Berkovitsa is a town in northwestern Bulgaria with a population of around 14,000 people. It has a long history dating back to ancient Thracian settlements. Several important cultural and natural landmarks can be found in and around Berkovitsa, including the peak of Mount Kom, an important tourist site, and two historic churches from the Bulgarian Renaissance period. The town also has an ethnographic museum, art gallery, and the former home of famous Bulgarian author Ivan Vazov. Protected natural areas and the historic Klisura Monastery are located nearby.

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2. Berkovitsa
Prepared by: Pavlin Borislavov from the 9th grade

3. Berkovitsa
Berkovitsa is a town
in Montana region,
Northwestern
Bulgaria. It is an
administrative and
business center of
the Berkovitsa
municipality. The
population of the
city by 2011 is 13 917
inhabitants.

4. Geography of
Berkovitsa
Berkovitsa is located in a
hilly region at 405 m
above sea level, at the
foot of Berkovska
Mountain, near the
border with Serbia. The
town is 23 km from
Montana and 80 km
from Sofia.
The town is the starting
point for Kom peak,
about 18 km along a
mountain road from the
end of the city. Asphalt
roads lead to the Kom
hut and its nearby ski lift,
which runs during the
winter season.

5. Antiquity of
Berkovitsa
The earliest evidence of the
history of the city dates back
to the first millennium BC. At
that time, the Berkovski
region was inhabited by the
Thracian tribe of Misi, and in
the middle of the millennium
there are the tribal ones. At
the strategic heights around
the city the Thracians built
fortresses. They cultivated
wheat and sheep, worked
iron, and mined gold in the
valleys of the Zlatitsa and
Vreštitza rivers. In 29 BC the
Macedonian governor, Marc
Lizzini Kras, breaks the
barstars and conquers the
lands to the Danube River,
which borders our lands.

6. The province of Moesia was
established, which in 86 AD.
is divided into Upper and
Lower Mizia with the Tsibritsa
River border. The Romans
have romanized the local
Thracian population and
contributed to the
development of the
economy and culture.
Archaeological monuments
from that time are the Roman
villa near the village of
Kalimanitsa, the excavations
of the Berkovitsa fortress, the
Leskovski gradishte and the
necropolis near it, the stone
dump under the village of
Kotenovci, connected with
the washing of gold, the
stone sculpture, the jewels,
the coins, weapons,
household and construction
ceramics, which are kept in
the Historical Museum of the
city.

7. A large settlement and
fortress network was
built in the area -
"Kaleto" in Berkovitsa,
"Nepyrche" in
Zamfirovo, "Luddino" in
Bistrilitsa, "Montindel"
between Slatina and
Draganitsa and the
important
Montanesium military
camp in Montana. At
the end of the late
antiquity in 545-547,
the Huns devastated
the lands of Northwest
Bulgaria.

8. Public institutions
Berkovska Donation
Initiative Foundation
Berkovsko-patriotic
society
Berkovitsa
Development
Assistance Society
(DPRB) "Alternatives"
Berkovsky Youth
Municipal Council
Berkovska brass music,
head Rossen Georgiev
Youth organization
'Together for Berkovitsa'

9. Cultural and natural
landmarks
Peak Kom. There are many
other natural attractions -
the Kaleto area - a peak in
the very heart of the city,
from which you can see
the location of the city in
antiquity - used by the
Thracians to protect the
city from unwanted
invasions. . Also not far
from the city - only 16 km
away is the chalet "Kom".
The ski run near it can offer
a lot of fun for winter sports
enthusiasts. The peak is
part of the 100 national
tourist sites, the seal is
located in the new hut
"Kom".

10. The area of "Blue
Vine" - located
about 5 km outside
the town, a very
pleasant place for
recreation in the
nature, there is a
pond in the vicinity
where in the hot
summer days one
can cool and
refresh.

11. The oldest church in the
city: The Nativity of the
Most Holy Mother Church.
The church is a
contemporary of the
Bulgarian Renaissance, a
center of a male and a
girls' school, a spiritual
source of the Barkov
citizens. It was rebuilt in
1843. The iconostasis was
made by a Samokov
woodcarver. The icons are
written by Dimitar Zograf.
They can count on the best
created in Bulgaria during
the Revival period. The bell
tower was built in 1897. The
bells in it are two, made in
1845 in the city of
Budapest, and later
donated to the church by
the Düsseldorf guild.

12. The Church of St.
Nicholas the
Wonderworker, built
in 1871 by master
Georgi Novakov
Jongar. The
iconostasis is the
work of Dimitar
Fandakov, and the
icons of Konstantin
Angelov and Danail
from the town of
Shtip. In the church
there are icons by
Grigoriy Petzanov.

13. Turkish (Roman)
bath.
Architectural and
cultural
monument of
culture. It was
built in 1665. on a
part of the
foundations of the
walls of a Roman
bath. It was built
after the conquest
of the Berkovski
region by the
Romans.

14. The
Ethnographic
Museum is part
of the 100
National Tourist
Sites of BTS,
there is a seal.

15. Ivan Vazov
House Museum
- the creative
path of Ivan
Vazov is
presented, with
the greatest
attention being
paid to his time
in Berkovitsa.

16. City Art Gallery
"Father Paisii". The
building of the old
two-class school
"Otets Paisii", built in
1872, is today a city
art gallery for
Renaissance
painting and
carving. It is located
in the courtyard of
the church "St.
Nikolay the
Miracleworker".

17. The fund has begun
to assemble since
1969, today it has
1,440 pieces of art,
divided into sections:
painting, graphics,
drawing, cartoons,
sculptures, applied
art, icons are
Renaissance
painting, worked IX -
XX century. works of
many famous artists
from the country are
preserved

18. Protected
Areas
• Reserve "Upper
Coria"
• Samarite Protected
Site
• Protected Site
"Shabovitsa"
• Nature Spot
"Haidushki
Waterfalls"
• Nature Spot "Marble
Cave"

19. Klisura
monastery
Klisura Monastery "St.
St. Cyril and Methodius
"is an active Virgin
Orthodox monastery in
the Vidin Diocese. It is
located in northwestern
Bulgaria, Montana
district, Varshets
municipality, in the
village of Barzia
(between Berkovitsa
and Varshets).
Founded in the 13th
century. During the
Ottoman domination
he was repeatedly
destroyed.

20. Rebuilt at the end of
the 19th century. It is
located 85 km from
Sofia and 9 km from
Berkovitsa. Has the
status of a separate
settlement (with current
address). His temple
feast is on May 11th.
Fourth largest in
Bulgaria. Situated at
the foot of the northern
slopes of Mount
Todorini Dolls in the
Western Stara Planina
mountain. The Klisura
Monastery is situated in
a picturesque area. Its
area is an attractive
center for rest and
walk.