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Teteven

 

 

     Teteven is a starting point of a number of hiking routes leading up the Central Balkan Mountains. Koznitsa and Sinyoto Кolelo (the Blue Wheel) waterfalls and Yamata (the Pit) caverns are in the vicinity of the town. It is 118 km from Sofia, 74 km from Lovech and 60 km from Troyan. Surrounded by imposing mountains up the beautiful valley of the river Beli Vit, Teteven once inspired the famous Bulgarian writer Ivan Vazov to declare that, had he not come here, "I should regard myself as a stranger to my native land. Nowhere have I found a place as enchanting as this".

     History
     Monuments discovered accidentally prove that this area has been populated since most ancient times. The proof about it are the finds in the caves Morovitsa, Bayovitsa, Draganchovitsa. The numerous funeral mounds date back to the Thracian timeс. The numismatic finds prove that here used to be a Roman settlement as well. Traces from Roman roads, bridges and watch-towers can be found. The oldest written information about the settlement is from a Turkish register of 1421. The name mentioned there was Teteven. In the time period of the Ottoman Rule, the town developed as a prospering handicraft settlement. It was called "Golden Teteven". But in 1801 it was completely devastated. Although the settlement rehabilitated with the elapse of years, it never reached its previous heyday and welfare. After the Liberation Teteven developed as a centre of tourism. 

     Landmarks

     History Museum – 3, Sava Mladenov Square, working time 09:00 am - 05:00 pm.
     St. Elijah Monastery - an artistically elaborated cross, a gift from tsar Ivan Shishman was preserved there (at the moment in the British Museum).
     All Saints Church - 31 m long, 14 m wide with thickness of the walls of 1.5 m. 
     Remarkable sights are the beautiful 18th century houses preserved: Bobev's, Hajji Ivan's and Iorgov's houses.
     Teteven is famous for its plum brandy.

     Each year at the beginning of the month of May the biggest mountain cycling race on the Balkan Peninsula is held here.

 

 


     Transport
     Teteven has regular bus connection with Sofia, Vratsa, Pleven, Lovech and Veliko Tarnovo, as well as with almost all the settlements within the region.

     Surroundings
     The village of Ribaritsa (12 km to the east) is one of the longest villages in Bulgaria and it is a famous mountain resort. There are a lot of holiday houses, country-houses, private hotels and public catering establishments. It is among the key points of departure for tourist passages in Teteven Balkan.
     The place of death, named Kostina and the monument to Georgi Benkovski are situated 4 km from the village. Teteven Balkan Mountain is included in the territory of the National Park Central Balkan. The two natural reserves Boatin, Tsarichina, and Kozya Stena are located within its framework.
     Closely situated are also the huts Georgi Benkovski, Eho and Vezhen. A real paradise for the ornithologists is the protected area Chernia Rut where a variety of birds can be observed. 
     The historical Glozhenski Monastery is located above the village of Glozhene (15 km from Teteven). There is no such other monastery in Bulgaria, "landed" on a rocky edge, which looks like a mediaeval castle. It was erected in 13th century by the Kiev prince Glozh, after his escape from South Russia. 25 km northwest from the town is situated the cave Saeva Dupka. There is no regular transport, though there is a good asphalt road up to the cave. One can use the regular bus lines to the village of Brestnitsa. On the land of the town there are many other nature landmarks: the caves Lyastovitsa and Morovitsa and the waterfalls Praskaloto and Skoka tucked in the wild nature.