Settlements: Oryahovo
The town of Oryahovo (7006 inhabitants, from 30 to 226 metre above sea level) is situated on the hills by the river Danube, not far away from the Ogosta and Skat estuaries. It is 190 km north-east of Sofia, 29 km and 71 km east of Kozlodoui and Lom, respectively, 74 km north of Vratsa, 14 km north-east of Miziya and 95 km west of Ni-kopol. One of the most picturesque Danube towns.
History: At the highest point on the Bulgarian shore of the Danube (226 m) existed as a settlement as far back as the Bronze Age. The Thracians have also left significant traces here. The ruins tell us about the town of Vateria and the Variana Fortress from the Roman time when the old Roman road to Constantinople passed through these lands. In the Middle Ages, in 9-10th century a Bul-garian town with a fortress emerged, which was a border post to stop the advance of the Avars, Franks and Magyars. For first time the name of the town was mentioned in 1226 when the Magyar army passed through the Bulgarian settlement Orechov. It was many times destroyed to the grounds and rebuilt. In 1388 the settlement was conquered by the Turks, and in 1396 it suffered because of the battles between the Turks and the crusaders of the Hungarian Knyaz Sigizmund of Luxembourg during the advance of the Christian army in the direction of Nikopol. In 1444 the Polish-Hungarian Knyaz Vladisslav Yagelo (Varnenchik) succeeded in liberating it for a short time. Later, when the first Turnovo Uprising took place (1598) the Wallachian voivoda Michai Vityazul with his army fought here.
In the Middle Ages the town was also called Vrhov, Orezov, Oreev, and in a Hungarian document it is reported as Oreshik. From the beginning of 18th century until 1888 its name was Rahovo, then Orehovo and finally today’s Oryahovo. With the development of shipping along the Danube River in the end of 18th and 19th century, Oryahovo became rich. Despite the large number of Turks in the town, it kept alive the Bulgarian spirit. The Bul-garian population took an active part in the struggle for church and national independence.
In 1857 a class school was opened, later a girls’ school and a community centre. The local revolutionary committee founded in 1872 served the secret channel between Oryahovo and Becket for transporting weapons and revolutionary activists. Vassil Levski visited the town twice. In the winter of 1876 Oryahovo gave shelter to the apostles Panaiot Volov and Georgi Benkovski on their way to Panagyurishte revolutionary district. Stoian Zaimov, Ivanitsa Danchev, Nikola Obretenov, Nikola Slavkov had stayed in the town, as well. The people from Oryahovo took part in the struggle of Bulgarian volunteers during the Russian-Turkish War (1877-1878). The town was liberated on 20 November 1877 after three days of heavy fighting.
Landmarks. The Town Museum of History in the centre (Levski Str.). The park of Bulgarian-Romanian Friendship is located in the eastern part of the town, above the Danube River. It was founded in 1959-1960 and there is the famous Statue of Liberty made by the sculptor Arnoldo Tsoki in 1882 in memoriam of the Romanian soldiers who died for the liberation of Bulgaria from Ottoman rule.
The Loven Dom Park is the highest point in the centre of Oryahovo, from where there is an open view to the Danube shore and the opposite Romanian settlement Becket. Diko Iliev House-Museum (9th November Str., in the eastern part of the town, tel.: 09171 2467), displays the environment in which one of the greatest musicians, conductors and composers, lived (1895-1985). He composed lots of popular Bulgarian hora (“horo” - folk dance) and marches for a brass orchestra. Emblematic are the Dounavsko Horo, Severnyashko Horo, Pravo Horo, etc. In the St. Georgi Church dating back to 1837 church plate from 17th century and old print church books brought from Russia are preserved. It is situated in the centre near the bus station.
Accomodation: Asparouh Hotel (9, Asparouh Hotel) with 4 double rooms. Dunav Hotel (6, Alleya na Mira Str.). Seikov Hotel (34, Ivan Vazov Str.). Sladki Mechti Hotel-Tavern. Kamuka Hotel.
Tourist information: At the hotels and at the Tourist Association.
Transport: Bus and railway transport. There are regular bus lines to Vratsa, Pleven, Kozlodoui, Knezha, Byala Slatina and other smaller settlements in the region. The bus station (tel.: 09171 2307, 3147) is located in the centre of the town, next to St. Georgi Church. Oryahovo is the last station of the railroad line Cherven Bryag-Oryahovo, through which it is connected with the railway system of the country. The railway station (3, Dragomanska Str., tel.: 09171 2315, 2383) is in the northern end of the town, on the shore of the Danube.
Through the port (near the railway station, tel.: 09171 3168) the town is connected with other Bulgarian ports on the Danube River.
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Bulgaria Regions: Vratsa
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