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Stara Zagora

Stara Zagora Region is situated in the middle of Southern Bulgaria. It is bounded by the regions of Sliven, Yambol, Haskovo, Plovdiv, Gabrovo and Veliko Tarnovo. It covers the Stara Zagora plain, Kazanlak kettle, some of the middle parts of the Balkan Mountains and the Sredna Gora Mountains. The region is rich in water resources. Besides the upper stream of the Tundzha River and its numerous tributaries, the area is abundant in karsts springs. There are a lot of mineral springs in Pavel Banya, Stara Zagora spas, the village of Yagoda. Koprinka dam is one of the biggest in the country. The fertile Kazanlak kettle is famous for its special sorts of fragrant roses from which the precious rose oil is extracted. The Trakia (Thrace) and Maritza highways as well as the Sofia-Karlovo-Burgas, Sofia-Plovdiv-Burgas and Ruse-Podkova railroads cross the region. In the vicinity of Radnevo is the mining and power plant complex Maritza-Iztok. Sokolna and Kamenitza Reserves, Tazha gorge, the protected areas of Enina Gorge and Maglizh Gorge, whimsical cliff formations, beautiful waterfalls (Kademliisko Praskalo, Babsko Praskala, Tarnichensko Praskaln, Golemiyat Skok, etc.) and the caves in the region offer very good conditions for tourism and relaxation. Parts of the Great Bulgarian Forest, which had once covered the territory of the whole country, have been preserved - Vetrenska Gora and Tulovska Gora, In the village of Granit one can find the oldest tree in Bulgaria - a pedunculate oak (Quercus robur) of 1640 years of age.
The fertile lands of the region have been inhabited since ancient times, Numerous vestiges of prehistoric life were found but of unquestionable interest are the remains of Thracian culture. Th lands of the regions had been inhabited by the Thracian tribe Odrysae. Their capital city Seutopol today lies at the bottom of the Koprinka dam lake, while the numerous Thracian mounds and tombs: uncovered along the Tundzha River in the Kazanlak kettle gave right to name the region 'The Valley of Thracian Kings'. Most valuable of all is the Thracian tomb of Kazanlak, inscribed on th UNESCO World Heritage List, The Roman town Augusta Trajana was one of the most powerful towns in those parts of the Empire. There are a number of historic monuments in the region that are related to the liberation of Bulgaria from the Ottoman Rule. Most of them were united in th Shipka-Buzludzha memorial complex, The epic fights between Bulgarian soldiers and Suleima Pasha's army took place in the historic Shipka Pass in 1878.