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{{Infobox river
{{Infobox river
| name = Yantra (Янтра)
| name = Yantra
| image = В.Търново-270.jpg
| image = Byala bridge.jpg
| image_size =
| image_caption = The Yantra running through [[Veliko Tarnovo]]
| image_caption = [[Belenski most|Byala Bridge]] over the Yantra
| source1_location = Central [[Stara Planina]], [[Bulgaria]]
| source1_location = N of Atovo Padalo, [[Balkan Mountains]]
| mouth_location = [[Danube]], close to [[Svishtov]]
| mouth_coordinates = {{coord|43.6409|25.5702|display=it|region:BG_type:river}}
| source1_coordinates = {{coord|42|44|20.04|N|25|25|6.96|E|region:BG_type:river}}
| progression = {{RDanube}}
| mouth_location = [[Danube]]
| mouth_coordinates = {{coord|43|38|26.88|N|25|34|13.08|E|region:BG_type:river}}
| progression = [[Danube]]→ [[Black Sea]]
| subdivision_type1 = Country
| subdivision_type1 = Country
| subdivision_name1 = [[Bulgaria]]
| subdivision_name1 = [[Bulgaria]]
| length = {{convert|285|km|abbr=on}}<ref name=Yearbook>[http://www.nsi.bg/sites/default/files/files/publications/God2017.pdf Statistical Yearbook 2017], [[National Statistical Institute (Bulgaria)]], p. 17</ref>
| length = {{convert|285|km|abbr=on}}
| source1_elevation = {{convert|1,340|m|abbr=on}}
| source1_elevation = {{convert|1220|m|abbr=on}}
| mouth_elevation = {{convert|19|m|abbr=on}}
| discharge1_location= [[River mouth|mouth]]
| discharge1_avg = {{cvt|47|m3/s}}
| discharge1_avg =
| basin_size = {{convert|7,862|km2|abbr=on}}<ref name=Yearbook/>
| basin_size = {{convert|7862|km2|abbr=on}}
| tributaries_left =
| tributaries_right =
}}
}}


The '''Yantra''' ({{langx|bg|Янтра}} {{IPA|bg|'jantrɐ|}}) is a river in northern [[Bulgaria]], a right tributary of the [[Danube]]. Reaching a length of 285&nbsp;km, it is the seventh longest river in Bulgaria and the third longest Bulgarian tributary of the Danube.<ref name="Geographic Dictionary of Bulgaria 559">{{harvnb|Geographic Dictionary of Bulgaria|1980|pp=559–560}}</ref><ref name="yearbook">{{cite web |url=http://www.nsi.bg/sites/default/files/files/publications/God2017.pdf |title=Statistical Yearbook 2017|website=National Statistical Institute|page=17|access-date=15 November 2024}}</ref> In the middle and lower course, the Yantra takes many turns forming numerous gorges. It has a high [[sinuosity]] index of 3.1, which is characteristic for [[Meander|meandering rivers]]. Its catchment spans a territory of 7,862&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup> and has a small mean slope value 4.6‰ with a mean altitude of 470&nbsp;m.<ref name="Ichthyofauna">{{cite journal |last1=Vasilev |first1=Milen |last2=Trichkova |first2=Teodora |last3=Ureche |first3=Dorel |last4=Stoica |first4=Ionut |last5=Battes |first5=Karina |last6=Zivkov |first6=Mladen |date=2008 |title=Distribution of Gobiid Species (Gobiidae, Pisces) in the Yantra River (Danube Basin, Bulgaria) |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/241871314_DISTRIBUTION_OF_GOBIID_SPECIES_GOBIIDAE_PISCES_IN_THE_YANTRA_RIVER_DANUBE_BASIN_BULGARIA |journal= Proceeding on the Anniversary Scientific Conference of Ecology |volume= |issue= |pages=163–172|issn=|access-date=15 November 2024}}</ref>
The '''Yantra''' ({{langx|bg|Янтра}} {{IPA|bg|'jantrɐ|}}) is a river in northern [[Bulgaria]], a [[right tributary]] of the [[Danube]]. It is {{cvt|285|km}} long (the third longest Bulgarian tributary of the Danube, after [[Iskar (river)|Iskar]] and [[Osam]]), and has a watershed of {{cvt|7,862|km²}}.<ref name=Yearbook/> Its average [[discharge (hydrology)|discharge]] at the [[River mouth|mouth]] is {{cvt|47|m3/s}}.{{GeoSource|Danube||12}}
[[File:Yantra River at Beltsov 2009 - P9261637 - redigert.jpg|left|thumb|The Yantra near [[Tsenovo, Ruse Province|Tsenovo]], not far from its mouth]]


