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Regional tourist association Stara Planina 9, Opalchenska Street 5300 Gabrovo, Bulgaria tel./fax: +359 66/ 809 161 tel: +359 66/ 807 137 fax: +359 66/ 806 199 e-mail: office e-mail: info |
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With the financial support of the Swiss government |
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APRILTSI - A SUNNY VALLEY IN THE HEART OF THE BALKAN MOUNTAIN Tourist information Accommodation The town of Apriltsi (approx. 3800 inhabitants, 600 m altitude) was announced as such in 1976 on occasion of the 100th anniversary of the April rebellion. The villages of Novo Selo, Ostrets, Zla Reka and Vidima - laying in the Northern wrinkles of the Kalofer Mountain - constitute the town in which the rivers Ostrets and Vidima flow. With its geographical situation, with the mild climate and clean air, with its preserved historical memory, Apriltsi is an attractive place for mountain tourism. The wonderful and well-preserved nature is the most precious thing in Apriltsi. Being close to the mountain, with peaks standing high above the town - Botev (2376 m.), Maragidik, Ostrets, with the green of the mountain slopes, the sunny plateau in the heart of the Balkan mountain is a desired recreation place for people of all ages. It is easy to get from Apriltsi to the Central Balkan National Park whose border passes through the territory of the municipality. One of the nine Park reserves - the biosphere reserve "Severen Djendem" is also among the attractions of the place. The people who value nature come here to enjoy the wild fascination of the mountain - this is the kingdom of eagles and wild goats. Man has transferred the divine beauty of the Balkan Mountain upon the names of the most wonderful places near Apriltsi: the Rai (Heaven) waterfall, the RaI locality, the Rai (Heaven) Hut. The waterfall of Vidima on the Northern side of the town is not less attractive and beautiful. The foamy waters of the Vidima and Ostrets rivers are a real challenge for the fishermen - trout is an incomparable delicacy of local cuisine. Many swimming pools in the hotels of the town are voiced in summer by the joyful noise of the people who preferred the mountain sun and the green of the mountain to the golden see beaches. The history of today's Apriltsi starts far back in the ages. The remains of ancient Thracian settlements and a temple of a Thracian god found by archaeologists under the Ostrets peak are an evidence for that. In 1872, Vassil Levski organized a secret revolutionary committee and in April 1876 for nine days, Liberty was celebrated in the Republic of Novo Selo. The mountaineers paid for this audacity with blood and with 772 houses burned to ashes including the Girls' Monastery and the church of 1812. The voivode of the Gabrovo detachment Tsanko Dustabanov who came to support them was also killed. The heroism of the local people was commemorated with memorials in the village of Batoshevo and Ravni bunar locality above the Ostrets quarter. On May 11, 1876, the last battle was held here between the rebels and the Turkish armies. The St. Trinity Monastery of Novo Selo, which was then burnt and robbed, was restored after the Liberation. Ancient manuscripts and old printed books are kept there and its quiet yard, the church and the Ossuary are preferred places for visiting by the guests of the town. Historical and spiritual values of Bulgarian life are preserved for the generations in the Monument house of the Novo Selo rebellion, in the Architectural - ethnographic museum, the St. Georges monument house. In this area, the bright mountaineers, thirsty for knowledge, built a monastery school and a church in 1812 and in the year 1850 - a non-clerical school. About 20 km North-East of Apriltsi and 4 km from the village of Batoshevo is the Batoshevo Monastery, built in XIIIth century at the time of Bulgarian Tsar Michail Asen (1248-1258). In XIV century the Ottomans ruined it; it was only in 1838 when it was restored, and decorated with icons in 1869. The church is constructed in the Bulgarian Restoration style. Painters and woodcarvers make the icons and the woodcarvings from Tryavna. At that time, the Batoshevo Monastery was a guardian of Bulgarian faith; Bacho Kiro and Mathey Preobrazhkenski - Mitkaloto studied there. The whole area of Apriltsi is covered with monuments giving honor to the heroes of the Novo Selo Rebellion. Mountain paths lead to many of them. A marked path leads the tourists from the Ostrets quarter to Rusalka peak and Tuzha Hut and from there - to the highest peak of the Balkan mountain - Botev (2376 m.). The traditional events and festivities in Apriltsi are closely related with history and the lifestyle of local people. Many events take place annually in the town. The most attractive among them are the winter horse races (kushii) at St. Theodore's Day, the Day of Fruit - Growers in March, the Easter Festivities, the Anniversaries of the Novo selo Uprising in May, 24 May - the Day of Slavonic Alphabet and Bulgarian Culture. ACCOMMODATION | ||||||||||||||||
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102, Vasil Levski St. 5641 Apriltsi | ||
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© 2003 RTA Stara Planina. All rights reserved. |
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