After crossing the Danube, Russian troops began developing an offensive across the Balkans in the direction of Constantinople. It was necessary to immediately seize the passages through the Balkan ridge. Three detachments were formed on the bridgehead: Advanced, Eastern and Western. On July 5, the advance detachment under the command of General Gurko approached the Shipka Pass from the south, which was occupied by a 5,000-strong Turkish detachment of Hulyussi Pasha. At the same time, from the northern side of Shipka, a detachment of General Svyatopolk-Mirsky attacked, but failed. The next day, Gurko again launched an attack, but it was repulsed. However, Hulussi Pasha considered his position dangerous and retreated to Kalofer on the night of July 7.

Shipka was immediately occupied by the troops of Svyatopolk-Mirsky; it entered the area of ​​the southern front of the Russian army, entrusted with the protection of the troops of General Radetsky. The position taken was tactically inconvenient. Russian troops stretched several miles deep along a narrow (25 - 30 miles) ridge. The army was subjected to crossfire throughout its entire length from neighboring commanding heights, while there was neither natural cover nor convenient positions for going on the offensive. The need to hold this passage at all costs, however, remained.

Defense of Shipka

Before the war of 1877 - 1878. Russian troops passed through Shipka more than once

Radetzky received alarming news about the strengthening of Turkish troops against the Russian army in the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe cities of Elena and Zlataritsa. He feared Suleiman Pasha's transition to northern Bulgaria and the attack on Tarnov. Radetzky sent a reserve on August 8 to Elena and Zlataritsa, thus moving 3-4 large marches away from Shipka. After Gurko’s retreat, Suleiman decided to take possession of Shipka and concentrated 28 thousand soldiers and 36 guns against it. At that time, at the pass there were only the Oryol infantry regiment and the Bulgarian squads, which amounted to 4 thousand people. Soon the Bryansk regiment arrived and the number increased to 6 thousand people with 27 guns. On August 9, the Turks opened fire from Mount Maly Bedek. The battle lasted all day, Russian troops successfully repelled all attacks. The next day the Turks did not resume attacks; the whole affair was limited to artillery fire. Meanwhile, Radetzky received news of the situation on Shipka and moved a general reserve there. However, even at the limit of their capabilities, they would only reach the place on the 11th. An infantry brigade with a battery from Selvi also came to the rescue, but they could only arrive in a day. August 11 was the most critical day for the defenders of Shipka.

At dawn the battle began, Russian troops were surrounded by opponents from three sides. The Turkish attacks were repulsed and resumed with increased tenacity. The enemies tried to get behind the Russian troops, but were repulsed. By evening, the Turks threatened to break through the central part of the position and captured Side Hill. The position of the defenders was almost hopeless, but then part of the reserve arrived and was immediately advanced to the Side Hill. They managed to recapture the position, and then the rest of the battalions arrived and stopped the Turkish advance in other directions. Russian troops held out on Shipka, but the Turks were only a few hundred steps away from them.

The vanguard of Major General A.I. Tsvetsinsky hurries to Shipka

The phrase “everything is calm on Shipka” has become a catchphrase

On the night of August 12, the 2nd Brigade of the 14th Infantry Division arrived. Now Radetzky had 20.5 battalions and 38 guns. He decided to strengthen his positions and go on the offensive and throw the Turks off the Forest Mound and Bald Mountain. At first, they managed to recapture the forest mound, but after a few days of fierce fighting, the Russian troops were forced to retreat. In six days of fighting on Shipka, the Russians lost 3,350 people, including 108 officers; Turkish losses were twice as large. Both sides remained in their positions, but the position of the Russian army, surrounded on three sides by the enemy, worsened with the onset of autumn cold weather.

On August 15, Shipka was occupied by the 14th Infantry Division and the 4th Infantry Brigade under the command of General Petrushevsky. The most affected Orlovsky and Bryansk regiments were taken to reserve, and the Bulgarian squads were transferred to the village of Zeleno Drevo. From this period the “Shipka sitting” began, which became one of the most difficult episodes of the Russian-Turkish war. The defenders of Shipka took a defensive position, their goal was to strengthen themselves and establish communication with the rear. The Turks continuously showered them with shells and bullets.

Bulgarian women search for wounded Russian soldiers

On the night of September 5, the enemy launched a new attack and captured the Eagle's Nest, a rocky cape in front of Mount St. Nicholas. It was possible to knock them out of there only after a desperate and fierce hand-to-hand fight. The Turks then did not undertake new attacks, but limited themselves to shelling. With the arrival of winter, the position of the Russian troops became even worse: the onset of frost on the mountain tops was especially sensitive. Almost 10 thousand soldiers literally melted away due to disease, while only 700 were killed and wounded. The end of the “Shipka sitting” was the last fierce battle with the Turks on the road from Mount St. Nicholas to Shipka (Battle of Sheinovo). After the fall of Plevna, the number of Radetzky's troops increased to 45 thousand people, but even with the increase in the number of forces, the attack on Wessel Pasha's army was risky.

It was decided to attack on December 24 in two columns, which were supposed to make a roundabout maneuver: the 19,000-strong army of Svyatopolk-Mirsky went through the Trevnensky pass, and the 16,000 of Mikhail Skobelev through the Imitliysky pass. Radetzky had 11 thousand people left in the Shipka positions. On December 26, overcoming difficult weather conditions, wading through snow and repelling Turkish attacks, the columns reached their intended positions.

A Russian cemetery is preserved on Shipka

On the morning of December 27, Svyatopolk-Mirsky launched an attack on the eastern front of the Turkish camp. By lunchtime, Russian troops were able to capture the first line of enemy fortifications. The Ottomans' route to Adrianople was cut off. The troops of the western column continued to knock down the Turks from the heights, but since not all the forces had time to cross the mountains, Skobelev did not dare to attack. The next day, the enemy launched a counteroffensive against Svyatopolk-Mirsky, but was repulsed. Russian troops captured Shipka and several fortifications. The eastern column did not dare to attack further, since Skobelev’s troops had not yet begun the offensive.

