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Balkan Mountains
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Balkan mountains (Stara Planina) | |
| Range | |
 Raysko Praskalo waterfall
|
|
| Countries | Bulgaria, Serbia |
|---|---|
| Highest point | Botev |
| - elevation | 2,376 m (7,795 ft) |
| - coordinates | |
| Length | 530 km (329 mi), west-east |
| Width | 15 - 50 km (-16 mi), north-south |
| Area | 11,596 km² (4,477 sq mi) |
| Geology | granite, gneiss, limestone |
The Balkan mountain range (Bulgarian and Serbian: Стара планина, Stara planina, "Old Mountain") is an extension of the Carpathian mountain range, separated from it by the Danube River.
The Balkan range runs 560 km from the Vrashka Chuka Peak on the border between Bulgaria and eastern Serbia eastward through central Bulgaria to Cape Emine on the Black Sea. The highest peaks of the Stara planina are in central Bulgaria. The highest peak is Botev (2,376 m), located in the Central Balkan National Park (established 1991). The mountain gives the name of the Balkan Peninsula. Stara Planina played an enormous role in the History of Bulgaria and the development of the Bulgarian nation and people.
In earlier times the mountains were known as the Haemus Mons. Scholars consider that Haemus (Greek 'Aimos) is derived from an unattested Thracian word *saimon, meaning 'mountain range'.
Stara Planina is remarkable for its flora and fauna. Edelweiss grows there in the region of Koziata stena.
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In geological term Stara Plania is a young mountain. It is part of the Alp-Himalayan chain which stretches across most of Europe and Asia. It can be divided into two parts: the main Balkan Chain and the Pre-Balkan which follows the main chain to the north.
The mountain is cross by 20 passes and 2 gorges. There are paved roads crossing Stara Planina at the following passes (listed from west to east):
- Petrohan Pass: Sofia - Montana
- Iskar Gorge (Iskarski prolom ): Sofia - Vratsa (also railroad)
- Vitinya Pass: Hemus motorway (A2), Sofia - Botevgrad
- Beklemeto Pass: Troyan - Karnare
- Shipka Pass: Gabrovo - Kazanlak (also railroad)
- Pass of the Republic (Prohod na republikata): Veliko Tarnovo - Gurkovo
- Vratnik Pass: Elena - Sliven
- Kotel Pass (Kotlenski prohod): Kotel - Petolachka (Pentagram) crossroads
- Varbitsa Pass (Varbishki prohod): Shumen - Petolachka crossroads
- Rish Pass (Rishki prohod): Shumen - Karnobat
- Luda Kamchiya Gorge (Ludokamchiyski prolom): Dalgopol - Karnobat (also railroad)
- Dyulino Pass (Dyulinski prohod): Varna - Aitos
- Obzor Pass (Obzorski prohod): Varna - Burgas, future Cherno More motorway (A3)
- Botev Peak 2,376 m (named after Hristo Botev)
- Midzhur 2,169 m is the highest peak in Central Serbia
- Vezhen
- Kom
- Buzludzha
- Levski (named after Vasil Levski)
Stara Planina has a significant and very special place in the history of Bulgaria from its very foundation in 681. It was a natural fortress of the Bulgarian Empire for centuries and formed an effective barrier to Moesia where most of the Medieval capitals were located. The Balkan mountains were the site of numerous battles between the Bulgarian and the Byzantine Empires including the Battle of the Rishki Pass (759), Battle of the Varbitsa Pass (811), Battle of Tryavna (1190) and many others. In the battle of the Varbitsa Pass Khan Krum decisively defeated an enormous Byzantine army killing Emperor Nikephoros I. For many centuries the Byzantines feared that mountain and on several occasions Byzantine armies had pulled back only on the news of approaching Stara Planina.
During the Ottoman rule many haiduks found refuge in Stara Planina. Close to the highest summit, the Botev Peak, is Kalofer, the birth place of Hristo Botev, a Bulgarian poet and national hero who died in the Western Stara Planina near Vratsa in 1876 in the struggle against the Ottoman Empire. Also close to Botev peak is the Shipka Pass, the scene of the four battles in Russo-Turkish War, 1877-78 which ended Turkish rule in the Balkans. Close to the pass in the village of Shipka there is a Russian Orthodox church, built to commemorate Russian and Bulgarian bravery during pass defense.
- Rhodope Mountains, Rila, Pirin, Dinaric Alps, Šar mountain, Pindus — other major mountain chains in the Balkan region
- Balkans