Lovech

Lovech, being one of the oldest Bulgarian towns, lies beautifully on both banks of the Osam river, some 170km to the northeast of Sofia. The today’s town is the successor of the Thracian town of Melta, located in the Hisarlaka area. During the Middle Ages, Lovech was a strategic military centre, called Lovuts, while in the 12th century, the town gradually moved to the right bank of the Osam river, where the current quarter of Varosha lies. In Byzantine times the Lovech Fortress defended successfully the road to Veliko Turnovo and forced the Byzantine Empire to conclude the famous Lovech Peace Treaty in 1187, which gave a new start to the Bulgarian state. In 13-14thc., Lovech became one of the most prosperous towns in Northern Bulgaria. The town saw a true revival in 18-19th c. with several schools opened in 1846-47, a ‘chitaliste’ (a library and community centre) - 1870, and a theatre group - 1872.

One can visit the Stratesh Park, which lies on the right bank of the Osam river and represents a wonderful place for relaxation with tourist facilities, monuments, ruins of a Medieval fortress and a zoo. It is also called the Park of Lilies for the presence of many such flowers there. There is also the Devetashka Cave which lies about 20km to the northeast of Lovech. The cave is unique for its huge entrance – 35-meter high and 55-meter wide - and the biggest cave hall in Southeast Europe. It has 7 openings on the ceiling and was inhabited by humans during the Paleolithic, Neolithic and Bronze eras. But the halls had been used as a storehouse for liquid fuels for many years and the cave was reopened for tourists only in 1996.