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The Old Town of Lovech - Varosha
Bulgaria
Varosha is an architectural reserve that covers the Old Town of Lovech, 80 km from Veliko Turnovo. As in most old towns, the streets are narrow and covered in cobblestone. The old buildings are a superb sample of the National Revival architecture from the beginning of the 19th c. and carry unique ambience and character. The houses are small, on 2 floors and surrounded by high solid stone walls. The facades have beautiful balconies and verandas and face a courtyard while the backs face the street. The yards are arranged in levels with lots of ivy, wild geranium, lilac and roses that bring lively colour and aroma throughout most of the year. There are big oak gates through which to enter the courtyard and from there the house. Ground and basement floors are rarely used for shops and workshops or living premises. Trade and crafts activities are concentrated in the 'charshiya' street - a traditional neighborhood of shops, cafés, and artisans' workshops, which later moved on into the Covered Bridge. People used the ground and basement floors for stables and to store supplies. Nowadays most of the houses have been restored or are due to be restored. Some are used as restaurants, hotels and museums, the rest are private houses. The number of sites and attractions on the territory of the Varosha reserve is over 200. Among these are the Vasil Levski Museum, The Ethnographic Complex, The Lovech Medieval Fortress, churches, old houses, public buildings and bridges.
