Bridges with shower

Start your walk from the heart of Gabrovo – the “Igo” Bridge, often called “Racho Kovacha”. This is the site of the oldest stone bridge in Gabrovo – the Konashka Bridge, built before the end of the 18th century at the Gramadata rocks, it has survived fires, floods and explosions… and still it has stood! It is an important part of modern life with the annual throwing of the cross on St. Jordan’s Day and the baptism of water in Gabrovo.

Construction of the new Igo Bridge began in 1935 and was necessitated by the need to replace the old bridge, which was inconvenient for modern transport.

Halfway across the river, you’ll see the monument to Racho Kovacs, the founder of Gabrovo – one of the city’s most photographed and beloved oddities. The locals adorn him with wreaths, a red sash and a cap on holidays because he, too, must “understand that it is a holiday.”

The founder’s monument is part of a sculptural composition decorating three sides of the bridge. The sculptural figures “Bulgaria in Chains” (female figure), “The Chain is Broken” (male figure) and “The Invincible Bulgarian Spirit” (lion figure) from the bridge “The Igo” were created by prof. Lyubomir Dalchev, brother of the famous Bulgarian poet Atanas Dalchev.

You can read more about the history of the Konashka Bridge in the article by Ivan Postompirov – Chief Curator at the Gabrovo Regional Museum.

It was built right at the confluence of the r. It is located right on the confluence of the Sinkevitsa River and the Lion River. Yantra. High on its columns of white Vratsa stone stand four lions holding shields with one of the symbols of the town – the sign of water with the water wheel driven by it, the anvil of Racho Kovacha and the book indicating Gabrovo as the cradle of Bulgarian education. Because of the columns with the lions it was named “The Bridge with the Lions”.

Two bridges rise a metre from each other over the river Baev. Yantra – the old and the new Baev Bridge, also called “the double bridge”. Baev Bridge is one of the few preserved Renaissance architectural monuments in Gabrovo. Its name comes from the personal name of the owner of a mill that existed in the past – Bayo Dermendzhijata. The story of the construction of the old bridge with money donated by the Sultan Abdul Majid himself in 1846 is also interesting. He authorized and financed the construction of a stone bridge in the settlement, which is reminded today by the marble inscription in the middle of the southern railing of the bridge.

In 1962-1963 a new bridge was built parallel to the old Baev Bridge. Designs were made for four sculptural compositions on the theme of the Revival. In 1968, three of them were placed on the bridge – these are the figures “Apriltsi” (participants in the April Uprising), “The Wounded Insurgent” and “The Schoolwork in Gabrovo”.

Today, pedestrians enjoy the authentic beauty of the bridge while cars pass over the new one. The two bridges thus not only connect, but also coexist in harmony between past and present.

If you continue north you will reach the Shivarov Bridge, which leads to the Balkan. It bears the name of the once existing tavern of the fighter Dimitar Shivarov, but it is also linked to the heroic figure of Captain Grandfather Nikola, who raised the standard against the Ottoman rule right next to this bridge.

On August 1, every year, a celebration was held here in his memory, and every hostess cooked “captain chushnik” – lean stuffed peppers, which became a symbolic dish of the day.

The old Shivarov Bridge no longer exists. A new one was built in its place in 1967. Due to its proximity to the Hristo Botev Stadium, it was architecturally shaped as a bridge of sports by the sculptures of prof. Ilia Iliev, Dimitar Dimitrov and Boris Gondov.

The third bridge over the r. Sinkevitsa, which deserves to be mentioned, is the Borovskiy or “Bridge of Arts”. It has been connecting the Borovo neighbourhood with the centre of Gabrovo for ages. This place used to be the cemetery during the plague epidemic and camps for the sick. Several Russian officers and soldiers were buried there during the Liberation War, a modest monument was made to Nikola Voinovski – the standard bearer of Hristo Botev’s Chetta and a monumental monument to Chardaphon the Great.

Later, when the new bridge was built, it was christened “Bridge of Arts” because of its proximity to the House of Culture and the Summer Theatre. The sculptor Velichko Minekov made the four white stone figures – the Muse of Music, the Actor with Mask in Hand (Theatre), the Two Dancing Maidens (Handmaiden) and the Fertility.

The walk will take you to a bridge that tells stories through the sculptural compositions Textile Workers, Leather Workers, Potters and Builders – these are the crafts that built old Gabrovo. It is located above the r. Sinkevitsa, not on the r. In its older form it was.

the “Bridge of Crafts” in its present form was built in 1963 and is located next to the Drama Theatre. It is a wonderful place for photographs and reflection on the industriousness of the people of this region.

The latest addition to Gabrovo’s famous bridges was completed in 2018 and jokingly named by Gabrovo residents – the Curly Bridge, because of its specific shape. The bridge is a pedestrian bridge and is located between the Igo Bridge and the Humour Bridge. It connects the two riverside areas, which offer places for recreation and playgrounds for outdoor sports. Its modern look is enhanced by the decorative LED lighting that impresses visitors and residents in the evening.

Next to the famous Museum of Humour and Satire is the Bridge of Humour, known to older Gabrovians as the Padalas Bridge. Sultan Abdul Majid again gave permission for its construction, but Gabrovo residents built it with their own funds.

After the big flood in the 1990s the old bridge was damaged, which led to the construction of a new one. Today it continues the tradition of welcoming everyone with a smile, especially in May when the town celebrates with carnival, laughter and fun.