The city of [[Veliko Tarnovo]], situated on several hills overlooking the river along its middle course, served as the capital of the [[Second Bulgarian Empire]] in the 12–14th centuries, and remains and important cultural, economic and tourist center in Bulgaria.<ref name="tarnovo">{{cite web|url=https://bulgariatravel.org/veliko-tarnovo/ |title= Veliko Tarnovo |website=Official Tourist Portal of Bulgaria|date= 8 April 2020 |access-date=15 November 2024}}</ref> Another major city on the river is [[Gabrovo]], an early education and industrial hub of the country.<ref>{{harvnb|Geographic Dictionary of Bulgaria|1980|pp=127–128}}</ref>
The Yantra originates from the northern foot of [[Hadzhi Dimitar]] Peak in Central [[Stara Planina]], at {{cvt|1,340|m}}. In its upper course, it is alternatively known as ''Etar'' (Етър), its older name. The river flows into the Danube close to [[Svishtov]].


== Geography ==
The river characteristically forms a number of gorges as it flows northward through the foothills of [[Stara Planina]]. The most prominent and longest one is {{cvt|7|km|0}}, located close to the capital of the [[Second Bulgarian Empire]] [[Veliko Tarnovo]].
=== Course ===
[[File:Gabrovo by Felix Kanitz.jpg|thumb|left|The Yantra at [[Gabrovo]] by [[Felix Philipp Kanitz]]]]
The Yantra takes its source at an altitude of 1,220&nbsp;m on the northern foothills of the summit of Atovo Padalo (1,495&nbsp;m) in the Shipka division of the [[Balkan Mountains]], very close to the historical summit of [[Buzludzha]] (1,432&nbsp;m). Until the city of [[Gabrovo]] it flows northwest in a deep valley covered with forests of European beech (''[[Fagus sylvatica]]''). Between Gabrovo and the village of [[Yantra, Gabrovo Province|Yantra]] the river forms the Strazha Gorge through the homonymous plateau, its valley then widens and arable lands appear along its terraces.<ref name="Geographic Dictionary of Bulgaria 559"/>


The middle course begins at the village of [[Vetrintsi]], as the river heads east. The Yantra turns northwards before reaching the city of [[Veliko Tarnovo]] and forms a picturesque gorge within its urban limits, as it cuts through the Tarnovo Heights. The Yantra exists the gorge at the village of [[Samovodene]] and enters the [[Danubian Plain (Bulgaria)|Danubian Plain]], forming the boundary between the plain's central and eastern sections until its mouth.<ref name="Geographic Dictionary of Bulgaria 559"/>
Major cities on the river are [[Gabrovo]], [[Veliko Tarnovo]], [[Gorna Oryahovitsa]], [[Polski Trambesh]], and [[Byala (Ruse)|Byala]], close to which is the famous [[Belenski most|Belenski bridge]].


Due to the small [[Grade (slope)|gradient]] of the current in the Danubian Plain&nbsp;— 4.6‰, the Yantra forms large meanders, with a [[sinuosity]] index of 3.1&nbsp;— the largest in the territory of Bulgaria, especially in the area of [[Dolna Oryahovitsa]], [[Varbitsa, Veliko Tarnovo Province|Varbitsa]] and [[Draganovo, Veliko Tarnovo Province|Draganovo]]. After receiving its largest tributary, the [[Rositsa (river)|Rositsa]], the river heads north, again forming with numerous meanders and abandoned riverbeds. Downstream of the village of [[Dolna Studena]], it turns northwest and enters another picturesque gorge between the villages of [[Beltsov]], [[Dzhulyunitsa, Ruse Province|Dzhulyunitsa]] and [[Novgrad]]. In its lower course the river's with ranges between 30 and 78&nbsp;m. The Yantra flows into the Danube at an altitude of 19&nbsp;m some 1.7&nbsp;km northwest of the village of [[Krivina, Ruse Province|Krivina]] and about 2&nbsp;km east of the [[Vardim Island]], the third largest Bulgarian Danubian isle.<ref name="Geographic Dictionary of Bulgaria 559"/><ref name="Ichthyofauna"/>
==Honour==
[[Yantra Cove]] in [[Livingston Island]] in the [[South Shetland Islands]], [[Antarctica]] is named after Yantra River.


