# Strandzha > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Strandzha > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Strandzha.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strandzha > Source revision: 1340006040 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{more citations needed|date=November 2024}} {{short description|Mountain in Bulgaria and Turkey}} right|thumb|View from Papiya Peak ({{convert|502|m|ft|0|abbr=on|disp=or}}) in Bulgarian Strandzha. right|thumb|A landscape from the Bulgarian part of Strandzha. right|thumb|Typical wooden architecture of inland Bulgarian Strandzha '''Strandzha''' ({{langx|bg|Странджа}}, also transliterated as ''Strandja'', {{IPA|bg|ˈstrand͡ʒɐ|pron}}; {{langx|tr|Istranca}} {{IPA|tr|ɯstɾand͡ʒa|}}, or {{lang|tr|Yıldız}} {{IPA|tr|jɯɫdɯz|}}) is a mountain [massif](/source/massif) in southeastern [Bulgaria](/source/Bulgaria) and [East Thrace](/source/East_Thrace), the European part of [Turkey](/source/Turkey). It is in the southeastern part of the [Balkans](/source/Balkans) between the plains of [Thrace](/source/Thrace) to the west, the lowlands near [Burgas](/source/Burgas) to the north, and the [Black Sea](/source/Black_Sea) to the east. Its highest peak is [Mahya Dağı](/source/Mahya_Da%C4%9F%C4%B1) ({{langx|bg|Махиада}}, ''Mahiada'') ({{convert|1031|m|ft|0|abbr=on|disp=or}}) in Turkey, while the highest point on Bulgarian territory is Golyamo Gradishte ({{langx|bg|Голямо Градище}}) ({{convert|710|m|ft|0|abbr=on|disp=or}}). The total area is approximately {{convert|10000|km2|sqmi|0|abbr=on}}. ==Geography and climate== thumb|280px|Topographic map of Strandzha and Sakar The climate of the area is considerably influenced by the Black Sea and is predominantly [humid continental](/source/humid_continental) in the mountains and [humid subtropical](/source/humid_subtropical) at the coast. Major rivers in the area are the [Veleka](/source/Veleka) ({{convert|147|km|mi|0|abbr=on|disp=or}} long) and the border river [Rezovska](/source/Rezovska) ({{convert|112|km|mi|0|abbr=on|disp=or}} long). ==Strandzha Nature Park== [Strandzha Nature Park](/source/Strandzha_Nature_Park), established in 1995 in the Bulgarian part of the massif, is the largest [protected area](/source/protected_area) in Bulgaria. In size it is {{convert|1161|km2|sqmi|0|abbr=on}}, or about 1% of Bulgaria's total territory. The [İğneada Floodplain Forests National Park](/source/%C4%B0%C4%9Fneada_Floodplain_Forests_National_Park) was established in 2007 at Turkey's Strandzha park. ==History and culture== Inhabited by the [Thracians](/source/Thracians) in antiquity, Strandzha is an area with a large concentration of ruins of Thracian sanctuaries, sacrificial altars, dolmens, and other archaeological objects. The mountains were the site of the Bulgarian [Preobrazhenie Uprising](/source/Preobrazhenie_Uprising) of 1903 that was crushed by [Ottoman](/source/Ottoman_Empire) troops. The current Bulgarian-Turkish border in the region was established after the [Balkan Wars](/source/Balkan_Wars) of 1912–1913, when the southeastern part of Strandzha became part of Turkey and the northern part became a part of Bulgaria. After the expulsion of Thracian Bulgarians in 1913, Muslims from Bulgaria were settled in the Turkish part. During the [Population exchange between Greece and Turkey](/source/Population_exchange_between_Greece_and_Turkey), Greeks were expelled to Greece, while Muslims from Greece were settled in the Turkish part of Strandzha mountains. Muslim [immigrants to Turkey](/source/Immigration_to_Turkey) from former Yugoslavia also settled in the Turkish part of Strandzha Mountains. Culturally, the Bulgarian part of Strandzha is known for the specific architecture that can be observed in [Malko Tarnovo](/source/Malko_Tarnovo), [Brashlyan](/source/Brashlyan), and most other villages, the rich folklore and distinctive rituals, such as [nestinarstvo](/source/nestinarstvo) (barefoot dancing on live embers), that preserve pagan elements. The Turkish part is well known for its [charcoal burning](/source/charcoal_burner),{{cite web | url=https://www.trakyagezi.com/ates-kul-ve-duman-torlukcular/ | title=Ateş, Kül ve Duman; TORLUKÇULAR – Trakya Gezi | date=October 2009 }} [goat farming](/source/goat_farming){{cite web | url=https://www.trakyagezi.com/trakyanin-can-akortcusu-mustafa-sahin/ | title=Trakya'nın Çan Akortçusu; Mustafa ŞAHİN – Trakya Gezi | date=31 March 2017 }} and [cheesemaking](/source/cheesemaking).