Orlova Chuka Cave
GPS coordinates: 43.593430 / 43°35’36” N – 25.959808 / 25°57’35” E
Address: E85/D5, then D5001, then D501, deviation around 5 km, between the villages of Dve Mogili and Pepelina, Ruse District
Orlova Chuka cave is located on the right slope of the valley of the Cherni Lom River, at a distance of approximately 40 km from the city of Ruse, and has a total length of about 13.5 km, thus ranked second in Bulgaria after the Duhlata Cave. The cave was found in 1941 by a shepherd and was opened for visitors in 1957. It consists of several halls: Concert Hall; The Big screes; The Small Screes,, “Space Hall” and The Rest Hall. Bones of cave bears and traces of life of cavemen have been found here. At the same time, it is a habitat of 14 species of bats, three of them included in the Red Book.
N.b. the cave is closed for visitors from November to April.
Cherven Medieval Fortress
GPS coordinates: 43.622440 / 43 ° 37’20 “N – 26.025070 / 26 ° 1’30” E
Address: access from E85 / D5, then D501 and deviation of about 5 km., between Cherven village and Cherni Lom valley, Ruse district.
The Bulgarian city of Cherven was one of the most important military, cultural and spiritual centres of the Second Bulgarian State (1186-1393). It was built on the site of a Byzantine fortress from the 6th century, but archaeological findings reveal that this place was inhabited even before the Thracians. It turned into a significantly important centre after 1235 when the Metropolis of Cherven was established here. The fortress had been destroyed during the Mongol invasion and later conquered by the Byzantine Empire in 1278-1280. The city was known as a big trade and craft centre, located at the crossroads of several trade routes in the region. When the Turks conquered the city in 1388, it was almost destroyed. Archaeological excavations reveal the remains of a large feudal palace, fortress walls, and underground tunnels, remnants of many churches, public buildings, workshops, and streets. The fortress tower dating from the 14th century is almost fully preserved. The Fortress Cherven has been declared an archaeological reserve of national importance.
Regional Museum of History – Ruse
GPS coordinates: 43.844479 / 43 ° 50’40 “N – 25.947612 / 25 ° 56’51” E
Address: 3 “Knyaz Alexander Battenberg” squar, Ruse, Ruse District
The Regional Museum of History was founded in 1904. It is housed in a beautiful building, also known as the Battenberg Palace, which is of a great historical importance, because it was a residence of Alexander Battenberg. The museum features seven full-time exibitions, including Kaliopa house (which houses the City Art Museum); The Pantheon of the National Revival Heros; Baba Tonka house-museum; Zahariy Stoyanov house museum, and another three exibitions, being open-air: the Rock-hewn Churches of Ivanovo; the Medieval city of Cherven and the Roman castle of Sexaginta Prista. The most interesting exhibits hold by the museum are the prehistoric pottery and idol plastic arts; the collection of bones of prehistoric mammals, including a unique lower jaw of a Mammuthus rumanus; the Borovo treasure of the 4th century BC; artefacts from the fortress Sexaginta Prista and the finds of excavations of the antieque Danube castles; a collection of medieval frescoes; objects found in the Medieval city of Cherven, personal belongings of notable Bulgarian revolutionaries (Georgi Rakovski, Stefan Karadzha, etc.), and many others.
Ancient Roman Fortress Sexaginta Prista, Ruse
GPS coordinates: 43.847016 / 43 ° 50’49 “N – 25.945471 / 25 ° 56’43” E
Address: 2A Tsar Kaloyan Str., Ruse, Ruse District
The castle Sexaginta Prista is located in the Nortwestern part of the town of Ruse, on the bank of the Danube river. The name of the Roman fortress Sexaginta Prista literally means “The port of the sixty ships”. The castel received this name in connection to the Dacian wars of emperor Dometian (85-89). At this time, a Roman legion, consisting of 6,000 soldiers, was transferred to the mouth of the Roussenski Lom River. Exactly 60 ships were necessary to complete this action. The latest research proves that the hill where the castle later was built, was first a spot used by the Thracians to conduct uknown rituals and cult practices. Many artifacts were also found here. There has been intense trading activity during Emperor Vespasian (69-79). The remains of a Roman military camp from the first half of the 4th century and during the first decade of the 5th century, coins and ceramics were found on the territory of the fortress; a tunnel built of stone and used during the Ottoman Empire, which can be reached with 30 steps. The fortress was destroyed during the attacks of the Avars and Slavs at the end of the 6th century and the beginning of the 7th century. In the 9-10th century, the medieval settlement Ruse was founded on its ruins. It played an important administrative and military role during the Middle Ages.
