Shipka is a peak with a height of 1523 m in Stara Planina in the Balkan Mountains in Bulgaria.
The original name of the peak is Sveti Nikolay.In 1877, one of the most important battles in the Russian-Turkish war of 1877-1878 took place here. Thousands of Russian soldiers, officers and Bulgarian volunteers died.
Now the peak and its surroundings are a national park-museum. At the very top stands the Freedom Monument. Erected in 1934 with voluntary donations from the Bulgarian people. Inside the tower of the monument is a museum dedicated to the defense of the pass.
The natural sights in the area and the historical events intertwine to become one of the most heavily charged places in Bulgaria, one of the biggest tourist attractions.
Access : Coordinates: 42.7481, 25.3211 /
Highlights :
- Shipka is a peak with a height of 1523 m in the Balkan Mountains in Bulgaria. The highest point of the Shipka Pass. At the foot of the mountain is the city of the same name. The road to the Shipka Pass is a mountain serpentine, a very picturesque place.
- Battle of Shipka Pass : During the 10th Russo-Turkish War (1877-1878), the Russian-Bulgarian army and the Ottoman army clashed four times (in July, August and September 1877, and also in January 1878) on the Shipka Pass.In order to commemorate this event, in the years 1928-1934 a monument called the Freedom Monument was erected on the top,
- the Freedom Monument : In 1934, the Freedom Monument was built on the summit, which is reached by a road and a stone staircase. The monument is part of Shipka Park-Museum.
Go next : The historic monastery and the Church of the Nativity of the Lord located in the nearby town of Shipka is one of the most interesting tourist complexes in Bulgaria.