Varbitsa brings together different periods and themes: the Church of St Dimitar dates from 1842, the Troshka-Mahala Mosque from 1900; alongside them are house architecture, an ethnographic collection and an Ivanovden tradition. Archaeological finds in the area date back much further. Momin Grad Reserve and the Kotlenska Planina Natura 2000 site add further points of interest. When planning your trip, architectural history, tradition and nature can offer different focal points.
Architectural history, architecture and collection
The Church of St Dimitar in Varbitsa was built in 1842, and the Troshka-Mahala Mosque in 1900. These are two specific construction dates for the city’s religious buildings. Those interested in the history of buildings will find two distinct dates here, which are easy to distinguish.
The Vasilakeva House is a two-storey house of the Kamchiya type, built in the Revival architectural style. Its upper floor is made of wood, the roof has deep overhangs, and an external staircase leads to an open veranda. These features make the design tangible: the floor plan, materials, roofline and veranda each offer a different way to appreciate the architecture.
The Vasilakieva House in the centre of Varbitsa houses the municipality’s only ethnographic collection. It includes a donation from Dr Anton Sirakov consisting of 520 volumes. The cultural focus therefore encompasses not only buildings but also a collection with a specific stated size and an associated donation.
A high stone wall remains at the Gerai Saray (Konak) site in Varbitsa. The remains of a large building that burned down in the 1980s are also located there. The wall and the building remains are two different structural traces of the site: a surviving structure and the remains of a destroyed building.
Traditions and earlier history
Archaeological finds and burial mounds in the Varbitsa area are dated approximately to the 3rd to 4th centuries BC. This approximate dating extends the view beyond the construction dates mentioned above and explicitly includes the Varbitsa area.
During the Ivanovden tradition in Varbitsa, married men bathe unmarried men in the Gerila River. The celebration also includes an orchestra, wrestling matches and a Horo dance performed by men. The bathing is therefore not the only activity: music, competition and dance are also part of the celebration. The Varbishki Pass is mentioned in Byzantine chronicles from the year 679 under the name “Verigava”.
Nature and directions at the pass
Momin Grad Reserve covers 6.6 hectares of beech forest; the trees are 160 years old on average. The Kotlenska Planina Natura 2000 site is dedicated to protecting wild birds; 56 bird species are listed for this conservation effort. Their focal points differ: Momin Grad is characterised by its area, forest type and average tree age, while Kotlenska Planina focuses on bird conservation and the number of species listed.
The Varbishki Pass Hut is located in Mator Planina, on the northern branch of the eastern Stara Planina, near Varbishki Pass. The paved road from Varbitsa is 9 kilometres long. The hut has a capacity of 62 people. Its location, access distance and capacity offer different points of reference when the pass is part of your plans.
When looking for a holiday apartment in Varbitsa, you can start by considering which themes will shape your trip: architectural history and the collection, the Ivanovden tradition, or nature and the pass.
Discover more destinations: Sushina.
Go to the overview of destinations: Varbitza.