=== Basin and hydrology ===
==References==
[[File:Ledenik The Big Rocks 2.jpg|thumb|Rocks in the Yantra]]
{{Reflist}}
The Yantra drainage basin covers a territory of 7,862&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup><ref name="yearbook"/> or 0.96% of the Danube's total and borders the basins of the [[Osam]] and the [[Barata (river)|Barata]] to the west, the [[Rusenski Lom]] and the [[Kamchiya]] to the east and northeast, and the [[Tundzha]] of the [[Maritsa]] drainage to the south of the Balkan Mountain's main water divide.<ref name="Geographic Dictionary of Bulgaria 559"/> Its river basin is the fifth largest in Bulgaria by area, after those of the Maritsa, the [[Struma (river)|Struma]], the [[Iskar (river)|Iskar]] and the Tundzha, encompassing the whole [[Gabrovo Province]], 90% of [[Veliko Tarnovo Province]], 40% of [[Targovishte Province]], the southwestern part of [[Ruse Province]], and small areas of [[Lovech Province|Lovech]] and [[Sliven Province]]. In the Balkan Mountains the river basin is covered mainly with deciduous forests. To the north in the fore-Balkan section, the catchment area of the Yantra is well forested and grassed and high-stemmed woods gradually give way to low-stemmed ones. The main tributaries from the source to the mouth are the [[Belitsa (Yantra)|Belitsa]] (57&nbsp;km),<ref>{{harvnb|Geographic Dictionary of Bulgaria|1980|p=40}}</ref> the [[Stara reka (Yantra)|Stara reka]] (92&nbsp;km),<ref>{{harvnb|Geographic Dictionary of Bulgaria|1980|pp=285–286}}</ref> the [[Rositsa (river)|Rositsa]] (164&nbsp;km),<ref>{{harvnb|Geographic Dictionary of Bulgaria|1980|p=416}}</ref> the Eliyska reka (32&nbsp;km)<ref>{{harvnb|Geographic Dictionary of Bulgaria|1980|p=199}}</ref> and the Strudena (45&nbsp;km).<ref name="Geographic Dictionary of Bulgaria 559"/><ref>{{harvnb|Geographic Dictionary of Bulgaria|1980|p=481}}</ref> Other major rivers within the Yantra basin include the [[Golyama reka]] (75&nbsp;km), the [[Veselina (river)|Veselina]] (70&nbsp;km) and the [[Vidima (river)|Vidima]] (68&nbsp;km).<ref>{{harvnb|Geographic Dictionary of Bulgaria|1980|p=142}}</ref><ref>{{harvnb|Geographic Dictionary of Bulgaria|1980|p=105}}</ref><ref>{{harvnb|Geographic Dictionary of Bulgaria|1980|p=107}}</ref>

The Yantra has a mixed feed of snow, rain and karst waters. Snow and rain feed is prevalent in the Balkan Mountains and the fore-Balkan, rain in the Danubian Plain and underground karst water in the fore-Balkan.<ref name="Geographic Dictionary of Bulgaria 559"/> High water is in March–June in the Balkan Mountains due to the snow melt while in the Danubian Plain it is in January–June; low water is in August–October. During the spring high water comes about 70–80% of the total annual [[Discharge (hydrology)|discharge]], while during the autumn low water come 9–10%. The average annual discharge is 4&nbsp;m<sup>3</sup>/s at Gabrovo, 11.9&nbsp;m<sup>3</sup>/s at Veliko Tarnovo, 36.8&nbsp;m<sup>3</sup>/s at [[Karantsi]] and 47&nbsp;m<sup>3</sup>/s at the mouth.<ref name="Geographic Dictionary of Bulgaria 559"/> Since the Yantra is prone to floods, its lower left bank in the Danubian Plain is protected with dikes.<ref name="Geographic Dictionary of Bulgaria 559"/>

== Ecology ==
The whole river course is included in the [[European Union]] network of nature protection areas [[Natura 2000]] under the code Yantra BG0000610<ref name="natura">{{cite web|url= https://natura2000.egov.bg/EsriBg.Natura.Public.Web.App/Home/ProtectedSite?code=BG0000610&siteType=HabitatDirective |title=Yantra |website=Information System on the Protected Areas under Natura 2000|access-date=15 November 2024}}</ref> A total of 64 fish species have been recorded from the Yantra, of them 55 are autochthonous.<ref name="zeleni">{{cite web |url=https://balkani.org/en/reconnecting-rivers-yantra-river-catchment/|title=Reconnecting Rivers: Yantra River Catchment|website=Zeleni Balkani|access-date=15 November 2024}}</ref> Many of the local fishes are of conservation importance and are protected, including [[Kessler's gudgeon]], [[Romanogobio uranoscopus|Danubian longbarbel gudgeon]],[[Danube whitefin gudgeon]], [[spined loach]], [[Sabanejewia balcanica|Balkan golden loach]], [[Balon's ruffe]], [[Schraetzer|striped ruffe]], [[Misgurnus fossilis|weatherfish]], [[Cobitis elongata|Balkan loach]], [[Streber|Danube streber]], [[Zingel zingel|zingel]], [[European bitterling]], [[Asp (fish)|asp]], [[Pelecus cultratus|sabrefish]], [[Romanian barbel]], [[Ukrainian brook lamprey]], etc.<ref name="natura"/><ref name="zeleni"/> Four of the six [[Gobiidae|goby]] species found in the Bulgarian section of the Danube also occur in the Yantra&nbsp;— [[monkey goby]], [[round goby]], [[racer goby]] and [[Proterorhinus marmoratus|tubenose goby]].<ref name="Ichthyofauna"/>