{{cite web | url=http://trakya-peyniri.com/tr/production/beyaz-peynir | title=Peynir üretimi – Beyaz peynir }} ==Flora and fauna== The Strandzha Mountains have a rich and diverse [flora](/source/flora) and [fauna](/source/fauna), unique within Europe. The eastern part of Strandzha is covered by the most northwestern extent of the [Euxine–Colchic deciduous forests](/source/Euxine%E2%80%93Colchic_deciduous_forests) ecoregion. 50% of Bulgaria's flora can be observed in Strandzha Nature Park and the area has 121 habitat types. In Strandzha over 600 species of [invertebrates](/source/invertebrates) are found, as well as over 400 species of [vertebrates](/source/vertebrates), 41 species of [freshwater fish](/source/freshwater_fish), 10 species of [amphibians](/source/amphibians), over 20 species of [reptile](/source/reptile), more than 130 species of breeding [birds](/source/birds), and over 60 species of [mammals](/source/mammals).{{cite book |last = Kamburov |first = Ivan |title = The Nature of 'Strandja' Park |publisher = Directorate of 'Strandja' Nature Park |year = 2006 |isbn = 978-954-92093-2-7 |pages = 1–22 }} One of the reasons for the abundance of flora and fauna is the area's location at a bio-geographical crossroad between the European and Asian continents. The plant communities in Strandzha developed before Europe was separated from Asia by the formation of the [Bosporus Strait](/source/Bosporus_Strait) that now connects the [Black Sea](/source/Black_Sea) with the [Mediterranean Sea](/source/Mediterranean_Sea). Land-ice never reached Strandzha during the ice-ages of the [Pleistocene](/source/Pleistocene) and the [Holocene](/source/Holocene). This lack of glaciations helped create the circumstances in which flora characteristic for the [Tertiary period](/source/Tertiary_period) on the European continent has been preserved in Strandzha. ==Honour== [Strandzha Glacier](/source/Strandzha_Glacier) on [Livingston Island](/source/Livingston_Island) in the [South Shetland Islands](/source/South_Shetland_Islands), [Antarctica](/source/Antarctica) is named after Strandzha Mountain. ==References== {{Reflist}} {{Commons category|Strandzha}} ==External links== {{Refbegin|2}} *[http://moreintelligentlife.co.uk/content/features/anonymous/forest-eternal-return/ Intelligent Life magazine feature 'Forest of Eternal Return'] *[http://www.strandja.bg/ The website of Strandja National Park (in Bulgarian)] *[http://www.evgenidinev.com/seen_in_my_camera/strandzha/ Images from Strandja] *[http://www.explorestrandja.com/ More images from Strandja] *[https://web.archive.org/web/20091020060146/http://www.zlatna-strandja.com/ SNC Zlatna Strandja ] *[http://www.discoverstrandja.com/ Discover Strandja] {{in lang|bg|en|de|ru}} *[https://web.archive.org/web/20021031060643/http://www.strandja.hit.bg/ Strandja.hit.bg] *[http://bulgariawalking.com/p138-Strandzha_Mountains Hiking in Strandzha Mountains] *[https://web.archive.org/web/20070328162548/http://www.strandjavillage.com/ StrandjaVillage.com] *[http://www.strandjablog.com/lang/en/strandja-nature-park/ General info Strandja Nature Park] *[http://www.visitstrandja.com/nature-Strandja-mountains-Bulgaria.php Nature in Strandja] * {{cite news | url =http://www.bnr.bg/RadioBulgaria/Emission_English/Theme_Science_And_Nature/Material/strandjaprotest.htm | title =Civil protests in support of Strandja Nature Park expand | publisher =Radio Bulgaria | date =5 July 2007 | access-date =2007-10-03 | url-status =dead | archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20071106102735/http://www.bnr.bg/RadioBulgaria/Emission_English/Theme_Science_And_Nature/Material/strandjaprotest.htm | archive-date =6 November 2007 }} {{Refend}} {{Authority control}} {{coord|42|0|45|N|27|36|31|E|type:mountain_region:BG|display=title}} Category:Strandzha Category:Mountain ranges of Europe Category:Mountain ranges of Bulgaria Category:Mountain ranges of Turkey Category:Landforms of Burgas Province Category:International mountains of Europe Category:Landforms of Kırklareli Province --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Strandzha](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strandzha) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strandzha?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.