Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2024 All Rights Reserved

Residents of Velichka village are proud of their two centenary oaks

The 550 year old oak tree in the centre of the village
Photo: BTA

There is no inhabitant of the village of Velichka (north-eastern Bulgaria) who does not know about the two centuries-old oaks that have become part of the natural heritage of their settlement. The trees belong to the species Quercus spp. In 1990 they were fenced in and signs were put up indicating their approximate age.

There is an oak almost in the centre of Velichka, in front of the mosque built in 1683. It is 550 years old, 22 metres high and 5.30 metres in circumference. Former mayor Shukri Ahmed recalled to a BTA reporter that in his childhood, on the days of the major Muslim holidays of Ramadan Bayram and Eid, children and adults would gather near the tree. People would tie a swing to the branches for the children to play on. There are two potable wells next to the tree.



The other oak stands at the lower end of Velichka, near the local pond, on the road to the neighbouring village of Mengishevo. It is half a century younger - "only" 500 years old, 18 metres tall and 4.95 metres in circumference.

Both of Velichka's centenarian trees are part of a total of 29 centenarian trees protected under the Law on Biological Diversity that grow in the Targovishte region.



Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.

More from category

Perperikon is among the world's top 10 ancient wonders

Perperikon - the ancient Thracian city near Kardzhali, made it to the top 10 of the world's must-see sites, according to a ranking by the Guardian newspaper. The site is listed alongside Neolithic structures in Spain and France, ancient Roman baths..

published on 12/15/24 10:47 AM
Photo:

Journey with Santa Claus and Snow White - winter magic with the Rhodope narrow gauge railway

This year, the traditional Christmas trip with the Rhodope Narrow Gauge Railway will take place on December 22, Kristian Vaklinov, founder and chairman of the Rhodope Narrow-Gauge Railway Association, told the BNR-Blagoevgrad. Santa Claus and Snow..

published on 12/15/24 8:20 AM

Three collared peccaries and a tufted capuchin are the new stars of the Stara Zagora Zoo

The zoo in Stara Zagora has new residents – three female collared peccaries and a male tufted capuchin named Lucho. The animals arrived from the Sofia Zoo under a breeding loan agreement.The practice of zoos exchanging animals for breeding purposes..

published on 12/15/24 6:05 AM