Yantra (river)
| Yantra | |
|---|---|
Byala Bridge over the Yantra | |
| Location | |
| Country | Bulgaria |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | |
| • location | N of Atovo Padalo, Balkan Mountains |
| • coordinates | 42°44′20.04″N 25°25′6.96″E / 42.7389000°N 25.4186000°E |
| • elevation | 1,220 m (4,000 ft) |
| Mouth | |
• location | Danube |
• coordinates | 43°38′26.88″N 25°34′13.08″E / 43.6408000°N 25.5703000°E |
• elevation | 19 m (62 ft) |
| Length | 285 km (177 mi) |
| Basin size | 7,862 km2 (3,036 sq mi) |
| Basin features | |
| Progression | Danube→ Black Sea |
The Yantra (Bulgarian: Янтра ['jantrɐ]) is a river in northern Bulgaria, a right tributary of the Danube. Reaching a length of 285 km, it is the seventh longest river in Bulgaria and the third longest Bulgarian tributary of the Danube. In the middle and lower course, the Yantra takes many turns forming numerous gorges. It has a high sinuosity index of 3.1, which is characteristic for meandering rivers. Its catchment spans a territory of 7,862 km2 and has a small mean slope value 4.6‰ with a mean altitude of 470 m.
The city of Veliko Tarnovo, situated on several hills overlooking the river along its middle course, served as the capital of the Second Bulgarian Empire in the 12–14th centuries, and remains and important cultural, economic and tourist center in Bulgaria. Another major city on the river is Gabrovo, an early education and industrial hub of the country.