Archeological reserve Staro Stefanovo village

Archeological reserve Staro Stefanovo is located at a 20km distance of from the town of Lovech and from 3 km from the main road Sofia-Varna. It has more than 100 monuments of culture from the beginning and the middle of XIX century. For the first time the village is mentioned with the name of Isvote in annals of Nikopol district (1515). Historically its ancient Bulgarian origin was proved (it is one of the oldest villages in the region). It is pronounced for an architectural reserve more than 20 years ago. Houses in the village are two-storey and are built from stone and wood. In the bottom part workshops and stores were situated, as the upper part was detached for living. About 95 houses in the village are announced for monuments of culture. In its centre Nativity of Mary church, which is built by Master Gencho Kunchev from Troyan, is located. Other sights include the village fountain (1830), built by Master Marin Hristov from Lovech in 1830; a 1300 - year old oak tree, Popovoto bridge (1824) and others. Ivanaki Jonkov Kurkchiyata, one of the leaders of Velchova Zavera hanged by the Turks in 1836 was born there. There are several Thracian mounds in the vicinity of the village. The village was the set of the series on the famous novel Wolf Huntby Ivaylo Petrov. (Photo: staro-stefanovo.free.bg/)