The town of Gabrovo has a population of 65 000 inhabitants and lies at a distance of 227 km northeast of Sofia at the foot of the Shipka part of the Stara Planina Mountains along both banks of the Yantra River at an altitude of 390 m. Gabrovo is a municipal centre of 133 settlements.

The historical beginning of the present-day town dates from the Middle Ages. Due to its proximity to the capital of Bulgaria of the time-Veliko Turnovo and the passes towards the Balkan some forges and gunsmith workshops are opened in the town. The first name of the town is Gabruva and in XVII c. it is written under the name of Gabrovo. In the years of the Ottoman domination the settlement is a craftsman's and trade centre. In XIX c. are developed 26 crafts - smithery, weaving, cutlery, silkworm-breeding and others. In 1835 the first school is opened in the town - the present-day Aprilov's High School. It is named after its benefactor Vasil Aprilov. Many houses, churches, bridges and a clock tower are built in the Revival period. Gabrovo is proclaimed for a town in 1860 and in 1882 is built the first textile factory.

The tourist sights of the region are: the church" Uspenie Bogorodichno"/The Assumption/(1865) is among the masterpieces of the Revival period architecture, the clock tower from 1835, the Dechkov's house, the Aprilov's high school, Bayov's Bridge, the outdoor museum "Etara" and the architectural reserve "Bozhentzi". The town of Gabrovo is also known as the capital of humour and satire. The museum of the word's humoristic art is opened in 1972 under the motto "The world has survived because it has laughed".

On the territory of Gabrovo District are located the following natural landmarks: part of the "Central Balkan" natural park, the "Bacho Kiro" cave, the Dryanovo's eco path and many other.

The most famous monasteries of the district are: Dryanovo Monastery, Batoshevo and Sokolovo monasteries.

Tourist sights

The Home of humour and satire in Gabrovo has been opened on 1^st April 1972. In Bulgaria this day is known as "The day of humour and lies". In the home of humour are exhibited works of humour and satire artists from 153 countries. Every odd year biannual celebrations of the humor and satire are held in Gabrovo.

The Dechkov's house represents the town's lifestyle and interior from XIX c. The house is built in 1835 and demonstrates an ethnographic exhibition from the end of XIX c. The rooms are full of authentic lifestyle objects typical for the Gabrovo people. There is a room for male guests, a room for female guests, a maiden's room and a music salon. Each visitor can have a picture taken of him/her in retro clothes.

The Aprilov's high school is situated in the centre of Gabrovo. The school is built in likeness to the Richelieu's Lyceum from the town of Odessa, Russia. The Aprilov's high school is proclaimed for a monument of culture. Today the building functions both as a school and a museum.

The monument of Racho Kovacha /The blacksmith/ is the symbol of the town. It is placed over a rock in the middle of the Yantra River flowing through the town. Racho Kovacha/ The blacksmith/ is the mythical founder of the town.

The Etara is an outdoor ethnographic museum lying at a distance of 8 km from Gabrovo. The complex is created in 1964. On a territory of 7 hectares are located craftsman's workshops and houses of 15 different architectural styles. On the first floor of the houses are located the workshops while the second floor is the exhibition area. The visitors can observe the ancient technology of manufacturing different objects.

The "Bozhentzi" architectural reserve lies at a distance of 16 km east of the town and has 31 inhabitants. The houses are in Revival period style with gardens, high fences and cobblestone streets. The houses in Bozhentzi are from 100 to 250 years old. In 1964 the village has been proclaimed for an architectural reserve.

The Sokolovo Monastery is situated in the Stara Planina Mountains at a distance of 9 km southeast of Gabrovo. The complex has a church, a charnel house, housing buildings with a yard and a fountain. The monastery church is built in 1834 and the murals are painted in 1862. The monastery keeps icons from Zahari Zograf and representatives of the Trayvna's art school. The octagonal stone fountain in the yard is built by the master builder Kolyo Ficheto in 1865. The fountain has the form of a church's dome.

Lyulyatzite /The Lilacs/ is a mountainous resort lying at a distance of 15 km from the district centre at an altitude of 880 m. It is the starting point for the tourist routes for the Sredna Stara Planina Mountains.