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Gumoshtnik

Coordinates: 42°56′00″N 24°50′00″E / 42.9333°N 24.8333°E / 42.9333; 24.8333
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Gumoshtnik
Гумощник
Village
View from the village of Gumoshtnik, Bulgaria
View from the village of Gumoshtnik, Bulgaria
Gumoshtnik is located in Bulgaria
Gumoshtnik
Gumoshtnik
Coordinates: 42°56′00″N 24°50′00″E / 42.9333°N 24.8333°E / 42.9333; 24.8333
Country Bulgaria
ProvinceLovech Province
MunicipalityTroyan
Time zoneUTC+2 (EET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+3 (EEST)

Gumoshtnik is a village in Troyan Municipality, Lovech Province, northern Bulgaria.[1]

Geography

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Gumoshtnik is situated 499 metres above sea level in the Beklemeto Pass of the Balkan Mountains.[1] It lies 20 kilometres outside the town of Troyan and 15 kilometres from Apriltsi.[1]

Population

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Gumoshtnik was at its largest in the 15th century, containing over 4,000 people at its height.[2] As of the 2021 census, the village has around 240 residents.[3]

History

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The earliest evidence of settlement in Gumoshtnik dates from the 1st millennium BC, as bronze belts and armlets from the period were found in the village.[4]

Gumoshtnik was an administrative centre in the 15th century, containing seven public houses and eight manufacturing businesses.[2] Monastic education was introduced into the village in 1829, when a monastery school was founded.[2]

In 1926, residents built the St. Nicholas Letni Church, which has been declared a site of national significance for Bulgaria.[2][5][6] A year later, the village established a community center, named after Paisius of Hilendar.[2] The centre contains a library with over 9,000 books, and a gallery dedicated to artwork by a local artist, Tsanko Marinov.[2][7] Both have received local recognition as places of historical interest.[2][6]

Titanic

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Titanic memorial at Gumoshtnik as of 2025.

Of the 38 to 50 Bulgarian nationals who boarded the ill-fated Titanic in 1912, most of them were from Gumoshtnik.[8][9] A total of eight men from Gumoshtnik were on board, who died when the boat sank.[10]

A memorial stands on the grounds of the St. Nicholas Letni Church,[3][9] and Gumoshtnik residents hold an annual remembrance of the disaster.[11][12] The Gumoshtnik memorial is the only memorial dedicated to the disaster in Bulgaria.[11][13]

The Gumoshtnik residents who are presumed to have died on the Titanic are as follows:

  • Peyo Kolchev: Also listed as Petr Kolev and Peju Coltcheff; a general labourer who boarded the Titanic aged 36.[14][10][15]
  • Lazar Minkov: First cousin of Peyo, he was 23 years of age.[15][16]
  • Penko Naidenov: Aged 22 at the time of the disaster.[17]
  • Iliya Stoychev: Aged 19 at the time of the disaster.[18][10]
  • Lazar Yonkov: Went by the nickname of “Lalyo,” and was 23 years old at the time of his presumed death.[19][10][15]
  • Marin Markov: 35 years old at the time of his presumed death.[20][10]
  • Stoycho Mihov: 28 years old at the time of the disaster.[21][15]
  • Nedyalko Petrov: Also known as Nedialco Petroff.[22] Though he is recorded in the British National Archives as having been 19 years old at the time of his presumed death,[23] he is remembered locally as having been newly 18 years old at the time of the disaster.[15][10]

Although some sources erroneously record that one of the eight men from the village survived, this appears to be based on a local legend,[3] as the memorial contains eight names that can be located on the Titanic's passenger list.[24][25][14]

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Village Gumoshtnik". Guide Bulgaria. Guide BG EOOD.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Atanasov, Kostadin (11 November 2018). "Village of Gumoshtnik fascinates tourists with historical landmarks and beautiful scenery". Bulgaria National Radio. Retrieved 2025-07-01.
  3. ^ a b c Trankova, Dimana (2023-08-29). "American Dream Under Water". Vagabond Magazine. Retrieved 2025-07-01.
  4. ^ Vassileva, Maya (2007), First Millennium BC Ritual Bronze Belts in an Anatolian and Balkan Context, Athens: National Hellenic Research Foundation, pp. 669–679, ISBN 978-960-7905-38-3, retrieved 2025-07-01
  5. ^ ""St.Nikola Letni" Monastery". Visit Bulgaria.
  6. ^ a b Popsavova, Ruslana (31 March 2021). "Снимки от село Гумощник в проект „Фотоусещане"". Troyan Express.
  7. ^ "Читалище „Отец Паисий 1927 г." Гумощник на 94 | Троян експрес". Troyan Express (in Bulgarian). 2021-02-15. Retrieved 2025-07-01.
  8. ^ Strnadel, Leslie; Erdley, Patrick (2012). Bulgaria (Other Places Travel Guide). Other Places Publishing. p. 133. ISBN 978-0-9822619-9-6.
  9. ^ a b "Bulgarian Village Marks Titanic Centenary - Novinite.com". www.novinite.com. Sofia News Agency. 15 April 2012. Retrieved 2025-07-01.
  10. ^ a b c d e f Slavyanska, Yana (23 October 2022). "Титаник потъва заради... осем мъже от едно троянско село". Chernomorie-Bg (in Bulgarian).
  11. ^ a b Nikolova, Desi (15 April 2024). "112 г. от потъването на "Титаник": Трагичната история на 8-те мъже от с. Гумощник". Bulgaria On Air (in Bulgarian).
  12. ^ "Memory of Bulgarians, sunk with Titanic commemorated". Bulgarian National Radio. 15 April 2012. Retrieved 2025-07-01.
  13. ^ Ivanova, Preslava (22 September 2024). "Църквата „Св. Николай Летни" в троянското село Гумощник вече посреща миряни след ремонт за повече от 540 хиляди лева". Bulgarian Telegraph Agency (in Bulgarian).
  14. ^ a b "Petr "Peyo" Kolev (Peyo Coleff) : Titanic Victim". Encyclopedia Titanica. Archived from the original on 2025-01-26. Retrieved 2025-07-01.
  15. ^ a b c d e Radoslavov, Borislav (2025-04-16). "Трагедията с "Титаник" ражда удивителна любовна история в троянско село". Bulgaria Today. Retrieved 2025-07-01.
  16. ^ "Lazar "Lalyo" Yonkov : Titanic Victim". Archived from the original on 2025-01-26. Retrieved 2025-07-01.
  17. ^ "Penko Naidenoff: Bulgarian Passenger". Encyclopedia Titanica.
  18. ^ "Ilia Stoytcheff : Titanic Victim". Archived from the original on 2023-02-04. Retrieved 2025-07-01.
  19. ^ "Lazar "Lalyo" Yonkov : Titanic Victim". Archived from the original on 2025-01-26. Retrieved 2025-07-01.
  20. ^ "Marin Markoff - Third Class Passenger". Encyclopedia Titanica.
  21. ^ "Stoytcho Mihoff : Titanic Victim". Archived from the original on 2023-02-04. Retrieved 2025-07-01.
  22. ^ "Nedialco Petroff Third Class Passenger". Encyclopedia Titanica.
  23. ^ The Titanic: List of passengers boarding at Southampton, United Kingdom. The National Archives (London) (published 1912-04-10). 1912. p. 26.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  24. ^ "Titanic outward passenger lists". The National Archives. The National Archives. 10 April 1912. Retrieved 2025-07-01.
  25. ^ Fowler, Dave. "Titanic Passenger List". Titanic Facts. Retrieved 2025-07-01.