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Centralnorth Bulgaria > Gorna Oryahovitsa > Surrounding areas
Surrounding areas of Gorna OryahovitsaThe already mentioned ruins of Medieval Rahovets are located at the distance of 4 km north-west of the town. The fortress (about 250 m in length) was amongst inaccessible rocks in the area. Nowadays only parts of its foundations can be seen. It takes about an hour walk from the centre of the town. Within 1 km from there are the following interesting sites: the locality of Bahadur with the late Medieval necropolis, the St. Petka Cheshma (drinking- fountain) and the locality of the same name where was the settlement of Temnigrad (Dark Town) of the late Medieval Period, the Ovchars Cheshma (shepherds drinking-fountain) which supplied water to the Rahovets Fortress by means of a pipeline.
The ruins of the Thracian Fortress on the Kamuka (Stone) Hill are located immediately south of Rahovets. The wall of the fortress adds up to 350m in length, and there are ruins of a Thracian sanctuary in the middle - a square indented into the rock with the side being 2 m long and the depth of 0.5 m. A little cave goes on from there downward. The site of the Thracian sanctuary has its following interesting explanation - the high temperature of the limestone during the summer causes a powerful ascending stream which splits the storm- and hail-bearing clouds and throws them aside. That is why hail falls on the northern slopes of the Kamuka and not on its south-eastern slopes where the vineyards and the settlement itself were located.
Bozhura Forest Park (at the distance of 7 km west of the town, behind the Rahovets Fortress). The Bozhur (Peony) Chalet offering 40 beds in 5- or 6-bed rooms is located here. There is no regular transport running to it but there is an asphalt road as well as a marked hiking track from Gorna Oryahovitsa (1.30 hours) as well as from Veliko Turnovo (2.30 hours).
The town of Lyaskovets - an old horticultural, vine-growing and wine-producing centre which has preserved its foremost role in this respect up to these days is located at the distance of 3 km south-east of Gorna Oryahovitsa. Lyaskovets is a picturesque town of the Revival Period with about 80 old houses grouped mainly in 5 little romantic streets. There are several churches with valuable icons and wood-carvings on their altars, too - St. Atanas Church, restored in 1835 after a fire, St. Dimitur Church of 1724, St. Nikola Church, St. Georgi Church and St. Vassilii Church with a clock on its belfry. There is a Museum of History and a Museum of Gardening (unique of its kind in Bulgaria). A town bus line is functioning between the two towns and it is possible to get here by train on the Gorna Oryahovitsa - Elena railway line.
The village-museum of Arbanassi is situated not far from Gorna Oryahovitsa (at the distance of 4 km south-west, refer to the Veliko Turnovo related section herein), as well as the ancient monasteries - Preobrazhenski Monastery, The Holy Trinity Monastery, the Kilifarevo Monastery, the St. St. Peter and Pavel Monastery (refer to the Veliko Turnovo related section herein) and the Kapinovo and Plachkovo Monasteries (refer to the Elena related section herein).
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