Modern view of Shipka

Svyatopolk-Mirsky sent a report to Radetsky about the state of affairs and he decided to strike at the front of the Turkish positions and draw part of their forces to himself. “...At 11 o’clock in the morning, General Radetzky, deciding that “it’s time to finish,” called the commander of the Podolsk regiment, General Dukhonin, and gave him to read the telegram received at night from Prince Svyatopolk-Mirsky; in this dispatch, as far as I remember, it was said that the troops of the left column fought desperately all day on December 27... and suffered very heavy losses in those who were out of action, and then this detachment with weak forces, in an extremely risky position, is still held at the closest distance from the enemy and calls for help to assist him. When this dispatch was read, General Radetzky announced that he did not expect that we would have to attack from the front, but since the moment had come to help out our comrades dying below, we must help them, at least at the cost of Shipka’s attack head-on…".

The troops moved from Mount St. Nicholas along a narrow icy road under relentless fire from the enemy. Having reached the first line of enemy trenches, they were forced to retreat, but they achieved their goals - significant forces of the Turkish army and artillery were distracted and could not be used for a counterattack against Svyatopolk-Mirsky. At 11 am, Skobelev also began the attack, which Radetsky did not know. Soon his troops broke into the middle of the fortified camp, at the same time the army of Svyatopolk-Mirsky resumed its offensive. At about 3 o'clock the Turks realized that further resistance was impossible and decided to capitulate. Those Turkish troops that held positions in the mountains also received orders to surrender. As a result of this battle, the Russian army lost 5.7 thousand people, and the army of Wessel Pasha ceased to exist: only 23 thousand people were captured. As a result, the battle for Shipka became one of the key episodes of the war and made it possible to open the way to Adrianople and Constantinople.

The position occupied by Russian troops on Shipka was up to 2 km along the front with a depth of 60 m to 1 km, but did not meet the tactical requirements: its only advantage was its inaccessibility. In addition, along its entire length it was subject to crossfire from neighboring dominant heights, providing neither natural cover nor convenience for going on the offensive. The fortifications of the position included trenches in 2 tiers and 5 battery positions; rubble and wolf pits were built in the most important directions, and landmines were placed. By the beginning of August, the equipment of the fortifications was not completed. However, due to strategic requirements, it was necessary to hold this pass at all costs.
Suleiman Pasha sent 12 thousand people with 6 guns to Shipka, who concentrated at the pass on August 8 (20). Stoletov's Russian-Bulgarian detachment consisted of the Oryol infantry regiment and 5 Bulgarian squads (up to 4 thousand people in total, including 2 thousand Bulgarian militias) with 27 guns, to which, already during the battle of the next day, he arrived from the city. Selvi Bryansk regiment, which increased the number of Shipka defenders to 6 thousand people.
On the morning of August 9 (21), Turkish artillery, having occupied the mountain east of Shipka, opened fire. The subsequent attacks of enemy infantry, first from the south, then from the east, were repelled by the Russians. The battle lasted all day; At night, Russian troops, expecting a repeat attack, had to strengthen their positions. On August 10 (22), the Turks did not resume attacks, and the matter was limited to artillery and rifle fire. Meanwhile, Radetzky, having received news of the danger threatening Shipka, moved a general reserve there; but he was able to arrive, and even then with intensive marches, only on August 11 (23); In addition, another infantry brigade with a battery stationed at Selvi was ordered to go to Shipka, which could only arrive in time on the 12th (24th).
The battle on August 11 (23), which became the most critical for the defenders of the pass, began at dawn; by 10 o'clock in the morning the Russian position was covered by the enemy from three sides. The Turkish attacks, repulsed by fire, were renewed with fierce persistence. At 2 o'clock in the afternoon the Circassians even came to the rear of our position, but were driven back. At 5 p.m., Turkish troops advancing from the western side captured the so-called Side Hill and threatened to break through the central part of the position.
The position of the Shipka defenders was already almost hopeless when, finally, at 7 o’clock in the evening, part of the reserve arrived at the position - the 16th Infantry Battalion, raised to the pass on Cossack horses. He was immediately moved to Side Hill and, with the assistance of other units that went on the offensive, recaptured it from the enemy. The remaining battalions of the 4th Infantry Brigade, which then arrived in time, made it possible to stop the Turkish pressure on other parts of the position. The battle ended at dusk. Russian troops held out on Shipka. However, the Turks also managed to maintain their position - their battle lines were only a few hundred steps from the Russians.
On the night of August 12 (24), reinforcements arrived at Shipka, led by Major General M.I. Dragomirov. The size of the Russian-Bulgarian detachment increased to 14.2 thousand people with 39 guns. Shells and cartridges, water and food were brought up. The next day, the Russian-Bulgarian detachment went on the offensive to knock down the Turks from two heights of the western ridge - the so-called Forest Mound and Bald Mountain, from where they had the most convenient approaches to our position and even threatened its rear.
At dawn on August 12 (24), the Turks attacked the central sections of the Russian positions, and at 2 o’clock in the afternoon they attacked Mount St. Nicholas. They were repulsed at all points, but the attack launched by the Russians on Lesnoy Kurgan was also unsuccessful.
On August 13 (25), Radetzky decided to resume the attack on Lesnoy Kurgan and Lesnaya Gora, having the opportunity to bring more troops into action due to the arrival of another Volyn regiment with a battery on Shipka. At the same time, Suleiman Pasha significantly strengthened his left flank. Throughout the day there was a battle for possession of the mentioned heights; The Turks were driven off the Forest Mound, but their fortifications on Bald Mountain could not be captured. The attacking troops retreated to the Forest Mound and here, during the evening, night, and at dawn on August 14 (26), they were repeatedly attacked by the enemy. All attacks were repelled, but the Russian troops suffered such heavy losses that Stoletov, lacking fresh reinforcements, ordered them to retreat to Bokovaya Gorka. The forest mound was again occupied by the Turks.
In the six-day battle on Shipka, Russian losses amounted to 3,350 people (including 500 Bulgarians), 2 generals were disabled (Dragomirov was wounded, Derozhinsky was killed) and 108 officers; the Turks lost 8.2 thousand (according to other sources - 12 thousand). This battle did not have any significant results; both sides remained in their positions, but our troops, surrounded by the enemy on three sides, were still in a very difficult situation, which soon worsened significantly with the onset of autumn bad weather, and with the onset of autumn and winter - cold weather and blizzards.
From August 15 (27), Shipka was occupied by the 14th Infantry Division and the 4th Infantry Brigade, under the command of Major General M.F. Petrushevsky. The Oryol and Bryansk regiments, as the most affected, were put into reserve, and the Bulgarian squads were transferred to the village of Zeleno Drevo to occupy the path through the Imitli Pass, which bypasses Shipka from the west.

