The Balkan Mountains, located in the heart of Bulgaria, is a spectacular natural beauty. This mountain range is a must-see for any nature lover, with its jagged peaks, verdant forests, and crystal-clear rivers. But the Balkan Mountains aren’t only beautiful; they’re also rich in history and culture, with centuries-old monasteries, quaint traditional towns, and interesting folklore all waiting to be discovered. Whether you’re an ardent hiker, a history buff, or simply looking for a calm retreat from the hustle and bustle of daily life, learning about Bulgaria’s beautiful Balkan Mountains will inspire and enchant you.
The History of the Balkan Mountains
Since Bulgaria’s founding in 681, the Balkan Mountains, also known as the Stara Planina or Old Mountain, have played an essential part in its history. The Balkan Mountains constituted an effective barrier to Moesia, where most of the medieval cities were located, due to their strategic location and natural fortress-like attributes, making it a highly desired location.
The Balkan Mountains have seen several wars between the Bulgarian and Byzantine Empires over the ages, with many of these battles affecting the path of Bulgarian history. Khan Krum of Bulgaria, for example, destroyed a huge Byzantine army in the Battle of the Varbitsa Pass in 811, killing Emperor Nikephoros I. This overwhelming victory was a watershed moment in the conflict between the two empires, and the Byzantines feared the Balkan Mountains for ages, forcing them to retreat on multiple occasions.
The Balkan Mountains became a haven for numerous haiduks, or Bulgarian rebels, who resisted Ottoman rule during Ottoman rule. Kalofer, a town situated on the highest summit of the Balkan Mountains, is where Hristo Botev, a celebrated Bulgarian poet, and national figure, was born. Botev fought against the Ottoman Empire and met his demise in the western Balkan Mountains near Vratsa in 1876. His death was a watershed moment in Bulgaria’s independence movement, and he remains an essential symbol of Bulgarian national identity.
The Russo-Turkish War of 1877-78 was another pivotal event in Bulgarian history that occurred in the Balkan Mountains. The Shipka Pass, near Botev Peak, was the site of four engagements that ended Turkish control in the Balkans. The fights were violent, with Bulgarian and Russian armies defeating Turkish defenders to capture the pass and, eventually, freedom.
Where the Balkan Mountains Got Their Name
The origin of the name Balkan Mountains has long been a source of discussion and curiosity. Bulgars, who were part of the First Bulgarian Empire at the time, are thought to have brought the name to the region in the 7th century.
The Bulgarian word balkan was taken from Turkic and means “mountain.” It may have evolved from the Persian bālākhān or bālākhān, which means “high, above, or proud house.” This term is still used in Central Asia, including the Balkan Daglary (Balkan Mountains) and Turkmenistan’s Balkan Province. Balkan is Turkish for “a chain of wooded mountains.”
However, the Balkan Mountains were known as the Haemus Mons in Antiquity and the Middle Ages. Scholars believe that the name Haemus (o) is derived from the Thracian term “saimon,” which means “mountain ridge.”
The name of the range’s meeting point with the Black Sea, Cape Emine, is similarly derived from Aemon. According to Greek mythology, the name ‘Haemus’ stems from the Greek word “haima,” which means “blood.” After a fight between Zeus and the titan Typhon, Zeus wounded Typhon with thunder, and the mountains were named after the battle as Typhon’s blood spilled on them.
The Balkan Mountains have been known by several names throughout history, including Aemon, Haemimons, Hem, Emus, the Slavonic Matorni gori, and the Turkish Kocabalkan. Each name represents a different culture and time period, emphasizing the region’s rich and varied past.
The Geological Features of the Balkan Mountains
The Balkan Mountains play an important geological role in the region. They are a fold mountain range that is considered a “young” section of the Alp-Himalayan chain that spans most of Europe and Asia. The range is approximately 600 kilometers long, extending parallel to Bulgaria’s Black Sea coast from the border with Serbia in the west to the Black Sea in the east.
The range is divided into two sections: the main Balkan Chain to the south and the Pre-Balkans (Fore-Balkans) to the north. The Pre-Balkans, which have a lower altitude, extend into the Danubian Plain, while the primary Balkan Mountain Range acts as a naturally occurring obstacle separating the northern and southern regions of Bulgaria.
The Balkan Mountains’ southern slopes gently fall towards the Black Sea, forming the Sub-Balkan valleys, a sequence of 11 valleys going east to the sea. This area divides the Balkan mountains from the Srednogorie mountain range, which includes Vitosha and Sredna Gora.
The Balkan Mountains are separated into three divisions within Bulgaria. The Western Balkan Mountains stretch 190 kilometers from the border with Serbia to the Arabakonak Pass, with the highest peak, Midžor, standing at 2,169 meters.
