This is the Memorial at Shipka Pass. It is located on Stara Planina Mountain, Stoletov Peak to be exact, in the Balkan Mountain range. In 1877, this was the site of several fierce battles between the Russian and Ottoman Empires over Bulgaria's independence. At one point, 7500 Russian and Bulgarian soldiers held their ground against almost 40,000 Ottoman troops.
When we arrived at the memorial, the access road to the top was closed for the day so we needed to take the stairs. We couldn't even see the top of the mountain from our vantage point so we were hesitant to proceed. We got over ourselves and trekked onward.
The fall colors in the forest were so incredibly beautiful; an excellent distraction from the journey up the steps.
The birch trees were in the minority and provided such a lovely contrast.
I've done a little research and I was unable to identify this tree which was dominant in the area. Does anyone know the species? Their leaves were a brilliant orange if that helps. Anyhow, this particular tree looked like it wanted to give us a hug. :)
Glory hallelujah! It was our first sighting of our final destination!!!
These sculptures greet you at the top of the 850 (my estimation) steps.
The memorial was dedicated in 1934 and was a collaboration between architect, Atanas Donkov, and sculptor, Aleksandar Andreev. The stone tower is 98 feet tall adorned with a 13 ft. bronze lion (the national symbol of Bulgaria). On the first floor, you will find a sarcophagus containing the remains of some of the Bulgarian and Russian soldiers who fought so valiantly. The remaining floors contain military memorabilia with a viewing platform at the top.
My friend and I were the only people up here...so quiet and peaceful. It was difficult for me to imagine what it was like while the battles were raging.
I was truly moved.
This outcropping of rocks was very different than anything else on the peak. As the sun was getting low, the colors grew more warm and brilliant by the minute. The cross, another memorial marker, displays both the Bulgarian and Russian flags.
It was time to begin our descent but the layers of color in the mountains and the sky were so magnificent, it made it hard to leave.
A perfect ending to a most meaningful day.
Want to see more from my travels around Bulgaria? Check out my previous posts:
https://steemit.com/colourfulphotography/@samanthajbarnes/shipka-memorial-church-shipka-bulgaria
https://steemit.com/travel/@samanthajbarnes/a-look-inside-shipka-memorial-church-shipka-bulgaria
Some photos previously posted at:
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100008940904112
!steemitworldmap 42.747958 lat 25.321555 long Memorial at Shipka Pass d3scr
