Balkan Mountains facts for kids
The Balkan mountain range is a long chain of mountains. People in Bulgaria and Serbia call it Stara planina, which means "Old Mountain." It's like an extension of the Carpathian Mountains, but the big Danube River separates them.
These mountains stretch for about 560 kilometers (about 350 miles). They start in eastern Serbia and go all the way through central Bulgaria to Cape Emine on the Black Sea coast.
Even though the Balkan range is very important, the highest mountain peak in the whole Balkan peninsula isn't actually in this range. It's Musala Peak (2,925 meters or 9,596 feet tall) in the Rila mountains, near Sofia. Other tall peaks in the Balkan peninsula include Mount Olympus in Greece and Vihren in the Pirin range.
The highest peaks of the Stara planina itself are found in central Bulgaria. The very highest peak here is Botev Peak, which stands at 2,376 meters (7,795 feet). This peak is located in the beautiful Central Balkan National Park, which was created in 1991 to protect the area.
Mountain Passes
Mountain passes are like natural doorways through mountains. They are lower areas that make it easier to travel from one side of the mountains to the other. Here are some of the main roads that cross the Stara Planina, listed from west to east:
- Petrohan Pass: Connects Sofia and Montana.
- Iskar Gorge (Iskarski prolom): This is a deep valley where the Iskar River flows. It connects Sofia and Vratsa, and there's also a railroad here.
- Vitinya Pass: Part of the Hemus motorway (A2), connecting Sofia and Botevgrad.
- Beklemeto Pass: Connects Troyan and Karnare.
- Shipka Pass: Connects Gabrovo and Kazanlak, and also has a railroad.
- Pass of the Republic (Prohod na republikata): Connects Veliko Tarnovo and Gurkovo.
- Vratnik Pass: Connects Elena and Sliven.
- Kotel Pass (Kotlenski prohod): Connects Kotel and the Petolachka crossroads.
- Varbitsa Pass (Varbishki prohod): Connects Shumen and the Petolachka crossroads.
- Rish Pass (Rishki prohod): Connects Shumen and Karnobat.
- Luda Kamchiya Gorge (Ludokamchiyski prolom): This gorge connects Dalgopol and Karnobat, and also has a railroad.
- Dyulino Pass (Dyulinski prohod): Connects Varna and Aitos.
- Obzor Pass (Obzorski prohod): Connects Varna and Burgas. This pass will be part of the future Cherno More motorway (A3).
Important Peaks
Here are some of the well-known peaks in the Balkan Mountains:
- Midžor: At 2,169 meters (7,116 feet), this is the highest peak in Central Serbia.
- Botev Peak: This is the highest peak in the Balkan range itself, standing at 2,376 meters (7,795 feet). It's named after a famous Bulgarian hero, Hristo Botev.
- Vezhen
- Kom
- Buzludzha
- Levski: Named after another Bulgarian hero, Vasil Levski.
Related pages
Images for kids
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Balkan Mountains, Rhodope, Rila and Pirin Mountains
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A view of the Balkan Mountains
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The monument on Shipka
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Central Balkan Mountains
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Rosomačka river, Serbia
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Horses at the Balkan Mountains, Serbia
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Belogradchik Rocks
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The Bulgarian army under Khan Krum defeats the Byzantine Emperor Nicephorus I in the battle of the Varbitsa Pass in 811, Manasses Chronicle
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Dzhendema reserve within Central Balkan National Park
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Autumn view of Steneto reserve
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Flora of Karandila reserve within Sinite Kamani Nature Park
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The Nature Park Stara Planina
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Tupavica Waterfalls
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The Nature Park Stara Planina
See also
In Spanish: Montes Balcanes para niños
