Information about the town of Elena

Elena municipality is located in the north central region of the Republic of Bulgaria and occupies the southern part of Veliko Tarnovo, the higher parts of the region and the mountain, its boundaries reach Stara Planina ridge on the northern slopes of Central Stara Planina and foothills north of it.

The territory of the municipality is 671.39 square kilometers and an altitude of 100 to 1536 meters. The terrain is varied - from hills and plains in the north to clear mountain in the south, characterized by steep slopes and deeply incised river valleys. Prevailing terrain with altitude 300-600 m and slopes 20-30 degrees, which aggravates the terms of use. Peak "Chumerna" (1536 m) is the highest peak of the Elena -Tvarditsa Mountain.

Elena Municipality borders six municipalities in five regions: north and northwest by the municipality Zlatarica and Veliko Turnovo Municipality; northeast - with Antonovo Municipality of Targovishte; eastern border with the municipality of Sliven, south along the ridge of Stara Planina, borders with municipalities Tvardica of Sliven and Stara Zagora.

Elena is located 41 km from Veliko Tarnovo, 20 km from Zlatarica, 71 km from Antonovo, 75 km from the town of Kotel 79 km from the town of Sliven, 40 km from Tcarditsa, 52 km from Republic of town.

The climate in Elena is temperate continental with typical mountain regions weather events. In the valleysare dominating the summer rainfalls, which help to maintain the freshness and greenery around the city until late autumn. Snow usually occurs in early December and goes around mid-March.

Beginnings of organized recreational and sports movement in Elena are noticed in the early years after Liberation.

It was no coincidence that the first call made ​​by Aleko Konstantinov for climbing the  Cherni Vrah Peak in 22/08/1895 year by the three hundred enthusiasts founders of the Bulgarian Tourist Club, seven were Elena citizens. So naturally on June 14, 1901 creates Tourist Association "Chumerna" first in Tarnovo region and sixth in the country. A little later in 1908 was created Sports Society "Chumerna".

Encouraged and supported by the local community began the creation of sports facilities. They built huts, playgrounds, bedrooms drawn tourist routes. In 1926, eleven years later due to the outbreak of World War I, opened hut "Chumerna" - the third hut in the country after "Skakavitsa" and "Aleko".

Long and full of successes and reverses is the history of Elena athletes and tourists. Creating traditions and facilities are the fruit of unfailing enthusiasm of several generations of our citizens.

Elena Municipality has lots of sports and tourism, which are built for many years.

Near the hut "Chumerna" is a ski slope, 750 m long ski - lift type "Panichka" and a ski locker. Ski lift and ski storage is also available at a small ski slope Miikovtsi.

Elena Municipality has eight ground fields for sports orientation, which makes it the richest sporting polygons in Bulgaria.

Hut "Bukovetz" has equipment for rock climbing routes for beginners and intermediates. The area is suitable for organizing and rope trolley.

In the municipality are marked and maintained hiking 6 main routes:

1. Village Usoi - "Markov stone" - "Raev stone" –village Usoi, 3:30 hrs

2 . Elena - village Valchevtsi - Kapinovo monastery 5:00 hrs

3 . Village Miikovtsi -hut "Chumerna" - Chumerna peak- 4:00 hrs

4 . Village Miikovtsi - hut "Bukovetz" - 3:00 hrs

5 . Elena - "Hristovski waterfall" – Village Ruhovtsi - 3:30 hrs

6 . Elena – Gorni Chukani - inn “Boaza”- Bratovanov town 4:00 hrs

7 . Elena–Gorni Chukani- village Tarkasheni - village  Darevtsi-Bartovanov town 4:00hrs

Elena Balkan is perfect place for cycling. Lovers of sport can use routes on asphalt, on rough terrain or extreme downhill.

Horse race in Elena offers riding for beginners and advanced, and horse riding in the mountains.

In Elena and surroundings are four outdoor swimming pools – by the stadium, at "Central", in the inn "Boaza" and at "Kostadinovite home". Indoor pool can be used all year-round in hotel "Perun", hotel "Eeni Palace".

