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and has been subsequently shaped by the slow folding of the granite rock layers and a series of gradual uplifts of the area. It appears dome shaped at first sight, but the mountain, 19 km long by 17 km wide, actually consists of concentric denudational plateaus rising in tiers one above the
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was built at the top in 1935, and is still operating. The station also serves as a rest shelter for hikers and is the headquarters for the mountain rescue team. Historical documents show that several centuries ago
Vitosha mountain was still covered by the remains of the inaccessible
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of this large settlement has always been connected, in one way or another, with the neighboring mountain. The name
Vitosha comes from the two-peaked, twin ridge mountain, which rises above the Sofia field and has acquired its present shape in stages over many millennia.
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found in
Vitosha and they were once the moraines of ancient glaciers. Their further formation occurred due to the spherical erosion of the sienite rocks and their gradual movement to down stream valleys by the forces of gravity and moving water.
502:(7.84 km² respectively), were designated within its boundaries. The park boundaries fluctuated over many years and today it encompasses the entire mountain; an area of 266.06 km².
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At a time when nature conservation ideas were a long way from the present understanding, some enlightened noblemen took the first step in 1934 by declaring 66 km² of
Vitosha a
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can be found within the park. Research has revealed that on the comparatively small area of the mountain there are 1,500 species of higher plants, 500 species of
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that encompasses the best known and most frequently visited parts. The foothills of
Vitosha shelter resort quarters of Sofia; Knyazhevo quarter has
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Torfeno
Branishte (Peat Reserve) on the Vitosha Plateau. The city of Sofia can be seen in the background (right).
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615:) is another widespread herbaceous plant on Vitosha; it develops in dank sites under the shade of the forest.
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consisting of a ribbon of huge boulders running down the mountainside. This scenic spot is located along the
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a large population has always existed at the base of
Vitosha. For the last four thousand years the
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are present on the mountain, as well as other species commonly called 'lilies'. There are also
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other. Vitosha is separated into four main parts whose main ridges gather at a crown known as
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in an area of mixed deciduous and evergreen forest. However, this is only one of the
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forests of
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811:- a popular main street in Sofia; with shops, boutiques and restaurants.
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are named respectively for Mount
Vitosha, and for the Vitosha peaks of
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Mountain & Ski resort
Vitosha - info, hotels, properties
490:, hence Vitosha became the first park of this kind in the
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View of the Vitosha Mountain from the South Park of Sofia
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History of the park, travelling information, photographs
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341:The territory of the mountain includes Vitosha
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648:. Ushite and Kamen Del peaks in the background
498:(subsequently expanded to 10.61 km²) and
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755:Snow-covered trees in February, northern side
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352:. Vitosha is the oldest nature park in the
225:Cable car to Aleko (1810 m), chair lift to
19:For the suburb/neighbourhood of Sofia, see
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949:Veyrenc, Charles Jacques (7 May 1981).
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513:area with the Aleko lodge in the middle
254:270.79 km (104.55 sq mi)
420:form of Vitosha is a typical example.
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7:
767:Boyana waterfall, highest in Vitosha
359:The mountain emerged as a result of
1000:The Vitosha mountain - virtual tour
910:List of protected areas of Bulgaria
553:The forests are mainly composed of
434:region near the village of Bosnek.
703:, Kominite Peak, and Kikish site.
577:forest at lower altitudes, mainly
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1403:Ski areas and resorts in Bulgaria
271:Ministry of Environment and Water
1398:Geography of Sofia City Province
1388:Landforms of Sofia City Province
900:List of mountains of the Balkans
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245:V (protected landscape/seascape)
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437:Since the ancient times of the
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905:List of ecoregions in Bulgaria
522:Due to a great variability in
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1015:Vast Image Gallery of Vitosha
895:List of mountains in Bulgaria
799:Vitosha is also the name of:
1408:Tourist attractions in Sofia
990:Nature Park Vitosha Web Site
955:. McGraw-Hill/Contemporary.
63:1,275 m (4,183 ft)
53:2,292 m (7,520 ft)
1383:Mountain ranges of Bulgaria
1172:Bayuvi Dupki–Dzhindzhiritsa
1051:Protected areas of Bulgaria
1005:Hiking in Vitosha Mountains
229:(2191 m), easy footpath to
16:Mountain massif in Bulgaria
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793:National Palace of Culture
370:('Black Peak', Bulgarian:
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965:– via Google Books.
