Vratsa
Vratsa [ vratsɐ ] ( Bulgarian Враца ) is a city in Bulgaria with 64,244 inhabitants (2005 ) located at the foot of the steep peaks of the Balkan Mountains, industrial town (textile and cement industries ), the cultural center of the area with theater, opera and art gallery. Vratsa is the capital of the Oblast same name.
History
The place was already in the 4th / 3 Century BC, confirming the gold jewelry found here in 1969 a Thracian princess. In Chronicles of the 6th and 13th centuries a fortress Vratica is mentioned.
Under the rule of the Ottoman Empire was Vratsa economic and administrative center. At the liberation struggle against the Turks remember the eight-meter- high bronze figure of the poet and freedom fighter Hristo Botev (1848-1876), who died on 20 May 1876 at Vratsa Mountains.
Attractions
Worth seeing are the remains of the former city walls with living and defense towers from the 17th century, the clock tower, the historical museum, the captain's house, the hill and the monument Kaleto Pametnik na Westitelja ( the message sender ). In the clock tower, which served as the well-preserved Kurtpaschow tower mounting purposes, a museum is housed. Interestingly, the churches are " Sveto Wasnesenie " ( Holy Ascension ) and " Sveti Nikola " ( St. Nicholas ).
The nature park Wratschanski Balkans includes the same part of the Balkan Mountains and the Rock of Lakatnik. It is about 30 km long and 10-15 km wide. The southern border is the Iskar Pass. The highest mountain in the natural park is the Beglitschka Mogila ( 1481 m. ). On the territory of the nature park grow over 700 plants, including more than 50 of the rare and endangered species. The fauna of the park includes more than 130 protected species.
Within the limits of the park are over 500 caves and chasms. One of the most beautiful in Bulgaria is the Ledenika Cave, about 16 kilometers west of Vratsa, with special rock formations, concert hall and lake. Certain stalactite formations are illuminated by spotlights. Mention should Temnata Dupka ( Dark Hole ), Smejova Dupka ( hole of the dragon ), Haiduschka Propast ( gulf of freedom fighters ), Gardjuva Dupka, Kalnata Propast ( Muddy Gap ), Newestina Propast (Bride gap ) and Sokolova Dupka ( Falk hole ).
The Monastery " The Assumption sveto Bogorodichno " ( Holy Assumption) of Cherepish is located 30km from Vratsa in Iskar breakthrough. It was built in the time of Tsar Ivan Schischman and later destroyed by the Turks.
Sons and daughters of the town
- Krastjo Stojanov Pischurka (* 1823), writer, actor and director
- Dimitar Avramov ( b. 1943 ), Bulgarian politician and journalist
- Martin Petrov ( b. 1979 ), Bulgarian football player
- Gita Dodowa ( b. 1982 ), Bulgarian triple jumper