== Settlements and economy ==
[[File:Veliko Tarnovo (Велико Търново) - Asenova Mahala quarter.JPG|thumb|The Yantra at [[Veliko Tarnovo]]]]
[[File:Trapezitca 036.jpg|thumb|Panoramic view from [[Trapezitsa (fortress)|Trapezitsa]] to [[Tsarevets (fortress)|Tsarevets]] with the Yantra, Veliko Tarnovo]]
[[File:Мост край Бяла.jpg|thumb|[[Belenski most|Byala Bridge]] over the Yantra]]
The Yantra basin encompasses six provinces but the river flows through three, Gabrovo, Veliko Tarnovo and Ruse. There are 22 settlements along its course, five towns and 17 villages. In Gabrovo Province are located the city of Gabrovo in [[Gabrovo Municipality]] and the village of Yantra in [[Dryanovo Municipality]]. In Veliko Tarnovo Province are situated [[Vetrintsi]], [[Pushevo]], [[Ledenik, Bulgaria|Ledenik]], [[Shemshevo]], Veliko Tarnovo (city) and [[Samovodene]] in [[Veliko Tarnovo Province]], [[Parvomaytsi]], [[Gorna Oryahovitsa]] (town), [[Pravda, Veliko Turnovo Province|Pravda]], Dolna Oryahovitsa (town), Varbitsa and Draganovo in [[Gorna Oryahovitsa Municipality]], and [[Petko Karavelovo]], [[Radanovo]] and Karantsi in [[Polski Trambesh Municipality]]. In Ruse Province are [[Polsko Kosovo]], [[Byala, Ruse Province|Byala]] (town), [[Starmen]] and [[Botrov]] in [[Byala Municipality, Ruse Province|Byala Municipality]], and [[Dolna Studena]], Beltsov, Dzhulyunitsa, [[Belyanovo]], Novgrad and Krivina in [[Tsenovo Municipality]]. Its waters, especially in the lower course in the Danubian Plain, are utilized for irrigation. The upper sections of the Yantra and its tributaries are a source for potable water. There are several small hydro power plants, including Yantra HPP, Malusha HPP and Lyubovo HPP.<ref name="Geographic Dictionary of Bulgaria 559"/>

Almost the entire length of the river valley is traversed by roads of the national network, including a 43.6&nbsp;km stretch of the first class [[I-5 road (Bulgaria)|I-5 road]] [[Ruse, Bulgaria|Ruse]]–[[Stara Zagora]]–[[Makaza]], which follows the river intermittently in the sections Byala–Petko Karavelovo, Samovodene–Veliko Tarnovo, and around Gabrovo. Another important road is the second class [[II-54 road (Bulgaria)|II-54 road]] [[Vardim]]–Byala, which runs next to the river for 8.2&nbsp;km.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.api.bg/index.php/bg/karti/republikanska-ptna-mrezha/|title=A Map of the Republican Road Network of Bulgaria|website=Official Site of the Road Infrastructure Agency|access-date=12 November 2024}}</ref>

Along the river valley between Byala and Veliko Tarnovo passes a section of major railway line Ruse–Stara Zagora–[[Podkova (village)|Podkova]] served by the [[Bulgarian State Railways]].