The capture and successful defense of the Shipka Pass played a huge role in the victorious Russian-Turkish war of 1877-1878. Control of the height (1185 m) prevented the regrouping of the army of the Ottoman Empire and opened up the shortest route to Constantinople for Russian troops.

Secure your positions

The capture of Shipka was part of the plans of the advanced units of the Russian army, which crossed the Danube in early July 1877. The Russian-Bulgarian detachment of Lieutenant General Joseph Gurko, numbering 10,500 people, liberated Tarnovo (July 7), and then made a difficult transition through the Khainkoi Pass.

This maneuver allowed Russian troops to unexpectedly reach the rear of the enemy, who was on the outskirts of Shipka. The Russians and Bulgarians defeated the Ottomans near the village of Uflany and the city of Kazanlak, clearing the way towards the pass.

In mid-July, units of Major General Valerian Derozhinsky joined Gurko’s detachment. This provided the necessary numerical superiority for the assault on Shipka, which was held by about 5,000 Turks under the command of Hulussi Pasha.

On the night of July 19, under a hail of fierce attacks from the Russians and Bulgarians, the Ottoman troops left the pass, retreating south to Plovdiv.

The Russian command realized the impossibility of further offensive operations until the crossing of the Danube was completed. In this regard, it was decided to strengthen the defense of the Shipka and Khainkoi passes.

The Russian army and Bulgarian militias occupied the settlements of Nova Zagore (July 23) and Stara Zagore (July 30) located southeast of Shipka. Meanwhile, the Turks pulled up a powerful 37,000-strong group under the command of Suleiman Pasha to the pass.

Despite heroic efforts, the Russians and Bulgarians were forced to retreat from previously occupied settlements, joining the detachment of General Fyodor Radetsky, who was responsible for the southern flank of the defense of Shipka.

In August, the Russian command entrusted control of the defense of Shipka to Major General Nikolai Stoletov. As the Research Institute of the Military Academy of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces clarifies, Stoletov’s detachment included the Oryol infantry regiment, the Bryansk regiment and five Bulgarian squads.

The total number of defenders was 6,000 people, a third of them were Bulgarian militias.

"Critical Battle"

Suleiman Pasha threw 12,000 people into the battle for the southern approach to Shipka. The Turks went on the offensive on August 21 and did not stop attacks and shelling until August 27. Worried about the dwindling defenders of the southern flank, Radetzky sent reinforcements in the form of two infantry brigades.

“The battle of August 11 (23), which became the most critical for the defenders of the pass, began at dawn; by ten o'clock in the morning the Russian position was engulfed by the enemy from three sides. The Turkish attacks, repulsed by fire, were renewed with fierce persistence. At two o’clock in the afternoon, the Circassians even came to the rear of our position, but were driven back,” the Institute of the Military Academy of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces describes the course of the battle.

• “Battle at Shipkinsky Pass on August 11, 1877” (1893), Alexey Kivshenko

By the evening of August 23, the Turkish army managed to carry out a successful attack from the west, capturing the so-called Side Hill. The central positions of the Russian-Bulgarian troops were under threat of a breakthrough. The almost hopeless situation was corrected thanks to the 16th Infantry Battalion and other units of the 4th Infantry Brigade arriving to help.

Closer to night, the Ottomans were knocked out from the Side Hill. We also managed to prevent a breakthrough in other areas. Taking into account the arriving reinforcements, the “garrison” of the southern flank of Shipka’s defense amounted to 14,200 people with 39 artillery pieces.

On August 24, the Russians and Bulgarians launched an offensive on the heights of the western ridge (Lesnaya Kurgan and Bald Mountain) in order to secure the rear. At the same time, the Turks attacked the central positions of the defenders. As a result, neither side achieved success.

On August 25, Russian-Bulgarian troops repeated their attempt to storm the heights of the western ridge. As a result, the Ottomans were driven out of the Forest Mound, but Bald Mountain remained impregnable. On August 26, the Shipka defenders located on the Lesnoy Kurgan suffered heavy losses and were forced to retreat, concentrating on protecting the more important Side Hill.

In the second half of August 1877, Russian troops lost 2,850 people, Bulgarian squads - 500 people. 109 Russian officers were killed, including General Derozhinsky. The Ottoman army lost about 8,200 people.

"Shipka seat"

On August 27, the 14th Infantry Division of Mikhail Petrushevsky arrived in the camp of the defenders of Shipka. The Oryol and Bryansk regiments, which suffered the greatest losses, were withdrawn to reserve, and the Bulgarian squads were transferred to the western flank to the village of Zeleno Drevo.

The battle-weary Russians and Turks abandoned active operations and concentrated on strengthening their positions. Historians called this period of defense of the pass the “Shipka Sitting”.

The only major clash occurred on September 17 over the rocky Cape Eagle's Nest. The Turks were able to take possession of it by attacking from the southern and western sides. But the Russians recaptured the Eagle's Nest in hand-to-hand combat.

Cold winds, fogs, frosts and snowstorms became a severe test for Russians and Bulgarians. The most difficult period occurred in November and the first half of December 1877. From September 17 to January 5, 9,500 Russian soldiers became victims of disease, although 700 people died in battles and skirmishes with the enemy.

• “Snow trenches (Russian positions at Shipka Pass)” (1878-1881), Vasily Vereshchagin

The position of the Shipka garrison changed dramatically after the capture of the Plevna fortress by Russian-Romanian troops and Bulgarian militias (December 10). 10 generals, 2,128 officers and 41,200 soldiers of the Ottoman Empire were captured by the victors.

