Municipality of Ivanovo: the unknown face of Bulgarian tourism

published on 7/30/10 12:36 PM

The local villages have preserved olden folklore traditions

Photo: Veneta Nikolova

Despite the construction boom, Bulgaria can still offer wonderful nooks that peacefully reveal picturesque sights of pristine nature. For the more romantic travelers one such destination is the northern municipality of Ivanovo bordering on the River Danube, also known as Polomie. The waters of the River Russenski Lom and its tributaries Beli, Cherni and Mali Lom meander in the territory of the small municipality. Making their way through vertical canyons and rocks the powerful river waters have modeled unfathomably lovely landscapes for millions of years. Do not be surprised if a couple of Egyptian vultures or of black storks float above your head. High rock niches are the habitat of more than 110 fowl species some of them endangered worldwide. For this and other reasons, part of the valley of the river Russenski Lom has been declared a nature park. The area is a true discovery for nature-lovers where they can come across butterfly colonies, deer and other wild animals. The valley is known and often visited by British, German and Scandinavian ornithologists.

“The lovely villages of Polomie, though small, now offer nice guesthouses with traditional interiors”, explains Danka Mateeva, Municipality of Ivanovo Mayor. “They have gardens with tomatoes, peppers, chicken, rabbits and goats. This is a unique experience, a reunion with nature. To our surprise we already have keen visitors even from faraway Japan!”

The local villages have preserved olden folklore traditions, including some masquerade rituals. In the village of Koshov for example, they are called “Djamal” with exclusively male participants. Dressed in sheep’s skins and armed with wooden swords, the actors dance and sing round a strange creature not unlike a camel, and acted by two men. The ritual’s purpose is to drive evil forces away. Another way to enjoy local habits and ways is to taste irresistibly delicious food. Try the cheesecake, the stuffed vine or cabbage leaves or the mushroom casserole. The locals have for many years been involved in organic farming of mushrooms, fruit, vegetables and honey. Some of the most popular tourism addresses in the Municipality are the villages of Nisovo, Ivanovo, Koshov and Bozhichen. Guesthouses in them stick to the local tradition of exterior design, however inside they offer present-day comfort. Most of them have outdoor swimming pools, taverns and spacious gardens. Our guests are people who want to enjoy nature and quiet, says Miroslava Miteva, owner of a guesthouse in the village of Koshov.

“There are many ways to get entertained or to relax here. Tourists use the swimming pool, play billiards, football or badminton. We offer to them a self-catering facility – a kitchen and a garden barbecue. The rooms open up a great view to the canyon of the River Cherni Lom. The area is the habitat of the Egyptian Vulture, the Black Stork and the Common Buzzard. Ornithologists are delighted by the chance to watch those birds for hours.”

Apart from nature sights, the region is well-known for the chapels and monasteries caved into the rocky hills near Ivanovo. The main church in the compound which is under UNESCO aegis, is the Holy Virgin Church. Its vivid frescoes with biblical and evangelical scenes are dated to 14 c. A model medieval fortress survives in the archeological reserve of Cherven. The lovely vicinity of the village of Nisovo displays the remains of the so-called Horse Cemetery. Its gravestones are marked with encircled crosses reminding of some of the Knights Templar symbols. Not far from the village stands a nature wonder – a 700-year old European white elm, the oldest tree in this part of Bulgaria. Tourists are welcome to enjoy fishing, canoe rowing and various photo safaris.

English version Daniela Konstantinova

По публикацията работи: Veneta Nikolova

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Municipality of Ivanovo: the unknown face of Bulgarian tourism

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