== Landmarks ==
A few kilometers south the Yantra's source stands the [[Buzludzha monument]], a memorial inaugurated in 1981 by the [[Bulgarian Communist Party]], whose [[futurist architecture]], impressive surrounding and melancholic atmosphere of decay has gained increased international popularity in recent years.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.buzludzha-monument.com/history|title=The Monument|website=The Buzludzha Monument|access-date=2016-12-05|archive-date=2019-10-19|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191019113812/http://www.buzludzha-monument.com/history|url-status=dead}}</ref> The uppermost part of the river falls within the boundaries of the [[Bulgarka Nature Park]]. Along the river banks south of Gabrovo is located the [[Etar Architectural-Ethnographic Complex]], an open-air museums featuring the architecture, way of life and economy of region during the [[Bulgarian National Revival]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://bulgariatravel.org/architectural-and-ethnographic-complex-etar/ |title= Architectural and Ethnographic Complex Etar |website=Official Tourist Portal of Bulgaria|date= 8 April 2020 |access-date=15 November 2024}}</ref> In Gabrovo, a city renown for the humour, the statue of its legendary founders Racho the Blacksmith was placed on a rock in the Yantra, so that the residents would not waste money on flowers on the monument.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://gabrovo.bg/en/page/1021 |title= Cultural Monuments |website=Official Site of Gabrovo Municipality|date= 8 April 2020 |access-date=16 November 2024}}</ref>

Further upstream the river passes through the city of Veliko Tarnovo, the capital of the [[Second Bulgarian Empire]], forming a meandering gorge.<ref name="tarnovo"/> The [[Tsarevets (fortress)|Fortress of Tsarevets]] is almost completely surrounded by a meander of the Yantra and on the opposite bank raises the [[Trapezitsa (fortress)|Fortress of Trapezitsa]], surrounded by the river on three sides.<ref name="tarnovo"/> Churches and houses overlook the river as its passes through the city. On a nearby hill is located the historic village of [[Arbanasi]].<ref name="tarnovo"/> In the Middle Ages those condemned to death were thrown from Tsarevets to the Yantra gorge below; a renown victim was the Bulgarian Patriarch [[Joachim III of Bulgaria|Joachim III]], who was thrown in the Yantra on orders of Emperor [[Theodore Svetoslav]] in 1300.<ref>{{harvnb|Andreev|Lalkov|1996|p=247}}</ref> The [[Transfiguration Monastery, Bulgaria|Transfiguration Monastery]] is situated over the left bank of the river in the Dervent Gorge some 7&nbsp;km north of Veliko Tarnovo.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://bulgariatravel.org/monastery-of-the-transfiguration-of-god-veliko-tarnovo/ |title= Monastery of the Transfiguration of God – Veliko Tarnovo |website=Official Tourist Portal of Bulgaria|date= 8 April 2020 |access-date=15 November 2024}}</ref>

Close to the town of Byala along its lower course, the river is crossed by the 19th century arched [[Belenski most|Byala Bridge]], an important landmark of the Bulgarian National Revival architecture, constructed by the architect [[Kolyu Ficheto]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://bulgariatravel.org/kolyu-fichetos-bridge-over-the-yantra-river-byala/ |title= Kolyu Ficheto’s Bridge over the Yantra River – Byala |website=Official Tourist Portal of Bulgaria|date= 8 April 2020 |access-date=15 November 2024}}</ref>

== Gallery ==
<gallery mode="packed">
File:The bridge of the Yoke (Slavery), Gabrovo.jpg | The Yantra at Gabrovo
File:Bulgaria Bulgaria-0894 - Yantra River (7433405358).jpg | The Yantra at Veliko Tarnovo
File:Мост на Кольо Фичето гр. Бяла.jpg | The Yantra at Byala
File:Jantra ved Belcov mot vest.JPG | The Yantra at Beltsov
</gallery>

==Citations==
{{Reflist|25em}}

== References ==
{{commons category|Yantra River}}
* {{cite book | ref={{harvid|Geographic Dictionary of Bulgaria|1980}}
| title = Географски речник на България
| trans-title = Geographic Dictionary of Bulgaria
| last1 = Мичев (Michev)
| first1 = Николай (Nikolay)
| last2 = Михайлов (Mihaylov)
| first2 = Цветко (Tsvetko)
| last3 = Вапцаров (Vaptsarov)
| first3 = Иван (Ivan)
| last4 = Кираджиев (Kiradzhiev)
| first4 = Светлин (Svetlin)
| chapter =
| year = 1980
| language = Bulgarian
| publisher = Наука и култура (Nauka i kultura)
| location = София (Sofia)
| isbn =
}}
* {{cite book | ref={{harvid|Andreev|Lalkov|1996}}
| title = Българските ханове и царе (The Bulgarian Khans and Tsars)
| last = Андреев (Andreev)
| first = Йордан (Jordan)
| first2= Милчо (Milcho) |last2= Лалков (Lalkov)
| chapter =
| year = 1996
| language = Bulgarian
| publisher = Абагар (Abagar)
| location = Велико Търново ([[Veliko Tarnovo]])
| isbn = 954-427-216-X
}}


