Ayazmo Park, Urban park in Stara Zagora, Bulgaria.
Ayazmo Park is an urban park on the northern edge of Stara Zagora, Bulgaria, set across a hillside with several distinct levels. Paved and unpaved paths connect open lawns, wooded areas, and resting spots spread across the slope.
The land was turned into a park in 1895 by Metropolitan Methodius Kusev, who organized the planting of trees on what had been bare hillside at the edge of the city. During the socialist period, the park was renamed, but the original name stayed in everyday use among residents.
The name Ayazmo comes from a Turkish word meaning something close to "holy water", which points to the spring inside the park that has long been considered sacred. Visitors can still find this spring today, tucked within the green hillside.
The park has several entrances, with the most used access point close to the center of Stara Zagora and easy to reach on foot. The paths rise and fall with the hillside, so comfortable shoes are a good idea before heading in.
A spring inside the park is said to be connected to a religious event from the 9th century, and local tradition holds that this spring gave the place its name long before it became a park. The spring is still visible today and is one of the oldest reference points on the site.
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