The end of the protracted blockade of Plevna freed the 100,000-strong Russian army. On January 7, 1878, Turkish positions on the approaches to Shipka were attacked by a 19,000-strong group commanded by General Pyotr Svyatopolk-Mirsky and a 16,000-strong detachment of General Mikhail Skobelev.

On January 9, 1878, the Ottomans were defeated by the Russians near Sheinovo (3 km from Shipka). Wessel Pasha, who at that time commanded the Turkish troops, gave the order to surrender. On January 10, 23 thousand Turks were captured by the defenders of the pass.

Symbol of military brotherhood

The victory at Shipka opened up the shortest route to Adrianople and, making further Turkish resistance pointless. Already on January 19, the Porte agreed to sign the Truce of Adrianople.

Shipka became a symbol of military brotherhood and gratitude of the Bulgarian people to the Russian army for liberation from Turkish rule.

“Shipka is one of the most famous names in the history of Bulgaria, a shrine of Bulgarian patriots,” note employees of the Institute of the Military Academy of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces.

Currently, there are several monuments to liberators and a cemetery for Russian soldiers on the pass.

In a conversation with RT, the scientific director of the Russian Military Historical Society (RVIO), Mikhail Myagkov, noted that the feat of the Shipka defenders is difficult to overestimate. If the Russians and Bulgarians had not been able to hold the pass, the Turks would have struck in the rear of the imperial army that had crossed the Danube.

“In essence, this battle decided the outcome of the war. This is why both sides fought so fiercely for control of the heights. Difficult climatic conditions became an important factor in the battle. Sanitary losses during the autumn-winter standstill period were many times higher than combat losses. Russian soldiers had to courageously endure frosts, winds, fog and dampness,” Myagkov explained.

The expert called the transition of Gurko’s detachment through the Khainkoi Pass in July 1877 a real feat. According to him, this maneuver is often compared to the famous transition of Alexander Suvorov’s troops through the Alps.

“The battles for Shipka themselves were very brutal. Legends say that when the defenders of the pass ran out of cartridges, stones were used, and sometimes even corpses: dead Turkish soldiers were thrown from above onto the heads of the attackers,” said Myagkov.

According to the historian, the military leadership talent of Valerian Derozhinsky and Mikhail Skobelev was especially clearly demonstrated in the battle for Shipka. The expert also noted the bravery and courage of the Bulgarian militias and emphasized that the end of the defense of Shipka was a major milestone on the path to national self-determination and independence of Bulgaria.

Shipka in Bulgaria is a peak with a height of 1523m. in the Balkan Mountains, it is also a small town and the famous Shipka Pass through the Balkans.

Shipka - mountain

The original name of the peak was Sveti Nikolai. In 1954, by decision of the Bulgarian Communist Party, it was renamed Stoletov, in honor of General Stoletov, the head of the defense of Shipka. But the general’s first name was also Nikolai and the people continued to call the peak in the old way. In 1977, the name was changed again, this time to Shipka, despite the fact that there was already an elevation with that name. Nowadays the peak and its surroundings are a national park-museum. At the very top stands the Freedom Monument. Erected in 1934 with voluntary donations from the Bulgarian people.

Shipka - city

The city of Shipka is located at the southern foot of the Balkan Mountains, just before the entrance to the Shipka Pass, 12 km from the city of Kazanlak. Near the town of Shipka there is one of the holiest monuments of Bulgarian-Russian friendship - the Church-Monument of the Nativity of Christ.

Shipka Pass

Shipkinsky pass, (Bulgarian: Shipchensky pass) is a mountain pass through the Balkans. Height - 1185 m. The highway between the cities of Kazanlak passes through the pass and Gabrovo, Veliko Tarnovo. The Shipka Pass goes along a narrow spur of the main Balkan ridge, gradually rising to Mount St. Nicholas, from where the road descends steeply into the Tundzhi valley.
Currently, the Shipka Tunnel project exists but has not been implemented.

History of Shipka

The Thracians inhabited this place in ancient times. Many archaeological remains (tombs, weapons, armor, coins) of that period were found in the vicinity of the towns of Shipka and Kazanlak. In the 1st century BC e. the city was conquered by the Romans. When the Turks captured Bulgaria in 1396, they created a garrison in the city of Shipka to guard and control the Shipka Pass. In the vicinity of Shipka and Sheinovo, some of the bloodiest battles were fought in the Russian-Turkish war of 1877-1878 (Defense of Shipka in the war for the liberation of Bulgaria from the Ottoman yoke). The Freedom Monument on Mount Shipka (Stoletov Peak) is dedicated to the memory of the fallen. In 1954, the feature film Heroes of Shipka was shot at Lenfilm.