{{Danube}}
{{Danube}}
{{Authority control}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Yantra (River)}}
[[Category:Rivers of Bulgaria]]
[[Category:Rivers of Bulgaria]]
[[Category:Landforms of Ruse Province]]
[[Category:Landforms of Gabrovo Province]]
[[Category:Landforms of Gabrovo Province]]
[[Category:Landforms of Ruse Province]]
[[Category:Landforms of Veliko Tarnovo Province]]
[[Category:Landforms of Veliko Tarnovo Province]]
[[Category:Geography of Veliko Tarnovo]]
[[Category:Gorna Oryahovitsa]]
[[Category:Gabrovo]]


{{Bulgaria-river-stub}}

Revision as of 14:26, 16 November 2024

Yantra
Byala Bridge over the Yantra
Map
Location
CountryBulgaria
Physical characteristics
Source 
 • locationN of Atovo Padalo, Balkan Mountains
 • coordinates42°44′20.04″N 25°25′6.96″E / 42.7389000°N 25.4186000°E / 42.7389000; 25.4186000
 • elevation1,220 m (4,000 ft)
Mouth 
 • location
Danube
 • coordinates
43°38′26.88″N 25°34′13.08″E / 43.6408000°N 25.5703000°E / 43.6408000; 25.5703000
 • elevation
19 m (62 ft)
Length285 km (177 mi)
Basin size7,862 km2 (3,036 sq mi)
Basin features
ProgressionDanubeBlack Sea

The Yantra (Bulgarian: Янтра ['jantrɐ]) is a river in northern Bulgaria, a right tributary of the Danube. Reaching a length of 285 km, it is the seventh longest river in Bulgaria and the third longest Bulgarian tributary of the Danube.[1][2] In the middle and lower course, the Yantra takes many turns forming numerous gorges. It has a high sinuosity index of 3.1, which is characteristic for meandering rivers. Its catchment spans a territory of 7,862 km2 and has a small mean slope value 4.6‰ with a mean altitude of 470 m.[3]

The city of Veliko Tarnovo, situated on several hills overlooking the river along its middle course, served as the capital of the Second Bulgarian Empire in the 12–14th centuries, and remains and important cultural, economic and tourist center in Bulgaria.[4] Another major city on the river is Gabrovo, an early education and industrial hub of the country.[5]

Geography

Course

The Yantra at Gabrovo by Felix Philipp Kanitz

The Yantra takes its source at an altitude of 1,220 m on the northern foothills of the summit of Atovo Padalo (1,495 m) in the Shipka division of the Balkan Mountains, very close to the historical summit of Buzludzha (1,432 m). Until the city of Gabrovo it flows northwest in a deep valley covered with forests of European beech (Fagus sylvatica). Between Gabrovo and the village of Yantra the river forms the Strazha Gorge through the homonymous plateau, its valley then widens and arable lands appear along its terraces.[1]

The middle course begins at the village of Vetrintsi, as the river heads east. The Yantra turns northwards before reaching the city of Veliko Tarnovo and forms a picturesque gorge within its urban limits, as it cuts through the Tarnovo Heights. The Yantra exists the gorge at the village of Samovodene and enters the Danubian Plain, forming the boundary between the plain's central and eastern sections until its mouth.[1]

Due to the small gradient of the current in the Danubian Plain — 4.6‰, the Yantra forms large meanders, with a sinuosity index of 3.1 — the largest in the territory of Bulgaria, especially in the area of Dolna Oryahovitsa, Varbitsa and Draganovo. After receiving its largest tributary, the Rositsa, the river heads north, again forming with numerous meanders and abandoned riverbeds. Downstream of the village of Dolna Studena, it turns northwest and enters another picturesque gorge between the villages of Beltsov, Dzhulyunitsa and Novgrad. In its lower course the river's with ranges between 30 and 78 m. The Yantra flows into the Danube at an altitude of 19 m some 1.7 km northwest of the village of Krivina and about 2 km east of the Vardim Island, the third largest Bulgarian Danubian isle.[1][3]

Basin and hydrology

Rocks in the Yantra

The Yantra drainage basin covers a territory of 7,862 km2[2] or 0.96% of the Danube's total and borders the basins of the Osam and the Barata to the west, the Rusenski Lom and the Kamchiya to the east and northeast, and the Tundzha of the Maritsa drainage to the south of the Balkan Mountain's main water divide.[1] Its river basin is the fifth largest in Bulgaria by area, after those of the Maritsa, the Struma, the Iskar and the Tundzha, encompassing the whole Gabrovo Province, 90% of Veliko Tarnovo Province, 40% of Targovishte Province, the southwestern part of Ruse Province, and small areas of Lovech and Sliven Province. In the Balkan Mountains the river basin is covered mainly with deciduous forests. To the north in the fore-Balkan section, the catchment area of the Yantra is well forested and grassed and high-stemmed woods gradually give way to low-stemmed ones. The main tributaries from the source to the mouth are the Belitsa (57 km),[6] the Stara reka (92 km),[7] the Rositsa (164 km),[8] the Eliyska reka (32 km)[9] and the Strudena (45 km).[1][10] Other major rivers within the Yantra basin include the Golyama reka (75 km), the Veselina (70 km) and the Vidima (68 km).[11][12][13]

