Gabrovo Municipality ( Bulgarian : Община Габрово ) is a municipality ( obshtina ) in Gabrovo Province , North-central Bulgaria , located on the northern slopes of the central Stara planina mountain to the area of the so-called Fore-Balkan . It is named after its administrative centre - the city of Gabrovo which is also the capital of the province.
8-457: The municipality embraces a territory of 555.57 km (214.51 sq mi) with a population of 67,501 inhabitants, as of December 2009. Aside from the rich cultural landmarks of the main city, the area is best known with the beautifully preserved architectural reserve of Bozhentsi village and the north approach to Shipka Pass which was a noted place of the Bulgarian history and one of
16-535: A nave and two aisles, is a remarkable example of the National Revival style. Domes can be seen hidden under the ceiling, as well as massive stone walls and the typical Bozhentsi arches. The church was erected in 1835, and the village's influential residents were allowed to construct a belfry, which was usually strictly forbidden by the Ottoman authorities. The former class school was constructed in 1872 and
24-459: The 18th century. The main production consisted of leather, wool, beeswax and honey. The village of Bozhentsi was proclaimed an architectural and historical reserve in 1964 and is part of UNESCO 's cultural monuments. The National Revival architecture has been preserved in Bozhentsi due to this, and there is a ban on the construction of any buildings that do not fit with the village's style. As
32-400: The capital then fled to settle in remote and secure parts of the mountains. According to the legend, among them was the young female noble ( bolyarka ) Bozhana; she chose to hide in the area where the village is today and became its namesake . The noble's sons engaged in trade and the village gradually grew to become an important trade junction during the National Revival towards the middle of
40-454: The main transport connections between the north and south parts of Bulgaria and the Balkan peninsula . (towns are shown in bold): Population (December 2009) The following table shows the change of the population during the last four decades. According to the latest Bulgarian census of 2011, the religious composition, among those who answered the optional question on religious identification,
48-692: The middle part of the Balkan Mountains , 15 km east of Gabrovo and just north of the Shipka Pass . It is noted for its well-preserved Bulgarian National Revival architecture and history, and is thus a well-known tourist destination in the area. Bozhentsi was established after the incursion of Ottoman Turks in Veliko Tarnovo , the former capital of the Second Bulgarian Empire , in the 16th century. Many residents of
56-495: The settlers during the Ottoman rule were mostly wealthy people, many of the houses have two storeys, the first being used as a cattle-shed and the second being inhabited by the owners. Characteristic features of the Bozhentsi architecture are the verandas, the stone-plate roofs, the corner fireplaces and the ceiling woodcarvings. The pavement of the streets in the village is only cobblestone. The Prophet Elijah basilica, featuring
64-459: Was the following: Bozhentsi Bozhentsi ( Bulgarian : Боженци [boˈʒɛnt͡si] ; also variously transliterated as Bozhenci, Bojenci, Bojenzi, Boženci, Bojentsi, Bojentzi, Bozhentzi , etc.), officially but not commonly Bozhentsite (Боженците), is a village and architectural reserve in Gabrovo municipality, Gabrovo Province , in central northern Bulgaria . The village lies in
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