Emen
Encyclopedia
Emen is a village in Veliko Tarnovo Province
, Bulgaria
, famous for the nearby cave
s and canyon
. In recent years it has become a major tourist destination, receiving both domestic and foreign visitors. Emen's population is about 100 people, but it triples during the summer.
settled the area and built an outpost
on Kaleto hill on the verge of the present-day village. Fortifications included a rock wall from two sides, while the other two sides were naturally protected by the vertical walls of the Emen canyon. Nowadays parts of the wall are preserved, but treasure-hunter raids have reduced archaeological evidence.
The present-day name of the village is said to derive from the times of the Ottoman rule over Bulgaria. Emen was the name of the Turk who owned all the land and Christian people of the village. With the Liberation of Bulgaria
he was most probably expelled from the country, but the village kept its name. Nowadays a single Turkish family is left in Emen, but it bears no relation to the previous landowner.
, about 20 km away from capital of the province
. The river Negovanka, a tributary to Rositsa
flows right through the village, through the infamous Emen canyon
and ends up in the Mihaltsi dam situated about 5 km north of the village. The name of the river comes from Latin
and means short river with a near source. In Palaeolithic times the river has carved a Gorge (or canyon), which bears the name of the village. The Emen canyon consists of two parts, called Goren (Upper) and Dolen (Lower) Boaz. The Upper Boaz stretches through 5 km from the nearby village of Novo Selo to Emen, itself. The Lower part of the canyon begins in the north part of Emen and eventually opens up after the Mihaltsi dam.
One of the first eco paths in Bulgaria passes through the Emen Gorge on its way to the Momin Skok Waterfall. The Emen cave is located at the very beginning of the eco path. With its length of 3,113 metres it is the 17th lengthiest cave in Bulgaria. This has made it suitable for all kinds of human activities during the years. It has consecutively been used to grow mushrooms and mature cheese. In Communist times it even became an arms depot of a military base located immediately above it. Currently, human presence in the cave is, at least officially, restricted to allow for bats to breed uninterrupted.
Speleologists from Ruse
have discovered a large cave system in the vicinity of the village during expeditions between 1986 and 1991. The caves Ruse (3,306 metres long), Troana (3,234 m) and Bambalova Dupka (2,923 m) are all located in the Lower Boaz.
Veliko Tarnovo Province
Veliko Tarnovo is a province in the middle of the northern part of Bulgaria. Its capital city, Veliko Tarnovo, is of historical significance as it is known as the capital of Medieval Bulgaria...
, Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
, famous for the nearby cave
Cave
A cave or cavern is a natural underground space large enough for a human to enter. The term applies to natural cavities some part of which is in total darkness. The word cave also includes smaller spaces like rock shelters, sea caves, and grottos.Speleology is the science of exploration and study...
s and canyon
Canyon
A canyon or gorge is a deep ravine between cliffs often carved from the landscape by a river. Rivers have a natural tendency to reach a baseline elevation, which is the same elevation as the body of water it will eventually drain into. This forms a canyon. Most canyons were formed by a process of...
. In recent years it has become a major tourist destination, receiving both domestic and foreign visitors. Emen's population is about 100 people, but it triples during the summer.
History
The Emen cave bears evidence of human habitation, dated to the Neolith. Later RomansRoman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
settled the area and built an outpost
Outpost (military)
An Outpost in military terminology essentially means a detachment of troops stationed at a distance from the main force or formation, usually at a station in a remote or sparsely populated location, positioned to stand guard against unauthorized intrusions and surprise attacks; and the station...
on Kaleto hill on the verge of the present-day village. Fortifications included a rock wall from two sides, while the other two sides were naturally protected by the vertical walls of the Emen canyon. Nowadays parts of the wall are preserved, but treasure-hunter raids have reduced archaeological evidence.
The present-day name of the village is said to derive from the times of the Ottoman rule over Bulgaria. Emen was the name of the Turk who owned all the land and Christian people of the village. With the Liberation of Bulgaria
Liberation of Bulgaria
In Bulgarian historiography, the term Liberation of Bulgaria is used to denote the events of the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-78 that led to the re-establishment of Bulgarian state with the Treaty of San Stefano of March 3, 1878, after the complete conquest of the Second Bulgarian Empire, which...
he was most probably expelled from the country, but the village kept its name. Nowadays a single Turkish family is left in Emen, but it bears no relation to the previous landowner.
Geography and natural sights
Emen is located in Veliko Tarnovo ProvinceVeliko Tarnovo Province
Veliko Tarnovo is a province in the middle of the northern part of Bulgaria. Its capital city, Veliko Tarnovo, is of historical significance as it is known as the capital of Medieval Bulgaria...
, about 20 km away from capital of the province
Veliko Tarnovo
Veliko Tarnovo is a city in north central Bulgaria and the administrative centre of Veliko Tarnovo Province. Often referred to as the "City of the Tsars", Veliko Tarnovo is located on the Yantra River and is famous as the historical capital of the Second Bulgarian Empire, attracting many tourists...
. The river Negovanka, a tributary to Rositsa
Rositsa
The Rositsa is a river in central northern Bulgaria, the most important tributary of the Yantra River. It is long and has a drainage basin of ....
flows right through the village, through the infamous Emen canyon
Canyon
A canyon or gorge is a deep ravine between cliffs often carved from the landscape by a river. Rivers have a natural tendency to reach a baseline elevation, which is the same elevation as the body of water it will eventually drain into. This forms a canyon. Most canyons were formed by a process of...
and ends up in the Mihaltsi dam situated about 5 km north of the village. The name of the river comes from Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
and means short river with a near source. In Palaeolithic times the river has carved a Gorge (or canyon), which bears the name of the village. The Emen canyon consists of two parts, called Goren (Upper) and Dolen (Lower) Boaz. The Upper Boaz stretches through 5 km from the nearby village of Novo Selo to Emen, itself. The Lower part of the canyon begins in the north part of Emen and eventually opens up after the Mihaltsi dam.
One of the first eco paths in Bulgaria passes through the Emen Gorge on its way to the Momin Skok Waterfall. The Emen cave is located at the very beginning of the eco path. With its length of 3,113 metres it is the 17th lengthiest cave in Bulgaria. This has made it suitable for all kinds of human activities during the years. It has consecutively been used to grow mushrooms and mature cheese. In Communist times it even became an arms depot of a military base located immediately above it. Currently, human presence in the cave is, at least officially, restricted to allow for bats to breed uninterrupted.
Speleologists from Ruse
Ruse
A ruse is an action or plan which is intended to deceive someone. It may also refer to:*Ruse, a combination Rooster/Goose animal*Henrik Ruse , Dutch officer and fortification engineer*James Ruse , settler in Australia...
have discovered a large cave system in the vicinity of the village during expeditions between 1986 and 1991. The caves Ruse (3,306 metres long), Troana (3,234 m) and Bambalova Dupka (2,923 m) are all located in the Lower Boaz.