The Yantra has a mixed feed of snow, rain and karst waters. Snow and rain feed is prevalent in the Balkan Mountains and the fore-Balkan, rain in the Danubian Plain and underground karst water in the fore-Balkan.[1] High water is in March–June in the Balkan Mountains due to the snow melt while in the Danubian Plain it is in January–June; low water is in August–October. During the spring high water comes about 70–80% of the total annual discharge, while during the autumn low water come 9–10%. The average annual discharge is 4 m3/s at Gabrovo, 11.9 m3/s at Veliko Tarnovo, 36.8 m3/s at Karantsi and 47 m3/s at the mouth.[1] Since the Yantra is prone to floods, its lower left bank in the Danubian Plain is protected with dikes.[1]

Ecology

The whole river course is included in the European Union network of nature protection areas Natura 2000 under the code Yantra BG0000610[14] A total of 64 fish species have been recorded from the Yantra, of them 55 are autochthonous.[15] Many of the local fishes are of conservation importance and are protected, including Kessler's gudgeon, Danubian longbarbel gudgeon,Danube whitefin gudgeon, spined loach, Balkan golden loach, Balon's ruffe, striped ruffe, weatherfish, Balkan loach, Danube streber, zingel, European bitterling, asp, sabrefish, Romanian barbel, Ukrainian brook lamprey, etc.[14][15] Four of the six goby species found in the Bulgarian section of the Danube also occur in the Yantra — monkey goby, round goby, racer goby and tubenose goby.[3]

Settlements and economy

The Yantra at Veliko Tarnovo
Panoramic view from Trapezitsa to Tsarevets with the Yantra, Veliko Tarnovo
Byala Bridge over the Yantra

The Yantra basin encompasses six provinces but the river flows through three, Gabrovo, Veliko Tarnovo and Ruse. There are 22 settlements along its course, five towns and 17 villages. In Gabrovo Province are located the city of Gabrovo in Gabrovo Municipality and the village of Yantra in Dryanovo Municipality. In Veliko Tarnovo Province are situated Vetrintsi, Pushevo, Ledenik, Shemshevo, Veliko Tarnovo (city) and Samovodene in Veliko Tarnovo Province, Parvomaytsi, Gorna Oryahovitsa (town), Pravda, Dolna Oryahovitsa (town), Varbitsa and Draganovo in Gorna Oryahovitsa Municipality, and Petko Karavelovo, Radanovo and Karantsi in Polski Trambesh Municipality. In Ruse Province are Polsko Kosovo, Byala (town), Starmen and Botrov in Byala Municipality, and Dolna Studena, Beltsov, Dzhulyunitsa, Belyanovo, Novgrad and Krivina in Tsenovo Municipality. Its waters, especially in the lower course in the Danubian Plain, are utilized for irrigation. The upper sections of the Yantra and its tributaries are a source for potable water. There are several small hydro power plants, including Yantra HPP, Malusha HPP and Lyubovo HPP.[1]

Almost the entire length of the river valley is traversed by roads of the national network, including a 43.6 km stretch of the first class I-5 road RuseStara ZagoraMakaza, which follows the river intermittently in the sections Byala–Petko Karavelovo, Samovodene–Veliko Tarnovo, and around Gabrovo. Another important road is the second class II-54 road Vardim–Byala, which runs next to the river for 8.2 km.[16]

Along the river valley between Byala and Veliko Tarnovo passes a section of major railway line Ruse–Stara Zagora–Podkova served by the Bulgarian State Railways.

