10 curious facts about the Balkan Mountains

Stara Planina (The Old Mountain) is the newest name of the mountain in Bulgarian. Before that, the ancient people called it Haimon, Haimos, Hemus (Thracian origin) which meant ridge, border. Later some of its ridges received different names – Silver Mountain, Matornite Gori (The Matorni Woods).

Curious facts about the mountain

1. The Balkan Mountain is the mountain with most fogs and strongest winds in Bulgaria.

2. There are 31 peaks over 2000 meters located within the mountain’s territory. The highest one is Botev peak (2376 meters).

3. Within the Balkan Mountain’s territory, there are also 18 waterfalls with height above 20 meters. Raysko Pruskalo (Heavenly Spray waterfall) and Skaklya are amongst the most beautiful in the country.

4. Stara Planina (The Old Mountain) is the newest name of the mountain in Bulgarian. Before that, the ancient people called it Haimon, Haimos, Hemus (Thracian origin) which meant ridge, border. Later some of its ridges received different names – Silver Mountain, Matornite Gori (The Matorni Woods).

5. The name Stara Planina (The Old Mountain) is mentioned for the first time in 1533 when a Dalmatian traveller described it with that name.

6. The Balkan Mountain is not the official, but the widespread name of the mountain. The whole peninsula was named after it.

7. The mountain has typical alpine relief. Its whole length is more than 550 kilometres, throughout the whole extension of Bulgaria.

8. The mountain is a natural border between the Northern and the Southern part of the modern Bulgarian state.

9. The Bulgarian Khan Krum had attacked the Byzantine army on the 26th July 811 at the Varbitsa Pass in the Eastern Balkan Mountain. Nikephoros I, the Eastern Roman Emperor was taken captive and killed in front of the Bulgarian Khan. The exceptional victory gave to Bulgaria superiority upon the South-Eastern Europe for ages. On the territory of the Balkan Mountain had happened another great battle, at the Shipka peak, the fight for the liberation of Bulgaria from Ottoman slavery. Suleiman Pasha had made last abortive effort to capture the Shipka Pass then and to open the way to the besieged town of Pleven.

10. In Western Balkan Mountain is situated the largest Karst area of the mountain, famous with a variety of beautiful underground formations. More than 600 caves are explored in the region.Aamongst them are some of the most picturesque in Bulgaria – Ledenika and Temnata dupka (The dark hole).