Different themes come together in Elhovo Municipality: protected habitats, archaeological sites and insights into local life in past centuries. When planning your trip, you can therefore weigh up nature and cultural history. Some places are in the town of Elhovo, while others are in individual villages in the municipality.
Nature Conservation and Habitats
Elhovo Municipality has two nature reserves, one natural monument and seven protected landscape areas. Balabana Nature Reserve covers 76.98 hectares and is located in the town of Elhovo. Its habitats include those of various heron species as well as flat floodplain forests. The also-protected area of Dolna Topchia is located in the village of Trankowo. Covering 467.47 hectares, it is characterized as a habitat of the Colchian pheasant and by floodplain forest.
Other protected areas have different focuses. The five-hectare Dranchi Dupka Natural Monument is located in the village of Melnitsa and protects a cave. The Tundzha River Gorge protected area is in the village of Lesovo. It covers 1,891.21 hectares and protects habitats of 149 bird species, eight amphibian species and 21 reptile species.
The Tundzha River 2 habitat protection area includes parts of the town of Elhovo and the villages of Boyanovo, Granitovo, Izgrev, Kirilovo and Trankowo. Its total area is 5,948.72 hectares. Within the municipality, the Dervent Heights bird protection area includes the villages of Valcha Polyana, Golyam Dervent, Lalkovo, Lesovo, Malko Kirilovo, Melnitsa, Razdel, Slaveykovo and Chernozem. Habitats of various heron species and flat floodplain forests are protected there. The Sakar habitat protection area, in turn, protects native plant and animal species, including the Colchian pheasant.
These areas represent different natural themes: floodplain forests and herons, cave protection, and habitats of bird, amphibian and reptile species. The areas and location details also make clear that these are distinct protected areas in different places. If natural history particularly interests you, you can take these specific focuses into account when choosing destinations for your trip.
Museum and Local Ways of Life
The Ethnographic and Archaeological Museum is in the center of Elhovo, in two two-storey buildings. They were built in 1933 and connected in the 1960s. The first exhibition hall focuses on the livelihoods and crafts of the local population from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Topics include agriculture, wine and tobacco growing, livestock breeding, hunting and fishing, as well as coppersmithing and tailoring. Everyday livelihoods are presented alongside specialized crafts.
The fourth exhibition hall is devoted to festivals and customs. These include weddings, Lazaruvane and Koledari customs. The Ethnographic Museum in Elhovo is one of Bulgaria’s 100 national tourist sites. Those interested in cultural history will find here both themes from everyday life and occasions and customs that shaped community life.
Archaeological Sites in the Municipality
The archaeological sites also differ in location and period. In the area of the village of Stroyno is the Manastircheto–St. Iliya architectural complex, with a temple tholos from the Roman era. In Melnitsa is the Gradishte fortress, which dates to the Late Antique and medieval periods. Together with the museum’s themes, these sites offer another perspective on the cultural history of Elhovo and the villages in the municipality.
Choosing a Focus for Your Trip
To help you decide, you can first distinguish between the town and the municipality: the museum is in the center of Elhovo, while protected areas and archaeological sites are also located in several villages. If you are particularly interested in crafts and customs, the museum offers specific themes to explore. Nature enthusiasts can focus on floodplain forests, herons and the protection of various animal species, among other topics.
Discover more destinations: Lalkovo, Granitovo, Elhovo, Izgrev, Kirilovo, Straldzha Municipality, Tundja.
Go to the regional travel overview: Yambol Province.