Defense of Shipka

The defense of Shipka is one of the key and most famous episodes in the Russian-Turkish war of 1877-78. After the Russian army crossed the Danube, the commander-in-chief decided to immediately seize the passes through the Balkan ridge for further movement into Turkey. The advance detachment of General Gurko, having crossed the Halinoi Pass and defeated the Turks near the village of Uflany and the city of Kazanlak, on July 5 approached the Shipka Pass from the south, occupied by a Turkish detachment (about 5 thousand people) under the command of Hulyussi Pasha. On the same day, a detachment of General Svyatopolk-Mirsky attacked Shipka from the northern side, but the attack was repulsed. On July 6, General Gurko launched an attack on the pass from the south and also failed. Nevertheless, Hulyussi Pasha, considering his position dangerous, on the night of the 6th to the 7th, took side roads to the city of Kalofer, abandoning artillery at his positions. Then Shipka was immediately occupied by the troops of Prince Svyatopolk-Mirsky. After the retreat of the advance detachment of General Gurko from Transbalkania, Shipka entered the area of ​​the southern front of the Russian army, entrusted with the protection of the troops of General Radetzky, which had to be stretched over more than 100 miles; the general reserve was located near Tyrnov. The position occupied by Russian troops on Shipka did not at all meet the tactical requirements: its only advantage was its inaccessibility. Stretching several miles deep along an extremely narrow (25-30 fathoms) ridge, it was subjected along its entire length to crossfire from neighboring dominant heights, providing neither natural cover nor convenience for going on the offensive. Despite all this, due to strategic requirements, it was necessary to keep this passage in our hands at all costs. At the beginning of August 1877, Radetzky had good reason to fear that Suleiman Pasha’s army would cross into northern Bulgaria, along one of the eastern passes, and advance towards Tarnovo. Therefore, when alarming news was received (which later turned out to be an exaggeration) about the strengthening of enemy troops against our detachments near the cities of Elena and Zlataritsa, the general reserve was sent (August 8) to these points and thus moved away from Shipka to a distance of 3-4 large marches. Meanwhile, Suleiman, after the retreat of General Gurko, set out to capture Shipka and by August 8 concentrated about 28 thousand against it, with 36 guns. At that time, we had only the Oryol infantry regiment and 5 Bulgarian squads (up to 4 thousand people in total), with 27 guns, at the pass, to which, already during the battle of the next day, the Bryansk regiment arrived from the city of Selvi, increasing the number of Shipka defenders up to 6 thousand. On the morning of August 9, enemy artillery, having occupied Mount Maly Bedek, east of Shipka, opened fire. The subsequent attacks of the Turkish infantry, first from the south, then from the east, were all repelled by our fire. The battle lasted all day; At night, Russian troops, expecting a repeat attack, had to strengthen their positions. On August 10, the Turks did not resume attacks, and the matter was limited to artillery and rifle fire. Meanwhile, Radetzky, having received news of the danger threatening Shipka, moved a general reserve there; but he could arrive, and then with intensive transitions, only on the 11th; in addition, another infantry unit was ordered to go to Shipka to the brigade with the battery stationed at Selvi, which could only arrive in time on the 12th. August 11th was the most critical day for the defenders of the pass. The battle began at dawn; by 10 o'clock in the morning our position was covered by the enemy from three sides. The Turkish attacks, repulsed by our fire, were renewed with fierce persistence. At 2 o'clock in the afternoon the Turks even came to the rear of our position, but were driven back. At 5 o'clock, Turkish troops advancing from the western side captured the so-called Side Hill and threatened to break through the central part of the position. The position of the Shipka defenders was already almost hopeless when finally, at 7 o’clock in the evening, part of the reserve arrived at the position - the 16th Infantry Battalion, raised to the pass on Cossack horses. He was immediately moved to the Side Hill and, with the assistance of other units that went on the offensive, recaptured it from the enemy. The remaining battalions of the 4th Infantry Brigade, under the command of Major General Tsvetsinsky, then arrived in time and made it possible to stop the Turkish pressure on other parts of the position. The battle ended at dusk. Our troops held out on Shipka, however, the Turks also managed to maintain their disposition that surrounded us; their battle lines were only a few hundred paces from ours. On the night of the 12th, the 2nd brigade of the 14th Infantry Division ascended to Shipka, with the arrival of which Radetzky had 20.5 battalions, with 38 guns, and therefore decided the next day to go on the offensive to knock down the Turks from two heights the western ridge - the so-called Forest Mound and Bald Mountain, from where they had the most convenient approaches to our position and even threatened its rear. The Turks warned us and at dawn on August 12 they attacked the central sections of our position, and at 2 o’clock in the afternoon they attacked Mount St. Nicholas. They were repulsed at all points, but the attack we launched on the Forest Mound was also unsuccessful. On August 13, Radetzky decided to resume the attack on Lesnoy Kurgan and Lesnaya Gora, having the opportunity to bring more troops into action due to the arrival of another Volyn regiment with a battery on Shipka. At the same time, Suleiman significantly strengthened his left flank. Throughout the day (August 13), there was a battle for possession of the mentioned heights; The Turks were driven off the Forest Mound, but their fortifications on Bald Mountain could not be captured. The attacking troops retreated to the Forest Mound and here, during the evening, night, and at dawn on the 14th, they were repeatedly attacked by the enemy. All attacks were repulsed, but our troops suffered such heavy losses that Radetzky, lacking fresh reinforcements, ordered them to retreat to Side Hill. The forest mound was again occupied by the Turks. In the 6-day battle on Shipka, up to 3,350 people were out of action, including 2 generals (Dragomirov was wounded, Derozhinsky was killed) and 108 officers; the Turks lost more than twice as much. This battle did not have any significant results; both sides remained in their positions, but our troops, surrounded by the enemy on three sides, were still in a very difficult situation, which soon worsened significantly with the onset of autumn bad weather, and then winter cold and blizzards. From August 15, Shipka was occupied by the 14th Infantry Division and the 4th Infantry Brigade, under the command of General Petrushevsky, The Oryol and Bryansk regiments, as the most affected, were put into reserve, and the Bulgarian squads were transferred to the village of Zeleno Drevo to occupy the path through the Imitli Pass, which bypasses Shipka from the west. From this time on, the “Shipka seat” begins - one of the most difficult episodes of the war. The defenders of Shipka, doomed to passive defense, were concerned mainly with strengthening their positions and creating, if possible, closed passages of communication with the rear. The Turks also strengthened and expanded their fortification work and continuously showered the Russian position with bullets and artillery shells. On September 5, at 3 a.m., they again launched an attack from the south and west. They managed to take possession of the so-called Eagle's Nest - a rocky and steep cape protruding in front of Mount St. Nicholas, from where they were driven out only after a desperate hand-to-hand fight. The column advancing from the west (from the Forest Mound) was repelled by fire. After this, the Turks no longer launched serious attacks, but limited themselves to shelling the position. With the onset of winter, the position of the troops on Shipka became extremely difficult; frosts and snowstorms on the mountain tops were especially sensitive; the dugouts built by the soldiers provided poor protection from cold and dampness; There was a great shortage of warm clothing, and there were frequent cases of guards freezing at their posts. These hardships were especially noticeable for the troops that had not yet suffered: three regiments of the 24th division, which had recently arrived from Russia and were sent to replace the units occupying Shipka, literally melted away from disease in a short time. In general, during the period from September 5 to December 24, only about 700 people were killed and wounded in the Shipka detachment, and up to 9.5 thousand were sick. The end of 1877 was also marked by the end of the “Shipka seat”, the last act of which was the attack on Turkish positions on the road from Mount St. Nicholas to the village of Shipka.

