Omurtag: Landscape, Culture and History

The Omurtag Ridge connects the Lisa Mountains and the Preslavska Mountains and also forms a boundary between them. It also separates the historic regions of Gerlovo and Slanik. Omurtag Municipality lies in the eastern Fore-Balkans and includes parts of both areas. Its character is hilly, with foothills and low mountains.

Landscape and Nature

Pure and mixed forests predominate in the municipality, with Turkey oak, Hungarian oak, sessile oak, hornbeam, beech and silver lime. Forest habitats are home to red deer, wildcats, hares, wild boar and wolves. The waters are also diverse: their fauna includes chub, barbel, European perch, carp, pike, rainbow trout, pond turtles and otters, among other species.

The surface waters include the Ticha and Golyama Reka rivers. Their flow follows a rain-and-snow regime, reaching its peak in spring. The temperate continental climate brings hot summers and cold winters; the heaviest rainfall occurs in June. When planning your trip, both the seasonal variations and the rivers’ distinctive rhythms can serve as useful guides.

Hiking Trails and Activities

Kaynika is designated as a hiking eco-trail in the town of Omurtag. Check the route’s condition locally before including it in your plans. The municipality also offers conditions for rural, hunting and fishing tourism. There are also suitable locations for adventure tourism, but these have not been developed.

The municipality belongs to the Staroplaninski tourist region. Its profile includes summer and winter hiking, recreational tourism, mountain biking, skiing and mountaineering.

Museum and History

The Omurtag Historical Museum began as a museum collection in 1973, became a historical museum in 1994 and is housed in three restored buildings. The general history exhibition is located in the house of Baba Ivanka Hadzhiyakata. It is considered the last surviving representative residential house from old Osman Pazar; the building’s features include a painted ceiling and an iconostasis.

Separate galleries cover the Bulgarian National Revival, the national liberation struggles, the Russo-Turkish War and the subsequent administration of old Osman Pazar. Other exhibition topics include the crafts and economic development of Osman Pazar. An ethnographic exhibition recreates rural life in the late 19th century. The material on Osman Pazar under Ottoman rule also includes a specially constructed indoor bath.

Notable items in the collection include charred grain from the destruction of the town in January 1878 and the Golden Gospel, said to have been a gift from Russian liberators. The museum also preserves the spacesuit of Alexander Alexandrov, who was born in Omurtag and later became Bulgaria’s second cosmonaut.

Omurtag’s history can also be seen in its buildings beyond the museum. The Church of St. Dimitar was built in 1860 on the site of an earlier church, under the direction of master builder Gencho Kanev from Tryavna. The surviving old-town heritage also includes the Menzilishka Fountain, dating from 1779, and six houses from the Bulgarian National Revival period.

The aerospace park is visible from the Sofia–Varna road. Parking is located near the footpath to the exhibits; check access conditions locally. The park’s technical themes complement the municipality’s cultural and historical attractions.

Getting There and Staying

A relatively dense road network connects the municipality’s settlements. Important routes include I-4 Sofia–Varna, II-48 Targovishte–Sliven and several third-class roads. Road conditions and routes can change, so it is advisable to check for updates before setting off.

Bus routes connect the settlements with the municipal centre daily. Check the current timetable before your trip. If you’re looking for a hotel in Omurtag, you can plan your stay around your preferred focus: museums and historic buildings in town, or landscapes, rivers and nature in the municipality.

Discover More Destinations

Discover more destinations: Omurtag, Popovo, Targovishte, Opaka, Antonovo

Back to the main travel overview: Targovishte Province.