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1393:Nature parks in Bulgaria
985:Mountain Vitosha Gallery
569:, and at the tree-line,
163:Location within Bulgaria
715:Vitosha seen from Sofia
424:Bulgaria's longest cave
689:South Shetland Islands
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633:(The Golden Bridges),
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612:Pulmonaria officinalis
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456:Great Bulgarian Forest
451:meteorological station
318:, on the outskirts of
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890:Geography of Bulgaria
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460:Magna Silva Bulgarica
382:mountain chain system
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1192:Central Rila Reserve
1177:Bistrishko Branishte
496:Bistrishko Branishte
406:sheet-like intrusion
1423:Geology of Bulgaria
267:Governing body
177:Sofia City Province
87: /
1157:Ali Botush Reserve
872:Environment portal
791:Vitosha seen from
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644:The Plateau, with
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43:Highest point
1418:Extinct volcanoes
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1322:Torfeno Branishte
1141:Vrachanski Balkan
930:Rhodope Mountains
809:Vitosha Boulevard
731:seen from Vitosha
685:Livingston Island
646:Torfeno Branishte
542:, 326 species of
538:, 500 species of
500:Torfeno Branishte
418:laccolithic domed
398:Greben (mountain)
361:volcanic activity
322:, the capital of
303:[ˈvitoʃɐ]
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91:42.567°N 23.283°E
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1332:Uchilishtna Gora
1272:Severen Dzhendem
1202:Chervenata Stena
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402:Viskyar Mountain
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408:(or concordant
394:Lyulin Mountain
380:of Srednogorie
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286:Map of Vitosha
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980:Photo Gallery
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804:Radio Vitosha
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571:mountain pine
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243:IUCN category
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220:Easiest route
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1252:Parangalitsa
1227:Kamenshtitsa
1116:Rusenski Lom
1101:Golden Sands
1084:Nature parks
951:
944:
880:Stone rivers
798:
743:Another view
701:Golyam Rezen
667:
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606:Orchis morio
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573:, and mixed
561:, with some
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480:stone rivers
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209:First ascent
1342:Uzunbodzhak
1237:Mandra Lake
1232:Kozya Stena
1167:Burgas Lake
697:Malak Rezen
681:Kikish Crag
677:Komini Peak
673:Rezen Knoll
658:Cherni Vrah
488:nature park
472:stone river
386:Sredna gora
367:Cherni Vrah
343:nature park
259:Established
231:Cherni Vrah
227:Malak Rezen
197:Vitosha Map
112:Native name
94: /
69:Coordinates
1367:Categories
1327:Tsarichina
1302:Stara Reka
1282:Skakavitsa
1242:Mantaritza
936:References
693:Antarctica
567:Scots pine
464:coniferous
373:черни връх
59:Prominence
1337:Usungeren
1317:Tisovitsa
1277:Silkosiya
1207:Dzhendema
1131:Strandzha
1091:Belasitsa
635:stone run
575:deciduous
524:elevation
439:Thracians
295:Bulgarian
132:Geography
124:Bulgarian
49:Elevation
1347:Vitanovo
1292:Srebarna
1267:Ropotamo
1217:Kaliakra
1096:Bulgarka
952:Bulgaria
816:See also
656:View of
332:alpinism
324:Bulgaria
312:Scombrus
203:Climbing
192:Topo map
173:Location
1378:Vitosha
1307:Steneto
1297:Sredoka
1287:Sokolna
1247:Orelyak
1222:Kamchia
1136:Vitosha
1106:Persina
687:in the
664:Honours
601:orchids
548:lichens
518:Ecology
492:Balkans
443:economy
432:karstic
428:Duhlata
354:Balkans
350:springs
347:mineral
314:, is a
308:Scomius
291:Vitosha
213:Unknown
157:Vitosha
82:23°17′E
79:42°34′N
29:Vitosha
1312:Tisata
1187:Bogdan
1182:Boatin
959:
679:, and
544:mosses
416:. The
410:pluton
378:massif
336:skiing
328:hiking
299:Витоша
120:
117:Витоша
107:Naming
1352:Yulen
1070:Pirin
920:Pirin
885:Aleko
729:Sofia
727:East
591:alder
587:aspen
583:birch
579:beech
540:algae
536:fungi
532:fauna
528:flora
511:Aleko
320:Sofia
1262:Poda
1212:Ibar
1075:Rila
957:ISBN
915:Rila
699:and
589:and
557:and
530:and
509:The
334:and
262:1934
251:Area
683:on
458:" (
310:or
1369::
691:,
675:,
671:,
585:,
581:,
565:,
550:.
449:A
426:–
400:,
396:,
392:,
388:,
356:.
330:,
297::
183:,
179:,
1043:e
1036:t
1029:v
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293:(
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