Sredna Gora ( ) is a mountain range in central Bulgaria, situated south of and parallel to the Balkan Mountains and extending from the Iskar to the west and the elbow of Tundzha north of Yambol to the east. Sredna Gora is 285 km long, reaching 50 km at its greatest width. Its highest peak is Golyam Bogdan at . The mountain is divided into three parts by the rivers Topolnitsa and Stryama — a western (Ihtimanska Sredna Gora), a central (Sashtinska Sredna Gora) and an eastern part (Sarnena Gora). Geography Location and limits Sredna Gora is situated in central Bulgaria, south of and parallel to the Balkan Mountains and north of the Upper Thracian Plain. It extends from the river Iskar in the west to the elbow of the river Tundzha north of the city of Yambol in the east. The main orographic ridge extends from west to east, where the mountain range reaches a total length of 285 km; its maximum width from north to south is 50 km. The total area of Sredna Gora is 5,950 km2. Its highest point is the summit of Golyam Bogdan at 1,604 m; the average elevation is 608 m. It is part of the Srednogorie mountain system that from west to east includes the mountain ranges of Greben (1,156 m in Bulgarian territory), Zavalska (1,181 m), Viskyar (1,136 m), Lyulin (1,256 m), Vitosha (2,290 m), Plana (1,338 m) and Sredna Gora, as well as the heights of Bakadzhitsite and Hisar further east. To the north, Sredna Gora extends to eight of the eleven Sub-Balkan valleys — from the southeastern limits of the Sofia Valley in the west, eastwards through the valleys of Saranska, Kamarska, Zlatitsa–Pirdop, Karlovo, Kazanlak, Tvarditsa and Sliven. The valleys of Karlovo and Kazanlak are also known as the Rose Valley. Its easternmost point is the elevation of Zaychi Vrah (256 m) along the southwestern limits of the Sliven Valley just southwest of the bend of the river Tundzha. Along its northern borders, Sredna Gora is linked to the Balkan Mountains through five north-south ridges — Negushevski Rid, Oporski Rid, Galabets, Koznitsa and Strazhata. To the west, the river Iskar and the Pancharevo Gorge separates Sredna Gora from Plana and the ridges Shipochanski Rid and Shumnatitsa link it to the Rila mountain range. From there, its southern limits follow the northern edge of the Konstenets–Dolna Banya Valley to the