Transport

You can get to the top of the mountain and the museum either by car or by excursion bus. There is a parking lot in front of the peak, but you can also climb to the peak itself by car, although the road is very steep.

Attractions:

Church-monument of the Nativity of Christ (Bulgarian: Temple-monument of the Nativity of Christ)

The temple, also called the Shipka Monastery, is the first monument to Bulgarian-Russian friendship on the territory of Bulgaria. It is located on the southern side of the Shipka Pass, in the vicinity of the town of Shipka. Inside the temple and on the walls of the open galleries there are 34 marble slabs with the names of military units that participated in the battles for Shipka, as well as the names of Russian soldiers and officers, and Bulgarian militias who fell during the defense of Shipka and in the battles near the cities of Kazanlak and Stara Zagora. The remains of heroes rest in sarcophagi in the crypt of the temple. The bells were cast in Russia - the Russian military department allocated about 30 tons of spent cartridges for their production. There are a total of 17 bells in the temple, the largest bell weighs 11,643 kg and is a personal gift from Emperor Nicholas II. The idea of ​​the temple, its design belongs to Olga Nikolaevna Skobeleva, the mother of the famous General Skobelev. The idea became a national cause, funds for its implementation flowed in from civil and military organizations, numerous donors, and ordinary citizens of Russia and Bulgaria. The construction committee was headed by Count Nikolai Pavlovich Ignatiev. The will of the donors - the temple was created for the prayerful commemoration of the liberating soldiers, therefore, like the cathedral of Prince. Alexander Nevsky in Sofia, it received the name “monument temple”. Construction began in 1885 and ended in 1902. The monument-temple consists of a church, a monastery building, a hotel for pilgrims, an orphanage and a theological seminary. The temple is cross-domed, with a square naos and three apses, the height of the bell tower is 53.4 meters. Architect A. Tomishko used motifs from the Yaroslavl school of church architecture of the 17th century. The official opening ceremony took place on September 27, 1902, Count Ignatiev made a solemn speech on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the Shipka epic. Especially for this occasion, an imperial delegation arrived from Russia, which included Mikhail Ivanovich Dragomirov, Nikolai Grigorievich Stoletov, Konstantin Chilyaev, Count Mikhail Pavlovich Tolstoy and others. On the territory of Bulgaria there are over 450 monuments that are dedicated to the Russian liberators (as the Bulgarians call all participants in the Russian-Turkish war of 1877-1878), but this one is considered the most beautiful and impressive. On February 9, 2005, the Church-Monument of the Nativity of Christ on Shipka was transferred to the ownership of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church. Russian President Vladimir Putin visited it along with Bulgarian President Georgi Parvanov on March 3, 2003 (March 3 is the day the Treaty of San Stefano was signed, which brought freedom to Bulgaria after five centuries of Ottoman rule.)

Monument to Freedom on the Shipka Pass (Bulgarian: Monument to Freedom "Shipka")

The monument is a memorial in memory of those who fell for the liberation of Bulgaria during the defense of the Shipka Pass in the Russian-Turkish War of 1877-78. The monument is located on Stoletov Peak, rising above the pass. There are 890 steps leading from the parking lot at the pass to the monument. The monument was opened in 1934. Built according to the design of architect Atanas Donkov and sculptor Alexander Andreev with donations from the Bulgarian people. The memorial is a stone tower in the form of a truncated pyramid 31.5 m high. A giant bronze lion, 8 m long and 4 m high, is located above the entrance to the tower, and the figure of a woman symbolizes the victory over the Ottoman troops. On the ground floor there is a marble sarcophagus with the remains of several who died during the defense. There are four more floors where there is an exhibition of Bulgarian military flags and other relics. From the top of the tower there is a breathtaking view of the Shipka Pass and the surrounding area. Every August, a historical reconstruction of the events of 1877 is held near the monument. An important part of the event is a memorial service for the Russian, Belarusian, Ukrainian, Romanian and Finnish soldiers who died here, as well as the Bulgarian militia. They are given military honors, government leaders and people of Bulgaria lay wreaths of fresh flowers at the monument on the top of the hill as a sign of their gratitude.

The giant mountains remember Shipka,

Through the passes, into the host of future years

In I wrote about how the anniversary of the battles for the Shipka Pass is celebrated.
This post is about the battle itself.

At the end of August, according to the new style, one of the most important battles of the Russian-Turkish war took place, the Battle of Shipka Pass. Every year the heroes of these battles are honored at the top of Shipka.
01.

Background.
Suleiman Pasha had 10 thousand people in the area of ​​​​Sliven and Tvarditsa, but he sent the main forces - 27 thousand people to Kazanlak, where he arrived on August 18. The units are located in the field between the villages of Shipka and Sheinovo. From the Shipka Pass this area was clearly visible and the gene. Stoletov telegraphs Radetzky that this is where the main battle will take place. Gene. Radetzky understands that the attack on Tvarditsa is a deceptive maneuver, returns to Veliko Tarnovo and immediately goes to Shipka.
It was at this time, while the Shipka detachment was waiting for reinforcements, that the Shipka epic was played out - the defense of the Shipka Pass in August 1877.

02.

03.

August 21 (10).
Stoletov organizes defense on two sides - front and main.
04.

It has only 5,500 men and 27 guns.
05.

The front includes the. St. Nikola (now Shipka), Eagle's Nest and approaches to it.
06.

Eagle's nest

The main one is a kilometer north of the top of St. Nikola, towards Gabrovo, i.e. heights along the Kazanlak - Gabrovo road.
07.

That's where the road is.

08.


On the night of August 21, General N. G. Stoletov convened a military council and expressed hope that Shipka would be able to be defended, despite the enemy's multiple superiority in forces.

From a telegram from Gen. Stoletova Gen. f.F. Radetsky August 20, 1877:
“The enemy occupied the village of Shipka with an advance detachment... If they do not decide to attack us at night, then at dawn a general offensive will certainly begin... I repeat once again. Everything will play out here, the disproportion of forces is very great.”.
09.

Suleiman Pasha's attack begins at 7 a.m. on August 21. He throws the main parts to the front position. He launches two attacks, but Russian soldiers and Bulgarian militias fight them off.