There is a possibility to use a stadium with running track, volleyball court with sand finish and tennis courts.

In the Park "Kaleto" keen sportsmen can train to Street fitness on parallel bars, rings, monkey ladder, lever rotation, station for pushups and 45 degree ladder.

Nest to the stadium is a sports hall for wrestling and strength training for capacity. There is a built sauna.

In the city center there is a combined basketball, volleyball and mini football with space for viewers.

Another sports complex is located in "Ivan Momtchilov " which offers: grassed soccer field, a playground and a sports hall with artificial climbing wall.

Municipal Children's Complex Elena occupies an old Renaissance building of two floors. As a service unit in education is the successor of the traditions left by former center for children. In it, children develop educational, creative and physical pursuits and participate in the school forms such as circles, schools, clubs and more. For understanding of the leisure time of students choose to develop their creativity, work teachers supporting this cause wholeheartedly. Municipal Children's Complex Elena is visited annually by nearly 140 children attending eight permanent and two temporary groups to work during the holidays. Typical activities are going in circle in Painting, Arts and Crafts - Carving and floristry, Local History and ethnography, vocal group "Happy Bells", Composition modern ballet "Velvet", Composition of modern dance "Viva”, Composition of Bulgarian folk dance "Balkan rhythms". Over the years, participants in the different school forms won many awards from local, national and international competitions, festivals and competitions.

Of all preserved old houses in Elena most interesting house museum is "Ilarion" which is located on "Twice Grammarian" № 2. It is a cultural monument of national importance. In it was born the fighter for religious independence Ilarion, his brother Nicholas Mikhailovsky - a prominent literary and cultural renaissance figure and his son, the poet - satirist Mihaylovski. In one of the rooms in 1863 was founded library/theater “Napredak”.

Besides the historical significance this house has a high architectural value. It is the kind of rich Elena houses in old Bulgarian style with wooden beams. It was built around 1710-1715 of stone and wood in three successive stages of development that do not violate the single impact of the building. It was built in combination of two materials - stone and wood, but more is the use of wood. The building has two floors with varied volume and picturesque appearance - eaves, balconies, lattice windows.

On the ground floor there are cellars, warehouses, stables and a living room. Upstairs leads to two separate staircases - one covered in the western part and the other open - in the eastern part of the house. Half of the verandah is covered by a raised bedstead. It in summer days the big family was resting there.

In the eastern part of the yard of this house is Hadzhihristovata fountain. Previously was located on the main street opposite the home of the writer Petko Todorov Jordanov, but by the regulation of the street had to be moved. It was built in 1754 by Kara Joan from Arbanasy, great-uncle of Makariopolski. Renewed in 1813 by Hadji Stoyan Mihalyov father of Makariopolski. In its present appearance was repaired in 1873 by Hadji Christo, brother of Ilarion. From there it was named Hadjihristov fountain. Near it is a bust- monument of Makariopolski.

Remarkable and original monument of culture in Elena, of national importance, is the tower of the town clock. The place is aptly chosen to be seen and heard from every part of the city. The Clock Tower, the dome of the church "Uspenie" and the bell tower are triple dominant that marks public religious center of the town.

Popnikolov house is one of the most characteristic in Elena. It was built in the first half of the XIX century - around 1830. In the first years after the liberation in it was placed urban technical service, so called "The old engineering". The building has three floors with a ground floor and two more floors. In the basement there are two shops with stone walls and the upper floors are residential. The house is a cultural monument of national importance.

In this version of the story of Elena owes much to Stefan Krastev and Zdravko Mollov - unfortunately already deceased and Petko D. Petkov who are researchers of Elena and Bulgarian history in general. Here in pristine ancient forests curved path carrying the happy bridal couple - girl Elena from the village of Kapinovo and the young Samuel from Tvardica. Robbers attacked a wedding venue that is now Elena. A thief that lost the battle for the heart of the girl and she was killed in Konashkiya bridge buried in the area the "Krastat", then later became Cherkovishte, and Samuel was slain on the outskirts of the city and the area named "Samuilets". Out of grief for their child, her parents settled here and founded the village, which Elena is now.

