Vitosha

Vitosha
Vitosha seen from Sofia
Highest point
Elevation	2,290 m (7,510 ft) at Cherni Vrah
Prominence	1,275 m (4,183 ft)
Coordinates	42°34′N 23°17′E / 42.567°N 23.283°E / 42.567; 23.283
Geography
Vitosha Bulgaria
Location	Sofia City Province, Pernik Province, west central Bulgaria
Topo map	Vitosha Map
Climbing
First ascent	Unknown
Easiest route	Cable car to Aleko (1810 m), chair lift to Malak Rezen (2191 m), easy footpath to Cherni Vrah
IUCN category V (protected landscape/seascape)
Area	270.79 km2 (104.55 sq mi)
Established	1934
Governing body	Ministry of Environment and Water

Vitosha (Bulgarian: Витоша), the ancient Scomius or Scombrus, is a mountain massif, on the outskirts of Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria. Vitosha is one of the 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 dome. The territory of the mountain includes Vitosha nature park that encompasses the best known and most frequently visited parts. The foothills of Vitosha shelter resort quarters of Sofia; Knyazhevo quarter has mineral springs. Vitosha is the oldest nature park in the Balkans. The mountain emerged as a result of volcanic activity 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 other. Vitosha is separated into four main parts whose main ridges gather at a crown known as Cherni Vrah ("Black Peak"). This is the highest point of the mountain at 2290 m and is one of 10 peaks of Vitosha over 2000 m in height.

Bulgaria's longest cave – Duhlata, with a total length of 18,200 m, is situated in Vitosha in the karstic region near the village of Bosnek.

Since the ancient times of the Thracians a large population has always existed at the base of Vitosha. For the last four thousand years the economy 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.