Soon spring will give way to summer in the endless cycle of life.
Here I am - traveling through the incredibly beautiful and enchantingly magical Sarnena Sredna Gora through one of the most delightful and enchantingly beautiful passes that exist at all - on the Brezovo - Pavel Banya road.
Its name is Saint Nicholas, and although several passes bear this name in Bulgaria, this is the only one, winding on the borders of Plovdiv and Stara Zagora regions - in the heart of Sarnena Sredna Gora.
Have you been here?
This place is unlike any other in Bulgaria!
It is extremely beautiful here!
The centuries-old beech forest is old and young at the same time - I can't explain it.
You walk the paths - through the thickets of this forest and you feel something, something alive and majestic, something that has been here for a very, very long time and yet is new and young.
Brezovo, Zelenikovo, the junction for Babek and Svezhen, Rozovets...
The road winds, turn after turn, hill after hill, the forest is alive...
I cross the border of the Plovdiv district and am already in the Stara Zagora district.
I travel to another story, to another magic, to another impossible reality.
I'm traveling to a tree...
His name is:
Hornbeam tree
The municipality of Pavel Banya has built a special stop by the road so that every visitor to this centenary can come, stop by, and enjoy, as I did.
The moment you see the sign on your left (in case you are traveling in the direction from Brezovo to Pavel Banya) you will also see the turnoff.
It's wide here - you can safely leave your car under the shade of the trees and you certainly won't obstruct the traffic, no matter how much you enjoy the view.
The view
It's always beautiful here! Especially in the spring, when the rain has breathed life into every leaf, stalk and stem, and the Sun has showered the green meadow and the crowns of the surrounding trees with generous rays.
Even though this species lives an average of about 350 years, the centenarian in front of me shouldn't be there waiting for me.
The never tree
There are currently 18 centuries-old trees in Bulgaria.
This "practically shouldn't exist" specimen is the venerable age of 7 centuries and looks like it defies time.
7 centuries of beauty and perfection
This makes him a living witness to the end of the Second Bulgarian Kingdom. In fact, it began its life just when the Shishmanovs stood at the head of the state.
In other words, when Mikhail-Asen III Shishman ascends the throne, someone brings here a seed that finds good soil, feels delightful, and the soon-to-sprout young sapling is already enjoying the first warm rays of the sun.
I say that someone planted it, because there is no other representative of it in the entire Sarnena Sredna Gora, i.e. it is the only specimen here.
Unique. Rare. Valuable.
Even priceless!
The seed germinates because it likes the conditions here very much. It grows a strong, healthy and very beautiful tree - with a huge and developed root system deep in the ground and a huge bushy crown, stretched to the heavens.
Handsome hot! A kitschy hornbill. The only one. Priceless. Rare. Unique.
Little by little, the tree survived the 5 centuries of slavery.
It was declared an ancient tree by Order No. 1038 of May 16, 1961 and is entered in the National Register of Ancient Trees under No. 379.
Today, the hornbill is under the supervision of the Stara Zagora RIOSV.
It rises to a height of 14 meters, and its successors have already appeared around it, which actually makes it the only century-old tree of this venerable age on the territory of the Balkans.
I spent some time around the centenary.
Birds echoed the silence around with their magical music, welling up from the depths of their great hearts, merging with the green timelessness.
The sun showered life-giving rays on us and warmed and caressed us.
No one disturbed this perfect and complete harmony and I captured it all on film.
The movie
Dear friends of "Photo Moments", I present to you "Kitchen Hornet". In this film of mine, the music is authentically created and sung by a choir of birds under the direction of the Creator.
How to get to the natural landmark Hornbeam tree?
Natural landmark Hornbeam tree is located by the road in the pass of Sarnena Sredna Gora between the towns of Brezovo and Pavel Banya.
What can be visited nearby?
Quite close to Hornbeam tree you can see Kutela.
8 kilometers north of Hornbeam tree (about 9 minutes by car) is the village of Turia.
Here you can see the birthplace of Chudomir.
On the square in front of Chudomir's house, you can see a monument to the Chetnik Tsanko Minkov Dechev, born in Turia Botev - the Committee.
In the village of Turia you can enjoy an authentic Roman bridge "Skoka".
4 kilometers from the village of Turia (6 minutes by car) is the town of Pavel Banya - hot mineral springs and the aroma of roses.
3 kilometers east of Pavel Banya (about 5 minutes by car) you will find the village of Viden.
The proud ruins of the wonderful church "St. Anastasius" still stand near the village.
Only 23 kilometers from Pavel Banya (about 24 minutes by car) is the town of Kazanlak.
In Kazanlak, you can visit the rose museum.
After viewing the museum's rich exposition, I suggest you take a relaxing walk through the wonderful alleys of Rosarium Park in the city of Kazanlak.
In the city of Kazanlak, I suggest you also visit the church "Saint Ilia", also known as the Kulenska church.
Only 5 kilometers south of the town of Kazanlak (about 8 minutes by car) is the village of Buzovgrad, from where the wonderful eco-trail adventure "A time trail through the ages" begins.
You shouldn't miss it for anything in the world!
50 kilometers east of Kazanlak (about 40 minutes by car) you will find the "Zhrebchevo" dam.
The ruins of the sunken church "St. Ivan Rilski" still stand by the dam.
23 kilometers southwest of "Kichest Gabar" (about 30 minutes by car) you will find the village of Babek. "Babek" dam is located nearby, near which you can take a wonderful walk.
Just 10 kilometers north of the village of Babek (about 16 minutes by car) you will find the Svezhen Architectural and Historical Reserve.
In the village of Svezhen, you can visit the church "Holy Apostles Peter and Paul".
You can visit the ruins of the old church "St. George", near which the foundations have been discovered - the remains of cells plastered with mud plaster on the walls, which are supposed to have been inhabited by the scribes-calligraphers of the Adjarian literary school.
The town of Brezovo is located 31 kilometers southwest of "Kichest Gabar" (about 38 minutes by car).
In Brezovo on a weekday, stop by the municipality to see the exhibition dedicated to Beethoven's best portraitist - Mincho Katsarov.
Another great Bulgarian artist - Zlatyo Boyadzhiev - is from Brezovo. His house in the town of Brezovo is open for visits and anyone can see it.
15 kilometers from the town of Brezovo (about 15 minutes by car) you will find the town of Rakovski.
In Rakovski, be sure to immerse yourself in the magic of Bulgarian folk tales by visiting the "Fairy Tale Forest" park.
Tales that the park will tell you:
An adapted playground is located nearby.
And as a finale, my dear friends,
you shouldn't miss a look
the special album with photo moments –
discovered, experienced, captured and shared with you!
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