Landmarks

A few kilometers south the Yantra's source stands the Buzludzha monument, a memorial inaugurated in 1981 by the Bulgarian Communist Party, whose futurist architecture, impressive surrounding and melancholic atmosphere of decay has gained increased international popularity in recent years.[17] The uppermost part of the river falls within the boundaries of the Bulgarka Nature Park. Along the river banks south of Gabrovo is located the Etar Architectural-Ethnographic Complex, an open-air museums featuring the architecture, way of life and economy of region during the Bulgarian National Revival.[18] In Gabrovo, a city renown for the humour, the statue of its legendary founders Racho the Blacksmith was placed on a rock in the Yantra, so that the residents would not waste money on flowers on the monument.[19]

Further upstream the river passes through the city of Veliko Tarnovo, the capital of the Second Bulgarian Empire, forming a meandering gorge.[4] The Fortress of Tsarevets is almost completely surrounded by a meander of the Yantra and on the opposite bank raises the Fortress of Trapezitsa, surrounded by the river on three sides.[4] Churches and houses overlook the river as its passes through the city. On a nearby hill is located the historic village of Arbanasi.[4] In the Middle Ages those condemned to death were thrown from Tsarevets to the Yantra gorge below; a renown victim was the Bulgarian Patriarch Joachim III, who was thrown in the Yantra on orders of Emperor Theodore Svetoslav in 1300.[20] The Transfiguration Monastery is situated over the left bank of the river in the Dervent Gorge some 7 km north of Veliko Tarnovo.[21]

Close to the town of Byala along its lower course, the river is crossed by the 19th century arched Byala Bridge, an important landmark of the Bulgarian National Revival architecture, constructed by the architect Kolyu Ficheto.[22]

Citations

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Geographic Dictionary of Bulgaria 1980, pp. 559–560
  2. ^ a b "Statistical Yearbook 2017" (PDF). National Statistical Institute. p. 17. Retrieved 15 November 2024.
  3. ^ a b c Vasilev, Milen; Trichkova, Teodora; Ureche, Dorel; Stoica, Ionut; Battes, Karina; Zivkov, Mladen (2008). "Distribution of Gobiid Species (Gobiidae, Pisces) in the Yantra River (Danube Basin, Bulgaria)". Proceeding on the Anniversary Scientific Conference of Ecology: 163–172. Retrieved 15 November 2024.
  4. ^ a b c d "Veliko Tarnovo". Official Tourist Portal of Bulgaria. 8 April 2020. Retrieved 15 November 2024.
  5. ^ Geographic Dictionary of Bulgaria 1980, pp. 127–128
  6. ^ Geographic Dictionary of Bulgaria 1980, p. 40
  7. ^ Geographic Dictionary of Bulgaria 1980, pp. 285–286
  8. ^ Geographic Dictionary of Bulgaria 1980, p. 416
  9. ^ Geographic Dictionary of Bulgaria 1980, p. 199
  10. ^ Geographic Dictionary of Bulgaria 1980, p. 481
  11. ^ Geographic Dictionary of Bulgaria 1980, p. 142
  12. ^ Geographic Dictionary of Bulgaria 1980, p. 105
  13. ^ Geographic Dictionary of Bulgaria 1980, p. 107
  14. ^ a b "Yantra". Information System on the Protected Areas under Natura 2000. Retrieved 15 November 2024.
  15. ^ a b "Reconnecting Rivers: Yantra River Catchment". Zeleni Balkani. Retrieved 15 November 2024.
  16. ^ "A Map of the Republican Road Network of Bulgaria". Official Site of the Road Infrastructure Agency. Retrieved 12 November 2024.
  17. ^ "The Monument". The Buzludzha Monument. Archived from the original on 2019-10-19. Retrieved 2016-12-05.
  18. ^ "Architectural and Ethnographic Complex Etar". Official Tourist Portal of Bulgaria. 8 April 2020. Retrieved 15 November 2024.
  19. ^ "Cultural Monuments". Official Site of Gabrovo Municipality. 8 April 2020. Retrieved 16 November 2024.
  20. ^ Andreev & Lalkov 1996, p. 247
  21. ^ "Monastery of the Transfiguration of God – Veliko Tarnovo". Official Tourist Portal of Bulgaria. 8 April 2020. Retrieved 15 November 2024.
  22. ^ "Kolyu Ficheto's Bridge over the Yantra River – Byala". Official Tourist Portal of Bulgaria. 8 April 2020. Retrieved 15 November 2024.

References

  • Мичев (Michev), Николай (Nikolay); Михайлов (Mihaylov), Цветко (Tsvetko); Вапцаров (Vaptsarov), Иван (Ivan); Кираджиев (Kiradzhiev), Светлин (Svetlin) (1980). Географски речник на България [Geographic Dictionary of Bulgaria] (in Bulgarian). София (Sofia): Наука и култура (Nauka i kultura).
  • Андреев (Andreev), Йордан (Jordan); Лалков (Lalkov), Милчо (Milcho) (1996). Българските ханове и царе (The Bulgarian Khans and Tsars) (in Bulgarian). Велико Търново (Veliko Tarnovo): Абагар (Abagar). ISBN 954-427-216-X.