
Troyan
The town of Troyan is located in the center of The Stara Planina (The Central Balkan Range), some 160 km northeast of Sofia and 120 km northwest of Plovdiv. The city is situated on the banks of the Cherni Osam River at an elevation of 450 meters above sea level. The Troyan Pass, which facilitates transportation to southern Bulgaria, is 22 km from the town of Troyan. The town has a population of 22,000 people.
Archeological excavations of the Troyan region have revealed that the area was a Thracian settlement as early as the 11th-10th centuries BCE. The Thracians gave the Central Balkan Range its original name – The Hemus Range. The name Troyan comes from the Latin name for the Roman road through the area – Via Trajana. Along this stretch of the Roman road more than 20 fortresses have been discovered.
During the first half of the 19th century, a number of handicrafts experienced rapid growth in Troyan, such as weaving, blacksmithing, and tanning. Pottery workshops also flourished, and the Troyan school of ceramics came to be highly regarded.
One of Troyan’s major attractions is its museum dedicated to folk art and traditional handicrafts. The museum exhibits offer examples of the artisans’ skills, along with their original tools and photographs illustrating techniques employed by ceramicists and metalworkers. Some 7 km from the town of Troyan is the National Collection of Handicraft and Folk Art in the village of Oreshak. The collection’s 9 exposition halls display unique works created by masters from every cultural region in Bulgaria.
Near Oreshak, there a very large monastery, the Troyan Monastery “Assumption of the Virgin.” Of particular interest is The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Church at the monastery, with murals by Zahary Zograf (1810-1853).
In the village of Cherni Osem, roughly 12 km from Troyan, there is an interesting museum dedicated to natural history. The collection includes almost every animal species found in The Central Balkans. The displays are divided into mammals, reptiles, birds, amphibians, fish, and so forth.
In the Osam River valley near Troyan, on the outskirts of the village Lomets, are remains of the Roman Sostra Fortress. This fortress was the sixth-way station along the Via Trajana that connected the Danube with the White Sea. The fortress was built as an encampment for Roman soldiers. Close to the encampment, there is a settlement, a necropolis, the early Christian basilica “Saint George,” earthenware ovens, and other artifacts. There are no tours of the site, but it may be visited free of charge.
Troyan is the access point to the Central Balkan National Park, where there are many marked hiking trails. Activities in the park include horseback riding and mountain biking, and there are trails particularly well-suited for bird watching. Troyan also offers excellent opportunities for winter sports. Near the Troyan Pass, 22 km southwest of the town, is the small ski center Bekleme. It has three ski runs serviced by two lifts, and is the best place for biathlon and cross-country skiing in Bulgaria.
Bekleme is also a convenient starting point to hike the trails in the Troyan Balkans.
The Troyan region is a preferred destination for those interested in hot springs. The villages of Chiflik and Shipkovo are both plentifully endowed with such springs. The region also offers excellent opportunities for village tourism.
Troyan is well-known for its plum brandy, and every year the town has a festival celebrating this heady beverage.
There are many kinds of accommodation in Troyan and the surrounding area – hotels, villas, and guesthouses – and the region’s dining facilities offer diverse possibilities to sample both the local cuisine and national dishes.
Opening hours
Opening Hours for The Troyan Museum of Folk Art and Traditional Handicrafts:
April – September
9.00 am – 5.00 pm
every day
November – March
9.00 am – 5.00 pm
Sunday by advance arrangement
Admission:
Adults – BGN 4
students – BGN 2
children under 7 – free admission
Tours are only offered in Bulgarian and cost BGN 10; the museum also offers audio tours in English and French for BGN 5.
Opening Hours for The Oreshak National Museum for Folk Art and Traditional Handicrafts:
Monday – Friday
9.00 am – 5.30 pm
Admission:
Adults – BGN
students – BGN 1
Tours in Bulgarian and English – BGN 10
The Troyan Monastery
Opening Hours:
8.00 am – 5.00 pm
every day
The Cherni Osam Natural History Museum
Opening Hours:
8.00 am – noon; 1.00 pm – 5.00 pm
every day
Admission:
Adults – BGN 2
students and seniors – BGN 1
Pre-recorded audio tours that play automatically when visitors approach the museum’s exhibits are in Bulgarian, English, Russian, German, French, and Spanish.
The price of the audio tour is BGN 5.
Contacts
The Troyan Regional Administrative Offices
1 Vazrazhdane Square, Troyan
Tel: +359 670 6 80 50
e-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.troyan.bg
The Troyan Museum of Folk Art and Traditional Handicrafts
1 Vazrazhdane Square, Troyan
Tel: +359 670 62063
e-mail: [email protected]
Website: https://troyan-museum.com/
The Cherni Osam Natural History Museum
132 Stara Planina Street, Cherni Osam Village, Troyan Region
Tel: +359 6952 28 16
Tel: +359 6952 23 17
Tel: +359 89 6700 533
Website: www.fairoreshakbg.com
The Troyan Monastery
Tel: +359 6952 2480
e-mail: [email protected]
Website: https://www.troyanmonastery.com/
The Cherni Osam Natural History Museum
Tel: +359 6962 2371
e-mail: [email protected]
The Oreshak National Museum for Folk Art and Traditional Handicrafts
e-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.fairoreshakbg.com
Staff members at The Troyan Museum of Folk Art and Traditional Handicrafts provide services to visitors in Bulgarian.
Staff members at The Oreshak National Museum for Folk Art and Traditional Handicrafts provide services to visitors in Bulgarian and English.
Staff members at The Cherni Osam Natural History Museum provide services to visitors in Bulgarian and Russian. Pre-recorded audio tours are available in Bulgarian, English, Russian, German, French, and Spanish.
Representatives of The Troyan Monastery offer excursions in Bulgarian and English.
TOURIST INFORMATION CENTER – TROYAN
Contacts
Tel/Fax: +359 670 60964
e-mail: [email protected]
e-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.troyan.bg
133, Vasil Levski Str., town of Troyan, 5600
Services
1. Tourist information, reservations and accommodation in the accommodation places, shelter, catering and entertainment on the territory of Troyan Municipality;
2. Tourist information about the cultural and historical landmarks on the territory of Troyan Municipality;
3. Selling of 3 types of specialized tourist maps of Troyan Municipality and the Central Balkan Mountain region;
4. Information about plane tickets, vacations and trips abroad, offered by tour operators.
Virtual map
Pictures
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