August 22 (11).
This day passes calmly. Suleiman Pasha understands that it will not be possible to pass through and decides to regroup his forces and surround the defenders of the passage, attacking them from three sides: from the south, east and west. Gene. Stoletov unravels his plans and takes up a perimeter defense.

Suleiman Pasha, confident of victory, sent a report to the Sultan on the evening of August 22: “The Russians are unable to resist us; they cannot escape from our hands. If the enemy does not flee this night, then tomorrow morning I will resume the attack and crush him.”
20.

Residents of Gabrovo helped raise guns to the Shipka position under enemy fire, despising the danger. General Krenke reports about the rise of the guns in his telegram to the Headquarters:
« On August 11, he sent 80 pairs of oxen from Gabrovo. On August 12, about a thousand city residents gathered to bring us water. The residents of Gabrovo are indescribably delighted.”

August 23 (12).
The Turks attack from three sides and carry out 18 attacks!
11.


12.

It was on this day that ammunition began to run out. Shells and cartridges are running out. Despite everything, the defenders are ready to die, but not let the Turks through the passage. The soldiers throw everything they can find at the Turks crawling up: stones, trees, empty shell boxes. The soldiers already believed that they were doomed and Shipka would surrender.
13.

Eagle's nest

14.

Defense of the Eagle's Nest. Artist Alexey Popov

At this time, the 4th Infantry Brigade, personally led by General Radetsky, rushed to their rescue. Seeing the exhaustion of the people, who could barely move their legs in the forty-degree heat, Radetzky came up with the idea of ​​mounting the shooters on Cossack horses. 205 riflemen, two on horseback, rode up shouting “Hurray”, came to the rescue and entered the battle. Later, Radetzky himself arrives with the main units.

“An uncontrollable “hurray!” resounded over the blood- and sweat-drenched positions. The summit was saved. And again, bristling with thousands of bayonets, Shipka spewed fire and death onto the Turkish columns. As if there was no fatigue, as if these people had not fought for three days.” IN AND. Nemirovich-Danchenko. Year. wars
15.


16.


The fighting does not stop there and continues until August 26. It is these six days of August that are called the Shipka epic. The defenders of Shipka won a great victory and blocked the path of the Turks from south to north.

In his telegram to the chief of army staff in the village of Gorna Studena, General N. G. Stoletov reported: “As for the Bulgarians, they will not be afraid and will not flinch, even if I decided to use them up to the last man.”

In a letter to his wife dated August 23, 1877, N. P. Ignatiev writes:
“I already wrote to you that the vanguard of the riflemen made a huge transition in unbearable heat, reaching Gabrovo yesterday at 1 o’clock in the morning... Radetzky asked to give them rest, at least sleep, but from Shipka they so urgently asked for help that at 11 o'clock in the morning the next day, in the very heat, the poor infantrymen had to set off again. These are truly legendary heroes. At 6 o’clock they reached the pass, raised the morale of the defenders and immediately entered the battle.”

August 25, 1877
“I just had a meeting with a correspondent for the English Daily News, Forbes. He arrived at Shipka on August 12 and was there from 5 a.m. to 7 p.m. He came to us on a horse, which he drove to death. He hurried to Bucharest to be the first to report about the failure of the Turks and how we repulsed 19 of their fierce attacks... He is delighted with our soldiers, and also praises the Bulgarians. He said that he saw how about a thousand residents of Gabrovo, among whom there were many children, carried water to our soldiers and even riflemen to the front line under a hail of bullets. With amazing dedication they carried the wounded from the battlefield.”

The documents of the 55th Podolsk Infantry Regiment also note this fact:
“Soldiers and officers walked all night, without rest, from Dryanovo to Gabrovo, encouraging the weak and letting artillery go ahead. In Gabrovo, our people were met by the whole city. Its residents addressed them with parting words, and the women brought water, threw flowers at our feet, crossed themselves and blessed us.”.
17.

From the report of Suleiman Pasha to His Majesty the Sultan, August 23, 1877:
“Today we were not able to occupy the Russian fortifications, but they will not resist for long... If they don’t flee this night, then tomorrow at dawn we will resume the attacks and, I hope, with God’s help we will be able to.”

After the war, Suleiman Pasha was put on trial “for inept actions at the Shipka Pass.”

Afterword.
After the bloody August battles, the long-term defense of Shipka began, which ended only in the spring of the following year.
F. F. Radetsky sent telegrams to the “Main Apartment”: “Everything is calm on Shipka.” But in reality, the defenders had to deal with blizzards and snow, stand under bullets and heavy shells from Turkish mortars. Russian artillery responded to enemy artillery fire.

According to contemporaries, “The infantrymen spent days and nights either in snow-covered or mud-filled trenches. And the latter dug in places where in the summer it was impossible to hide from the rain.”
18.

The cold was accompanied by snowstorms.
One of the participants wrote in his diary:
"Severe frost and a terrible snowstorm: the number of frostbitten people reaches terrifying proportions. Communication with the top of St. Nicholas is interrupted. There is no way to light a fire. The soldiers' overcoats are covered with a thick ice crust. Many cannot bend their arm. Movements have become very difficult, and those who have fallen cannot rise without outside help. The snow covers them in just three or four minutes. The overcoats are so frozen that their floors do not bend, but break. People refuse to eat, gather in groups and are in constant motion in order to warm up at least a little. From frost and There's nowhere to hide in a blizzard."
19.

And some reports literally said the following: “Under such conditions, there will be nothing left of our regiments.”

By December 5, the number of patients in the Irkutsk regiment reached 1042 people, and in the Yenisei 1393 .

Entry dated December 9, 1877, made in one of the documents:
“It’s dark all around, it’s cold, it’s snowing... There’s still a snowstorm at the top of St. Nicholas. The number of sick and frostbitten people has reached terrifying proportions and is increasing every day...”

Journal of the 95th Krasnoyarsk Regiment
“December 9. The frost and blizzard do not stop.... On Nikolai and at the positions of the Krasnoyarsk regiment, the number of patients is increasing to a terrifying extent. The trenches and trenches are covered with snow, people’s clothes are frozen, there is nowhere to warm up.”

