The bridges in Gabrovo tell stories with stone and metal. The Yantra River and its tributaries have been one of the main factors in the founding of the city and the needs of the locals to cross the river are since its inception. Gabrovo bridges are among the wonders of the city and have given one of the nicknames of Gabrovo - "City of Bridges". Half of the 20 bridges in the city are of particular architecture and are dedicated to specific events or phenomena, making them unique cultural monuments. In this article we will meet you with the most curious of them.

Baev Bridge

The Baev Bridge is the most famous of the entire list. Also known as the "two bridges". What is unique about it is the literal meeting between the old and the new. The old Baev Bridge was built of cut stone by Master Mincho Stoyanov in 1855 at the behest of Sultan Abdul Majid. It is one of the few preserved stone structures in the urban environment and has been declared a cultural monument. The sculptural compositions "Apriltsi" and "Science", as well as the figure of the "Wounded Rebel", celebrate the participation of Gabrovo in the April Uprising in 1876 and the city's contribution to secular education in Bulgaria. In 1967, the new Baev Bridge was built, almost adjacent to the old one, to taka vehicular traffic while the old one was restored and remained pedestrian.

Crafts Bridge

The bridge is parallel to the Yantra River and was built in 1963 over the Sinkevica River. His bronze sculptures praise the skillful hands of Gabrovtsi, who have become famous throughout the country. At the four ends of the bridge are typical for Gabrovo crafts through the sculptural compositions "Textiles", "Leatherers", "Potters" and "Builders", created in 1965.
 
Bridge of the Arts

It also passes over the Sinkevica River, behind the House of Culture. The sculptor Velichko Minekov has painted 4 graceful white stone sculptures: the muse of music Euterpa; An actor with a mask in his hand - a symbol of dramatic art; two Terpsychori, embodied in Bulgarian girls dancing; the fourth figure represents fertility.
 Bridge behind the theater
It was built above the site where the Sinkevitza River flows into the Yantra River. Its columns are decorated with four white stone lions, each holding one of the symbols of the city. Two embrace the sign of a water-driven water wheel (one each for the two Yantra and Sinkevicha rivers). The third lion holds a book symbolizing Gabrovo as the cradle of secular education in the country, and the last one is the anvil of Racho Kovacha.
 
Shivarov Bridge

Built in 1967, the bridge is dedicated to sports due to the fact that it leads to the main stadium in the city - "Hristo Botev". Bronze sculptures show athletes in graceful sports poses.
 
Igoto Bridge
 
The construction of the new Igoto Bridge began in 1935 because of the need for a new bridge to replace the old Konashki Bridge, which was outdated by the new modes of transportation. Because of the construction of the new facility, the rock at the bridge that formed the waterfall was broken down. The sculptures of the bridge are dedicated to Otoman slavery - "Bulgaria in chains" or "Bulgaria under a yoke" (female figure), "The chain is torn" (male figure) and "Invincible Bulgarian spirit" (figure of a lion). Created by Lyubomir Dalchev, who is also the author of the emblem of the city - the statue of Racho Kovacha near the bridge.
 
The Curly Bridge

The most recent addition to the famous Gabrovo bridges was completed in 2018 and jokingly called Gabrovtsi – The curly bridge because of its specific shape. The bridge is pedestrian and connects the two riverside areas, which offer recreation areas and outdoor sports grounds. Its modern look is also reinforced by the decorative LED lighting, which impresses those who pass by in the evening.