Martinovo is a village in northwestern Bulgaria, a part of Chiprovtsi municipality, Montana region.

It is situated in the Balkan Mountain, in the picturesque valley along Ogosta river, only 4 km northwest of Chiprovtsi, about 39 km west of Montana and approximately 135 km northwest of Sofia.

The terrain is mountainous, with dense beech, oak and cerris forests, and the average altitude reaches 593 m. The climate is temperate.

The village has good infrastructure - electricity, water, mobile coverage and partially paved and lighted streets. Bus service is available to the nearby villages and the municipality center.

Martinovo has population of about 300 people.

The village has a town hall, an orthodox church, a community center and a shop. In the neighboring town Chiprovtsi is the closest kindergarten and primary school, also two general practitioners and two dentists. There is specialized medical care in Montana.

Landmarks and tourism

Martinovo is an old mining village, which belonged to Madan Chiprovets during the Turkish rule (16th - 17th century).
Traditional occupation of the locals during the 19th and first half of 20th century is carpet production. There, as in Chiprovtsi, Zhelezna and Kopilovtsi were hand-woven carpets.

Thanks to its location Martinovo is a wonderful place for hiking. In close proximity is the eponymous lake that offers excellent conditions for fishing and water sports. The forest around the village is rich in herbs and mushrooms.

At less than 4 km northeast of the village is located Chiprovtsi monastery, which dates back to the 10th century and is one of the thirty monasteries of the First Bulgarian Kingdom. For nine centuries it was an important literary and educational center. It serves as a main shelter in the rebellion of Konstantin and Fruzhin (15th century) and Chiprovtsi Uprising (17th century). The monastery was repeatedly looted and partially destroyed six times in the 19th century, then reconstructed with the support of wealthy Bulgarians.

In the vicinity of Chiprovtsi tourists can see the beautiful Chiprovtsi waterfall and in the town - The Memorable mark "300 years Chiprovsko vastanie", The Historical Museum, The Church "Ascension", The Colourful Fountain, Punkovata House and others.

Sources: http://bg.wikipedia.org/, http://martinovo.selo.bg/, Mirela.
Photos: http://gallery.guide-bulgaria.com/, http://www.album.bg/, http://www.facebook.com/.