en bg

Home › Jeravna

Zheravna is situated in the Balkan Mountains, 15 km from Kotel and about 45 km from Sliven. It is one of the most famous villages in Bulgaria because of its authentic revival houses. They number about 200 and most of them have over 300 years of history. They date to the period of the Bulgarian Revival when Zheravna was in its heyday. The main occupations were shepherding, shoemaking, homespun, goldsmith, carpentry and so on. Local people prospered and built beautiful houses that had shops and workshops on the first floor. The houses are made of wood, with stone foundations and show the talent of the Bulgarian master builder, creating unique architectural structures. In 1958 Zheravna was declared an architectural reserve and it attracts thousands of tourists every year. The visitors come in a world that has preserved the memories and traditions of the past where time seems to have stopped. Zheravna is the birthplace of many glorious Bulgarians, including the famous Bulgarian writer Yordan Yovkov and Sava Filaretov whose houses have been turned into museums. The home of Yordan Yovkov has preserved its authentic interior and his statue may be seen in the garden of the house. The exhibition of Zheravna's History may be seen in the house of Sava Filaretov and the collection of Zheravna's Culture is in the house-museum of Rusi Chorbadzhi. Another attraction is the operating church of St. Nicholas, built in 1834, where one may see icons from the 18th and 19th century, books from the 18th century and a stone sculpture. Zheravna is known for its many beautiful fountains that have been gathering the springs from the surroundings since ancient times. Near the village, there is the Museum of Revival which shows the life of Sophronius of Vratsa, Petar Beron, Georgi Benkovski and the Natural History Museum, located in the park of Izvorite. For the nature lovers there is an eco-trail between Zheravna and Kotel with recreation areas and fountains, and those who wish may visit the caves of Ledenika and Dryanovska, and about 30 other caves. Interesting landmarks are the waterfall of Skokovete and Sini Vir that can be reached along a marked road and 7 km away there are the remains of a fort wall at the area of Zhelezni Vrata. The fortresses of Kozyak and Ticha may also be visited. Those who wish to indulge in the atmosphere of the village may stay in one of the many guest houses and family hotels in Zheravna that occupy traditional houses with lovely gardens and modern amenities.