SOFIA SAMOKOV GOVED

After a 20 minutes5 drive we reach the Zlatni Mostove area, topping near a cosy restaurant. Only 100 metres from the restaurant is the famous “stone river5 of boulders, dragged down by the once rushing waters of mountain rivers. There is a two-star hotel in the Kopito (hoof) area with 50 beds — tel. 57 -50-51. (From Sofia, take the Number 62 bus.) 1 he Kopito area, commanding a beautiful view of Sofia, is linked with the Knyazhevo City District by cable car.

SOFIA-SAMOKOV-GOVED ARTSI-MALYOVITSA-BOROVETS (72 KM)

After touring Sofia you may go to further afield and familiarise yourself with its surroundings. This route will take you to Bulgaria’s best known winter resort. It leads south of Sofia along the Iskur dam and passes through Pancharevo. Here is a man-made lake offering excellent opportunities for aquatic sports and angling. There are mineral baths with constant water temperature of 47°C, Lebed restaurant on the lake side, many rest homes and camping site. Further on the route passes by the remains of Ourvich fortress dating from the Middle Ages. We then come to the largest dam in Bulgaria, the Iskur dam. Along the road on the left is the Sturkelovo Gnez- do (Stork’s Nest) camping site (two star), with bungalows, restaurant, foods and souvenir kiosks.

The next place to see is Samokov (population 26,000), situated in Samokov valley at the foot of the Rila mountains. The town emerged in the 14th century as a major mining settlement. During the years of the Ottoman rule Samokov was well known throughout the empire as an important handicraft and commercial centre. It was particularly famous for ore. Crafts such as copperware, leather ware home-spun and woollen braiding were well developed here.

The Samokov school of icon painting was founded in Samokov during the Ottoman rule. A school was opened in 1832, and a library club in 1869. The art of icon painting flourished’ in the second half of the 18th and early in the 19th century tours sofia. The icon painter Hristo Dimitrov came from the nearby village of Dospei. He studied on Mount Athos and also worked in Vienna. The most talented pupil was Zahari Zograph, a re-markable icon painter for his time. He painted a large number of religious and secular frescoes in the first half of the 19th century. Among them are the frecsoes at Rila Monastery, Bachkovo Monastery, Troyan Monastery and Preobrazhene Monastery. Samokov master wood-carvers decorated the Metropolitan Church in Samokov and the iconostasis of the church in Rila Monastery.

The local museum, housed in a typically Bulgarian building, traces Samokov’s development over die years. Other points of interest are the Belyova Church which has many murals, by Samokov painters, the Metropolitan Church with its magnificent iconostasis, the Covent where the first school was opened, the Old House of the Obrazopissov, Ivan and Nikola Csenofontow House, Kokoshkov House and Marikin House with their well preserved wooden carved ceilings, as well as Sarafov House, the Synagoguee, the Bairakli Mosque which is very beautiful and the big 18th century fountain in front of the community centre.