Паметник на Рачо ковача, Gabrovo Travel Guide

The Racho Kovacha Monument is one of the main symbols of Gabrovo and a tribute to the city's industrious past. The monument is dedicated to Racho Kovacha (Racho the Blacksmith), a legendary figure believed to be the founder of Gabrovo. According to local lore, Racho was a blacksmith from the village of Bozhenci who set up his smithy by the Yantra River. He offered his services to travelers, shoeing their horses. Over time, other craftsmen gathered around his workshop, and the settlement of Gabrovo was born. Legend has it that the city's name comes from the gabar tree that grew over Racho's workshop.The bronze statue, created by sculptor Lyubomir Dalchev, is located on a large rock in the middle of the Yantra River. It depicts Racho holding a hammer in one hand and tongs with a piece of metal in the other, working on an anvil. The monument is unique as the only one in Bulgaria built in a river. It embodies the resourceful and hardworking spirit of the Gabrovo people.