are allowed to enter only the smaller side islands.

The three freshwater marshes on the island of Belene ( total 385.2 ha ) are called:

• Pistschenko Blato ( Bulg Писченско блато ) mit182 ha
• Martwoto Blato ( Bulg Мъртвото блато ) with 122.6 ha
• Staroto Blato ( Bulg Старото блато ) with 80.6 ha