| Information on the city of Troyan |
Troyan Municipality is located at the foot of Stara Planina Mountain. It consists of 38 residential places with a territory of 888 850 square meters. The town of Troyan lies on the terraced banks of Beli Osam river, at an altitude of 450 meters and it has 25 000 inhabitants. That geographical location provides favourable conditions for good transport connections. You can reach South Bulgaria through Troyan Pass. The distance to Sofia is 160 km and to Varna - 300 km. Troyan is named after the ancient Roman road Via Trayana crossing the Balkan Mountain through today’s Troyan Pass. During the Russian-Turkish War of Liberation in 1877 Troyan was devastated by the Turkish army and then rebuilt out of the ashes.
Troyan is famous for its traditions in carpentry, wood-carving, pottery-making and woolen textile which are still leading and vital together with fruit-growing, especially of plums. Nowadays it is known as the town of plums and the famous plum brandy. In autumn there is a celebration of plums and plum brandy. Due to the favourable climate Troyan Municipality is attractive during all seasons of the year and it directs its efforts towards tourism development and its turning into a priority for the region. Its natural gifts are used for the development of balneology (favourable climate for healing pulmonary deseases - Shipkovo and Chiflik), hunting, mountain and eco-tourism, ski-sports (Beklemeto), as well as for trips to the 15th century Troyan monastery and Oreshaka. The National exhibition of crafts and applied arts is traditional for Oreshaka. Many craftsmen - both local and from all over the country participate in the exhibition and show the achievements of their crafts.
Troyan Monastery must have been in existence long before the l5th century, as legends suggest. It flourished again about the year 1600. From the oldest church it is only the throne stone that has been preserved. Towards the beginning of the l9th century the monastery was restored. A wonderful main church was built and then painted by Zahari Zograph in 1847-1849. Spacious residential wings with wide verandas were built and a tower was raised in the monastery courtyard with a winter church and a belfry on the last floor. St. Paraskeva Church in the town of Troyan was built in 1835. It is a still functioning church and a monument of architecture and culture towering above the town center. October 14th, the day of St. Paraskeva – the patron saint of Troyan is a public holiday in Troyan.
|