Shipka, Bulgaria

Shipka. Following the disappointing uprising in April 1876, the Ottoman response was violent – tens of thousands of Bulgarians were slaughtered. This led to diplomatic and military interventions by foreign powers and in 1877 Russia declared war on the Ottomans. The Russian army crossed the Danube at Shvishtov and then detached into different parts of Bulgaria. One detachment of about 7000 soldiers secured an important pass through the Stara Planina Mountains between Gabrovo and Shipka, known as the Shipka Pass. The battle at the Shipka Pass represented a major victory over the Ottomans and ultimately the Russian/Bulgarian forces won the war in early 1878.

Shipka is a non-descript Balkan town, largely rebuilt and repopulated during the communist period. The only point of interest in the town is the Shipka Memorial Church dedicated to Russian and Bugarian soldiers who lost their lives defending the Shipka Pass. If you happen to approach the church from the south, you will see the largest of the bright, gilded onion domes from about 5 km away. A Czech architect, A.I. Tomisko, was commissioned by Russian aristocrats to construct the edifice; it was completed in Sept. 1902. The church was designed in imperial Russian style with an elaborate entrance and the main body of the church. The entrance consists of a robust block in the form of a four-way triumphal arch; an ornate spire springs 50 meters in height from a ring of columns set atop the entrance. The roof of the main body of the church is embellished by five gilded onion domes. At the sides are porticoes. The exterior of the church is painted, like it or not, in pink and green; the interior is decorated by a standard pattern of Orthodox imagery.

Very worth a detour are a number of very well preserved Thracian tumulus tombs and a roadside café that offers excellent yogurt made from water buffalo milk. The café is located about 3 km southeast of Shipka on the E85. There is an assortment of drinks and snacks, but you must try the creamy yogurt whose flavor bears a hint of the hay consumed by the water buffalo. If you miss this stop, you will have another chance to taste the local yogurt (including a variety flavored by rose petals) at the top of Mount Stoletov, not far from the Shipka Monument. Of the many Thracian tombs in the region, three can be visited. All the tombs are tumuli, which consist of a burial chamber preceded by a dromos (corridor) and, possibly, an antechamber. The architectural tomb features were then buried by tons of earth to form a mound. The Ostrusha tomb, closest to the E85 yogurt café, and the Shushmanets tomb, both dating to the 5^th century BC should be visited by archaeology buffs. Little architecture and decoration are preserved, although the Shushmanets tomb bears a pair of Doric columns. If time is limited, you should visit the tomb of Seuthes III (aka Gulmata Kosmatka tomb). Seuthes III was one of the greatest kings of Thrace and built an entire city based upon Greek models in the Valley of the Roses, some 7 km west of Kazanlak. The city, Seuthopolis, was studied by archaeologists in the 19XXs, prior to the flooding of this area in order to develop a reservoir. Discovered in 19xx, this is one of the largest tumuli. A dromus with a pointed vault, leads into a circular chamber with a corbelled dome. The double doors of this chamber are finely carved from slabs of marble; the upper part of each door bears a magical medallion with Medusa. Many gold articfacts were discovered in the burial chamber, while a bronze head discovered outside the tomb is a portrait of Seuthes, himself (now housed in the National Archaeology Museum, Sofia).

Before proceeding up and over the Stara Planina Mountains, it is worth noting that this area is known as the Valley of the Roses. Due to the excellent climatic conditions for the cultivation of roses, there have been rose plantations for many centuries. The Ottomans were tremendous consumers, using rose petals for foods, drink, and scents. There is a rose festival at the beginning of June each year.

The breathtaking “Freedom Monument” it set dramatically upon one of the highest peaks of the Balkan Mountains overlooking Shipka and the Valley of the Roses. This imposing structure was built in the 1920s and 30s and contains a museum regarding the history of the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-78. 

(composed 2013 for blog of American Research Center in Sofia)

Photos Eric De Sena, 2012-13.