Life in the valley existed in the coming days, as evidenced by the collective discovery of copper coins found near Bratovanovgrad and dated from the reign of John Tsimishi (969-976 years). Then Elena was crossed of important roads coming from the Danube valley to the Thracian Plain. Evidence of ancient times are very scarce and are associated with the legends of many monasteries in Dospatlii (near the villages Stevrek and Sredno selo) and the worst memories of the conquest of Bulgaria by the Ottomans.

One thing is without doubt. Settlements in the valley Elena continued during the time of Ottoman rule an older habitation tradition left over from the time of the medieval Bulgarian state was lost.

In the fall of the Old Kingstown Veliko Tarnovo under Ottoman rule many Bulgarians sought refuge from the Turkish in the Balkan depths. Karsho the rebelian wringing leader settled in the "Murtvinata" southeast of Elena. Of its neighborhood Karshovtsi he was hitting on invader who dared to reach these places. Fearlessly the hero was killed in a bloody battle near the village of Stara Reka.

Under pressure from the Turkish invaders in Elena refuge most rebellious and awake Bulgarians. They fled the areas affected by the Ottoman colonization and conversion to Islam, seeking shelter and protection in the mountain recesses and to escape destruction and Turkicisation. No doubt there is some truth in assumptions for accommodation in Elena of settlers from Pirdop during the great march of Vladislav III Jagiello and Yanush Hunyadi (1443-1444 years), as well as refugees from Berkovitsa after the brutal suppression of the Chiprovsko uprising in 1688.

It is known that in the record of any war and as well as in the Russo -Turkish 1877-1878, has the most illustrious battles and victories (as the one in the passage of the Danube at Svishtov, the epic battle of Shipka, the one by Stara Zagora and etc.), and a small number of smaller- scale and glory, but played an important, even crucial to the development and outcome of the war. Such a heroic battle is the one in November-December 1977, by the villages of Maryan and Elena.

"I am afraid - writes English correspondent of the newspaper "Times" that I would have another story to describe if the onslaught at Elena was not stopped. Important and essential it is that it was not allowed Suleiman Pasha same day to end up in front of the Sveta Gora (Veliko Tarnovo), because from there Pleven is only 120 km".

Failure in the war Suleiman Pasha was sentenced to 16 years in prison and the charges that he did not get the "least good" of victory at Helena and thus becomes the "cause of the capitulation of Pleven army".

People from Elena region enthusiastically welcome the liberators and were ready to help them with everything for the liberation from the Ottoman Empire. Prominent people of Elena were included in liberating march of the Russian army. Petko Vassilev Gorbanov, the first Bulgarian student at Robert College in Istanbul and the first Bulgarian teacher in it, on the eve of war gathered detailed information on the Russian army required for its activities south of the Danube. Russian command accepts his proposal to crossing the Danube at Zimnich - Svishtov.

Received freedom at the cost of very great suffering and sacrifice on the part of the liberators the population of Elena region preserved in their hearts most sincere affection and deep gratitude to the Russian people. To perpetuate the memory of those who died for our freedom Russian soldiers and officers thanked - the people of Elena made 11 memorial symbols of the great sacrifice of the Russian people for the freedom of the enslaved Bulgarian people: west of Elena, the area under the region Chukani, under Gorni Maryan on Maryanskata grove, in the village of Constantine, village of Kostel, Zlatarica, Karaorman and Mindya village.

Every year on 5 December, declared a local holiday, people from Elena and Elena region gather for a massive worship at these monuments and pay deserved tribute to Russian heroes that shed their blood for our freedom. This kept people's memory alive; the memory of the brave sons of Russia, that offered up their lives as a sacrifice for the freedom of Bulgaria.