Belogradchik Rocks

Overview

Belogradchik rocks are rock formations in the Western Pre-Balkan, at the southern foot of the Belogradchik wreath, around Belogradchik and the villages of Borovitsa, Chiflik and Prauzhda in Vidin district and the village of Belotintsi, Montana district. They were declared a natural landmark in 1949. They are included in the list of the Hundred National Tourist Sites. They are included in the Red Book of Bulgaria as a vulnerable natural habitat. Belogradchik rocks are a system of rock groups and single rock discoveries. They are located along the Belogradchik fault in the Western Fore-Balkans for 30 km with a width of 3-5 km, included between Vedernik peak, located in the Vedernik mountain hill, and the surroundings of the village of Belotintsi. These are natural rock formations, in places up to 200 m high, formed over hundreds of millions of years. They consist of sedimentary rocks of sand and various, often large, rock fragments covered with calcareous sediments. Water erosion, wind and temperature fluctuations have modeled various rock figures resembling mythical creatures, human silhouettes, animals and birds. Their reddish color is obtained from iron oxides and hydroxides, additional coloration of the rocks give gray and cream limestones. Peaks, sheer rock walls, precipices, rock columns enclose natural fortresses used by humans over the centuries. More than 100 caves have been formed in the sandstone and limestone. The vegetation on the rocks is poorly developed. The following species of higher plants are found: rock aurina, recumbent sandstone, northern sandpiper, deer bell, hornbeam, hornbeam, wall two-rowed, wall hole, forest fescue, large-flowered thin-legged, ciliate pearl, comfrey, plantain, fat man, marble fat man, vaner rocker, lilac, etc. Many of the rocks have fantastic shapes and are the subject of legends. They are often named after people or objects that they resemble or resemble. The rock formations of the Belogradchik rocks consist of three main rock groups. Belogradchik Rocks is the main tourist destination in Northwestern Bulgaria along with: the town of Belogradchik, Belogradchik Fortress, which uses some of the rocks as natural protection, and the Magurata Cave, located near the village of Rabisha. Another tourist attraction in the area is the medieval fortress Baba Vida near the town of Vidin on the Danube.