The Central Balkan Mountains stretch 207 kilometers from Arabakonak to the Vratnik Pass and include the highest mountain in the Balkan range, Botev Peak, at 2,376 meters. Finally, the Eastern Balkan Mountains stretch 160 kilometers from the Vratnik Pass to Cape Emine, with the highest peak, Balgarka, standing at 1,181 meters. The eastern Balkan Mountains are the range’s lowest point.
The Hydrological Features of the Balkan Mountains
The Balkan Mountains serve as an important water divide in the Balkans, separating rivers that flow into the Danube River from those that flow into the Aegean Sea. The Iskar River is Bulgaria’s longest river, flowing through the Iskar Gorge and cutting through the central Balkan Mountains.
Many other rivers in Bulgaria originate in the Balkan Mountains, including the Timok, Archar, Lom, Tsibritsa, Ogosta, Skat, Vit, Osam, Yantra, and Rusenski Lom, which all run north into the Danube. The Balkan Mountains are also the source of the Kamchiya River, which runs directly into the Black Sea.
Although not as rich in mineral waters as other sections of Bulgaria, the Balkan Mountains are home to a number of spas, including Varshets, Shipkovo, and Voneshta Voda. In addition, waterfalls in the western and central parts of the range include Raysko Praskalo, the highest waterfall in the Balkan Peninsula, Borov Kamak, Babsko Praskalo, Etropole Waterfall, Karlovsko Praskalo, Skaklya, and others.
The discovery of several waterfalls in the Stara Planina region, which is part of the Balkan Mountains, has also impacted the geography of Serbia in recent decades. Due to the difficult and forested terrain, as well as its location on the Serbian-Bulgarian border, this area was traditionally poorly populated and inaccessible.
However, as militaries handed over border security to border police, civilians were free to explore the area. Since then, larger and higher waterfalls have been discovered on the Serbian side of the Stara Planina, including Čungulj (43 m) in 1996, Pilj (64 m) in 2002, Kopren (103.5 m) in 2011, and Kaluerski Skokovi (232 m) in 2012.
Protection Efforts by Bulgaria
Bulgaria’s Balkan Mountains are home to numerous protected areas, including one national park, three nature parks, and over 20 nature reserves. One of Europe’s largest and most valuable protected regions is the Central Balkan National Park, and its old beech forests are a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The park has a total size of 716.69 km2 and includes Botev Peak, the highest peak in the mountain range, as well as Raysko Praskalo, the highest waterfall in the Balkan Peninsula. The park’s varied landscape contains multiple gorges, cliffs, waterfalls, and caves, including Raychova Dupka, Bulgaria’s second-deepest cave discovered in the mountain range.
The Central Balkan National Park’s flora is varied, with 1689 vascular plant species, 45 algae species, and 238 moss species. The park is home to 23 Bulgarian endemic species, including the leafy primrose, which can only be found in the park, together with the 75 other Balkan endemics.
There are 309 vertebrate species, including 60 mammal species, 220 bird species, 15 reptile species, nine amphibian species, and six fish species. The park is critical for the conservation of creatures with high conservation value, including as brown bears, gray wolves, wildcats, and chamois.
The Vrachanski Balkan Nature Park, which covers an area of 301.29 km2, is located on the western side of the mountain range. Its region has some of Bulgaria’s most extensive karst environments, with over 600 caves, such as Ledenika, the Vratsata canyon, and various waterfalls, such as Skaklia and Borov Kamak.
The park’s flora comprises 1082 vascular plant species and 186 moss species. There are 276 vertebrate species, including 58 mammal species, and 181 bird species, including the golden eagle and the peregrine falcon. There are also 15 reptile species and 11 amphibian species in the park, including important populations of the meadow lizard, European copper skink, and Balkan crested newt.
Recently, successful efforts have been made to reintroduce two vulture species that had become extinct in the mountain range. The cinereous vulture, which had not been seen in Bulgaria for about 30 years, has formed a nesting colony in the mountain range’s eastern side, while numerous breeding pairs of griffon vulture have settled in the Vratsa Balkan to the west.
The eastern Balkan Mountains are also a priority area for the bearded vulture reintroduction initiative. Furthermore, there have been multiple sightings of the Eurasian lynx, which has been declared extinct in Bulgaria since the 1940s, at a variety of locations around the Balkan Mountains.
In conclusion, the Bulgarian Balkan Mountains are a treasure mine of natural beauty and diversity just waiting to be discovered. The region is a wonderland for nature fans and explorers alike, with everything from ancient beech woods and the highest peaks in the range to large karst areas and numerous waterfalls and caves. The Balkan Mountains, with their diverse flora and fauna, including endemic and endangered species, are an important conservation area in Europe, and their preservation is critical. Whether you want to go trekking, birdwatching, or simply enjoy stunning nature, a trip to the Balkan Mountains is a must-visit place.
