Pleven

In the winter of 1877, Russian and Romanian troops besieged the Ottoman fortress of Pleven for five months – one of the great battles of the war that led to the liberation of Bulgaria. A trip to Pleven tells that story, but it also leads you into sweeping vineyards, limestone gorges and to the Danube.

The City of Memorials

Pleven is a green city with parks and fountains. In Skobelev Park stands the Pleven Epopee 1877 Panorama, a huge circular painting that depicts the battles for the city in three dimensions with foreground models. In the center, the Mausoleum of the Fallen, a chapel with mosaics, commemorates the soldiers. The History Museum is housed in a former barracks and is one of the largest in the country. On the edge of town lies Kaylaka Park, set in a limestone gorge with ponds, rock walls and the remains of a Roman fortress; a wine museum has been set up in a cave there.

Sights in Pleven Province

To the north, the landscape descends to the Danube, where the fishing villages of Somovit and Gulyantsi lie on the riverbank. Near Gigen stand the remains of the Roman city of Oescus, from which Emperor Constantine had a bridge built across the Danube. In the south, the Vit and Iskar rivers have cut deep into the limestone, most impressively around Cherven Bryag. The area around Pleven is a traditional wine-growing region; Bulgaria's first wine research institute was founded here in 1902. The small town of Levski on the Osam, named after the national hero, is also worth a visit. Many villages on the plain have their own wine cellars, and their owners are happy to offer a tasting in the courtyard if you ask.

Cuisine, Getting There and Best Time to Visit

On the table you'll find fish from the Danube, bean dishes and vegetables from the gardens of the plain, along with Gamza, a red grape variety from the north. Pleven is on the Sofia–Varna rail line and about two hours from Sofia. The best time to visit is April through October, with the grape harvest in September. If you come by car, you can easily combine Pleven with a side trip to Lovech or the Danube.