Sofia Valley
Encyclopedia
The Sofia Valley is a valley in central western Bulgaria
, bordering Stara Planina to the northeast, the Viskyar, Lyulin
, Vitosha
and Lozen mountains to the southwest, the Vakarel Mountain to the southeast and the low Slivnitsa Heights to the northwest.
After the valley's bottom was formed, the stream of the Iskar River was blocked and the whole valley became a lake, causing the gritty and clay-like soils that now cover most of the valley. The lake ceased to exist when the river drove through the Stara Planina, forming the Iskar Gorge
.
The Sofia Valley is rich in mineral spring
s such as Gorna Banya, Pancharevo
and Bankya
, which are, together with the valley's predisposal to seismic activity, the result of its fault character.
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
, bordering Stara Planina to the northeast, the Viskyar, Lyulin
Lyulin Mountain
Lyulin is a range of hills in western Bulgaria, located several kilometres west of Sofia. The highest point is Dupevitsa Peak . The Buchino Pass divides the hills into two, a western and an eastern part...
, Vitosha
Vitosha
Vitosha is a mountain massif, on the outskirts of Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria. Vitosha is one of the tourists symbols of Sofia and the closest site for hiking, alpinism and skiing. Convenient bus lines and rope ways render the mountain easily accessible. Vitosha has the outlines of an enormous...
and Lozen mountains to the southwest, the Vakarel Mountain to the southeast and the low Slivnitsa Heights to the northwest.
After the valley's bottom was formed, the stream of the Iskar River was blocked and the whole valley became a lake, causing the gritty and clay-like soils that now cover most of the valley. The lake ceased to exist when the river drove through the Stara Planina, forming the Iskar Gorge
Iskar Gorge
The Iskar Gorge is a gorge passing through the Balkan Mountains in Bulgaria. It connects Sofia and Mezdra.The road and railroad follow the course of the Iskar River through a winding, scenic canyon.-References:*...
.
The Sofia Valley is rich in mineral spring
Mineral spring
Mineral springs are naturally occurring springs that produce water containing minerals, or other dissolved substances, that alter its taste or give it a purported therapeutic value...
s such as Gorna Banya, Pancharevo
Pancharevo
Pancharevo is a suburban district located in the south-eastern parts of the Capital Municipality. it has 26,000 inhabitants. It is the largest region in Sofia with total area of 364,7 km²...
and Bankya
Bankya
Bankya is an upscale town and district in western Bulgaria. It is administratively part of greater Sofia.The district is famous for the mineral springs and baths that have been used for their medicinal properties for hundreds of years. Prime Minister of Bulgaria Boyko Borisov is a native...
, which are, together with the valley's predisposal to seismic activity, the result of its fault character.