Water Tells a Story

Location: 15 Opalchenska St. (6th District, in front of the Tourist Information Center and the “Stranopriemnitsata” Restaurant)

This is the oldest surviving fountain in Gabrovo today. Built in 1762 by Krustyu Aprilov, a relative of the philanthropist Vasil Aprilov, it was originally a corner, double-faced fountain integrated into a fence, but has since been converted into a freestanding structure. Relatively small and constructed from several sandstone slabs, the fountain is richly decorated on both sides. On the main side, two arches and two doves are carved and placed asymmetrically on the cornice. One five-petaled and three six-petaled rosettes, along with two recessed rectangles bearing crosses above the rosettes on either side of the inscription, complete the sculptural decoration. Beneath the cornice is the inscription “This fountain was built by Hadji Krustyu Aprilov in 1762.” On the side face, beneath the arch, a double-headed eagle is sculpted centrally, with a cross above it; on the cornice, a dove spreads its wings asymmetrically.

There are three spouts—two on the main face and one on the side face—all cast in bronze.

Location: at the corner of Pencho Slaveykov Street and Marin Drinov Street

The most famous well in Gabrovo is shaped like a fountain with a towering superstructure of dressed stone, featuring a hipped roof and a stone platform surrounded by a stone wall for seating. Its facade features arched niches and two round openings. The well, which to this day gives its name to the neighborhood where it is located, was dug in 1871. Its name derives from the female name Guna, and a legend about a romantic love story between the beautiful Guna and a Romani blacksmith was recorded by local historian Il. Gabrovski. We can see what Gunin’s Well originally looked like in the album by architect N. Yamantiev.

Location: 33 Nikolaevska St. (the small park with the monument to Ran Bosilek)

The beautiful stone fountain, built in 1847, still stands today in the old Grain Market. According to some authors, the fountain was donated by a certain Kircho, who lived in this neighborhood, as indicated by the inscription on the fountain’s main face, which reads: “On the 5th day of June in the summer of 1847, this fountain was built at the expense of Kircho of this neighborhood.” Architecturally, the fountain serves as a focal point of the square and defines the center of the neighborhood. It is freestanding, with three facades, each featuring a single spout. A distinctive feature of this fountain’s arches is their pointed tops, which reflect Arab influence. The arches are connected by several curves, which adds an additional decorative effect. On the main facade, three six-petaled rosettes are carved in a circle, centered between the arches at both ends. Above them, beneath the cornice, is a carved inscription, symmetrically divided by a large standing cross. In the center of the cornice, as with other fountains in Gabrovo, a dove spreads its wings. An interesting and perhaps unique feature of Gabrovo’s fountains is the planting of flowers on their roofs. The side panels have the same design, but instead of an inscription, there are crosses centered beneath the cornice.

The spouts were made of bronze, cast with handles and without additional decorations.

Today, the fountain stands in its original location, and a small garden has been laid out around it, featuring a monument to the writer Ran Bosilek, whose birthplace was nearby.

Location: the garden between the “Aprlov-Palauzov” Regional Library and the “Aprlov-Palauzov” Community Center

The convent fountain is the only surviving element of the architectural complex of the “Holy Annunciation” Convent. After its construction, the convent had no water source of its own, and the nuns had to fetch water from the Gruncharska Fountain, where all sorts of people gathered. The wealthy merchant and generous benefactor Dianko Iliev Vidinliev saw this and remarked that “it was very improper for the nuns to go to the fountain and hear the apprentices cursing each other. … The best thing would be to bring water to the convent. I will take care of this matter…. And in no time at all, he kept his word and installed four water spouts at the nuns’ monastery, at a cost of no less than 300 lira.” —writes Dimitar Donchev Vidinliev, the donor’s cousin and a witness to the event, in his memoirs.

The fountain was erected in 1864 by an unknown stonemason and, in terms of its dimensions and architecture, closely resembles the one at the Grain Market. According to some researchers, the form and sculptural decoration of the fountain at the Convent of the Virgin Mary have been brought to perfection.

Location: “Sazaklyatie” Street

The fountain is located on “Sazaklyatie” Street, at the northwest corner of the House of Culture. The design for the fountain, featuring a large sculptural lion figure, was created by architect Karl Kandulkov and completed in 1968; the sculptors were Georgi Kotsov and Boris Kadiyski.

Location: 1 “First of May” Square

The fountain at the clock tower was corner-shaped, extending across parts of the tower’s two adjacent sides—the south and west—with two spouts on each side. Dr. K. Vaptsov writes: “On the south and west sides of the clock tower there were fountains with fully functioning spouts and stone troughs, in which the coachmen from the inns and the cart drivers watered their horses, and from which, during the summer droughts, a large portion of the citizens drew water when our neighborhood spouts and wells ran dry.”

The fountain at the city clock has been demolished, but on the western side, low to the road surface, a new one has been built—its spout emerges from the mouth of a sculpted lion’s head.