Elsewhere it says:

“The dugouts of the regiments are cold... Due to snow drifts, they are uninhabited, so people spend days and nights under the open sky.”
20.


21.

By December 13, the number of patients in the Shipka detachment reached 9 thousand (not counting the Bryansk regiment). Moreover, this figure cannot be considered quite accurate, since many of the frostbitten Russian soldiers on the way to the hospital were met by Bulgarians, who took them with them and transported them along icy roads to their home, where they provided first aid.

Many Bulgarian patriots began to transport coal to the position and deliver it to the dugouts.
I. Nemirovich-Danchenko. "Summer and winter on Shipka."
"...And so the heights of Shipki remained in my memory. Menacing, harsh... Here every stone witnessed the exploits of a Russian soldier. Every inch of earth was drenched in his dear blood. Here he suffered, despaired and triumphed."
22.

Journal of the 94th Yenisei Infantry Regiment
“December 14. The number of people with frostbitten hands and feet has reached terrifying proportions. Communication with Nikolai is interrupted by a snowstorm. There is no way to light a fire anywhere. The clothes of the lower ranks have turned into an ice crust, it is almost unthinkable to bend your arms, it is very difficult to walk.”

The hands of sentries and soldiers that touched the barrels of guns and guns stuck to them. Despite this, Russian soldiers, supported by local Bulgarians, stood on Shipka until the end. The paintings by V.V. Vereshchagin “Winter Trenches on Shipka” and the especially impressive triptych “Everything is Calm on Shipka” are dedicated to this feat.
23.

"Winter trenches on Shipka"

As a child, I wondered what was going on in literature in Bulgaria if they didn’t have Pushkin and Lermontov, Yesenin and Mayakovsky. But this is what they are going through.
Below I attach a poem by Ivan Vazov “Militias on Shipka” from the cycle “Epic of the Forgotten”.

24.


An epic of the forgotten.
Militia on Spike.

Let us not yet erase the traces of shame.
Let the sobs still freeze in our throats.
Let it be darker than clouds, blacker than midnight
The memory of humiliation, the bitterness of past days.
May we still be forgotten by the world and people.
Let the people's name be shrouded in mourning,
Let our past be like an evil shadow.
Mournful day of Batak, Belasitsa day.
Let other people be ready to ridicule
The pain that the old shackles brought us.
Reproach us with the vile memory of the yoke;
Let them say that freedom came to us on its own."
Let be. But in our past, not so long ago
It smells like something new, heroic, glorious,
Something unusual that, heaving his chest,
It managed to fan the proud flame within her;
Because in the menacing, fatal silence,
Supporting the sky with powerful shoulders,
All covered in cold bones, steeply sharp.
The gray, mossy mountain rises,
A huge monument to the exploits of immortals;
There is such a place in the bright Balkans,
There is a true story that has become a fairy tale among the people,
In it is our immortality, our life and honor.
There is a word that inspired our glory,
What even eclipsed Thermopylae,
This word is the name of a glorious height -
It will break the teeth of evil slander.
Shipka!
Three days young squads
They hold the defense. Dark Valleys
They echo the thunder of battle at the inexorable hour.

The enemy is attacking! For countless times
The evil hordes are climbing the harsh steeps;
On the steep cliffs there are splashes of burning blood,
The bloody storm dimmed the light in my eyes.
Mad Suleiman raised his hand up
And he shouts: “There are disgusting servants on Shipka!”
They climb again to attack, flooding the gorge,
In the name of Allah the Turks, but the mountain
He answers with a menacing roar: “Hurray!”
Bullets, stones, logs are rushing down like hail,
Brave squads, standing next to death,
Repel the onslaught of an evil enemy:
The road of courage is not the road!
No, no one wants to be the last in the army.
Everyone, if necessary, will meet death heroically.
The crackle of rifles is heard. The Turks are roaring again.
They are running to attack again - our redoubt is terrible!
The Turks are as angry as tigers, but they run like sheep.
The wave has risen again: the Orlovites are holding on
And the Bulgarians - are they afraid of the sight of death!
The assault is cruel and menacing, but the rebuff is more menacing.
The cable is beating for days - no help comes,
The gaze does not find bright hope anywhere,
Brotherly eagles do not fly to the rescue:
But the heroes stand in the midst of the bloody darkness.
Like a handful of Spartans against Xerxes' hordes.
The enemy rushes to attack - they wait in silence! ,
And when the hour of the last contraction came,
Our hero Stoletov, glorious general:
“Militia brothers! - he shouted with new strength. - »
You will weave a laurel crown for your homeland!”
And again the heroes of the whole proud squad
They are waiting for the enemy hordes to arrive.
Mad hordes. O high hour!
The gust of waves subsided, calmed down, went out.

The cartridges have run out - the will will not change!
The bayonet is broken - well, the chest will replace it!
If necessary, we will perish in a fatal battle,
In the face of the universe on a steep mountain,
With a heroic death, winning in battle...
“The whole native country sees us today:
Will she be able to see our escape from above?
We won’t retreat - it’s better to die!”
No more guns! Slaughterhouse, hecatomb*,—
Every stake is a weapon, every stone is a bomb.
A bright flame burned in every heart,
Rocks and trees fell into the hole!
The stones also ran out - there was nothing to fight with -
We are throwing corpses at Turks from a steep slope!
And like the hordes of the enemy in a black, terrible swarm
Dead heroes fall from the cliff.
And the Turks tremble: never before them
The dead and the living did not fight side by side;
A wild cry is in the air.
The scarlet road is paved by the bayonet.
But our heroes, standing like a solid rock,
We met iron with a powerful proud chest
And they rushed into the battle, sweeping away fear.
To meet death with a song on your lips...
But again hordes of wild hordes rose up,
Trying to overwhelm the great warriors...
It seems that the limit of courage has been reached...
Suddenly the glorious Radetzky arrived in time with his army!
And now, as soon as a storm hits the Balkans,
The giant mountains remember Shpnka,
And they carry echoes - the thunder of past victories -
Through the passes, into the host of future years.
I.Vazov
November 5, 1883, Plovdiv