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The mountains of Bulgaria are unusually divers in respect of the
flora and fauna.
Most of them are easy of access, which make them suitable for
mountain tourism, rest in the nature, medication, science and
research.
Rila
The highest mountain on the Balkan Peninsula. It is 2630 square
miles wide.
Rila means The Water Mountain, because of the many mountain lakes,
which makes this mountain an important waterpower system. There
are five altitude belts formed in Rila -
low mountain belt, middle mountain belt, high mountain belt, subalpine
and alpine belts. The average year temperature of Moussala is
-3°C. It is the highest peak on the Balkan Peninsula with its
2925 m.Rila gives birth to the biggest Bulgarian rivers - Iskar,
Maritza and Mesta. In the foots of the mountain gush out many
hot mineral springs. One of them is
Sapareva Bania with maximum temperature +100°C.
There are two vegetation zones - herbaceous and wooded under 200
m, where grow rare herbal species - white pine, black pine, white
fir, hornbeam, etc.
The fauna is represented by black eagle, falcon, and deers, does,
bears, wild goats, wolves, wild boars, hawks and many more.The
biggest monastery in Bulgaria is located in Rila -
the Rila Monastery with its century history.There are 140 lakes
in Rila and the transparency of their blue-green waters reaches
10 m in depth. The most beautiful are the so-called
seven Rila lakes. The deepest of them is Okoto /The Eye/ -37,5m,
the highest is Sulzata /The Teardrop/. The Icy Lake is the highest
of all Rila lakes - it is located
at 2709 m above sea-level. Smradlivoto ezero /The Stinky Lake/
is the biggest - 212 dka.
All lakes are located at more than 1800 m above sea level.
Pirin
It is called the Mountain of the Gods. Its peaks are often soar
above the clouds. On the slopes of the highest and most beautiful
peak - Vihren with its 2914m, one can see the edelweiss - an alpine
law-protected flower. There are 119 lakes-the deepest is 29.5
m, and the biggest -12,4ha. The most remarkable tree in this mountain
and in Bulgaria is Baikushevata Mura - with its 1300 years, 22
m high and 2,4 m diameter. Here in Pirin one can see the multitude
of circuses, moraines, the famous sand pyramids of Melnik with
their 100 m height.
The Rhodopes
The beauty is all around you when you are in the Rhodopes Mountain.
Old people say:"When you see the Rhodopes, you can die in peace".The
Rhodopes is
the widest mountain in Bulgaria. It is all green and that makes
it very attractive in all seasons. The highest peak here is Goliam
Perelik - 2191 m and average year temperature +5-10°C. One of
the most beautiful and picturesque sites is the Trigrad Gorge
and its caves Diavolskoto Gurlo
and Yagodinska Pestera, the caves Snezhanka and the upright rocks
on which grow trees - the guards of the mountain. The Rhodopes
is rich with mineral and curative springs, as well as biospherical
reserves - "The Red Wall" -3000ha, where live over 645 herbal
species, 38 of them are inscribed in the Red Book.Local specialties
are unique and perfectly match with the music of the Bulgarian
bagpipes, made by master bagpipers from the local folklore schools.The
heaped up cosmical energy in the Krustova Gora area attracts thousands
of pilgrims. In its chapel a night lithurgy is officiated and
old legends are told.
Stara Planina
Stara Planina is the longest mountain in Bulgaria. It is 550 km
long and 10-35 km wide.
The total area of that mountain is about 11 000 sq.km. The relief
here is mostly of middle - mountain type mixed with an alpine.
Stara Planina is an old-creased and highly eroded mountain. Well
formed ridges, banks, defiles, valleys, karsts and saddles are
typical for Stara Planina. There are many beautiful places for
mountain tourism and resting here. Also, there are lots of eco-paths
and reserves on its territory.The highest peak of Stara Planina
is Botev -2376 m. This is the most mist covered peak of all in
Bulgaria. Its average year temperature is -0,7°C.We can find the
beauty of Stara Planina in its vertical rocks, the hard-to-pass
places, the multitude of rivers and small pools with drinking
mountain water, its various flora and fauna.
The mountains of Bulgaria are exceptionally beautiful and bring
joy to the tourist
who walks them through. Vitosha, Strandga, Sakar, Lyulin, Osogovo
and many more -
all of them hide old legends and mysteries, beauty and the most
important thing - they keep the ancient spirit of Bulgaria and
its people.
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