Vardun

Until the 1980s, Vardun had over 300 Bulgarian dwellings and several Romani dwellings. It was separated from the village of Cherkovna. In the 1980s, urbanization processes incited many people to move to bigger Bulgarian towns. Gradually, Romani people began to settle in Vardun. Nowadays, they form the majority of the population.

Vardun survived as a solely Bulgarian settlement during the several waves of prosecutions against Bulgarians. After the disastrous Tarnovo rebellions (1593 and 1680), Turks converted many villages in the region to Islam. Many people from Vardun were killed or banished.

Despite all this, Vardun survived. The Turkish Empire moved Muslim nomadic tribes from Asia to this region in an attempt to replace its Bulgarian population and culture. Thanks to their statute of "Voynugans" (Войнуци), Vardunians had a privilege and advantage – they could own land. During Turkish rule, the amount of Vardunian-owned land was greater than that owned by its neighbouring Muslim villages, with many Muslims working as farmhands on Vardunians' land.

In his History of Gabrovo as a settlement with a special martial statute, 12th to 19th centuries, Boris Stanimirov pointed out how freedom-loving and confident Vardun Bulgarians were. Having such virtues, they managed to put fear on Deliorman and Gerlovo Turks, demonstrating superiority to them.

In an Ottoman tax register from the 16th century, some men from Vardun were recorded with their titles. One of them was logotur (logotet) Bahno. With regard to this is the interpretation of Stefan Chureshki in his publication "The list of Bulgarian princes", where he talks about a tzar’s inscription from 1281 found near Vardun. Two bolyars were mentioned there – Pagan (or Gagan after another reading) and Hinto - according to their rule over "the mountain" (it is supposed to be the near Preslavska mountain).

Vardun is in the north part of Gerlovo area, a valley enclosed by the Balkans from the south, and by the Preslavska mountain from the northeast. Westward is the hilly Tozluk area and the Lisa mountain. Gerlovo was one of the most guarded regions in medieval Bulgaria. In the Preslavska mountain alone (about 20 km away), remains of more than 10 strongholds have been found.

Right next to Vardun, there were two strongholds: "Kaleto"[2] (1,5 km from Vardun) and "Erpeka" (about 2,5 km from Vardun) – this was built on an upland and had at least two fortified belts. Between both strongholds is situated a place named Holuma which was settled and part of Vardun before the Turkish invasion.

There were several other strongholds near Vardun: the big stronghold "Gradishteto". It is within 5 km from Vardun before Prolaz. "Hisarlaka" was another stronghold near Paidushko village (within 7 km from Vardun). "Krumovo kale" stronghold (or "Misionis" as it is claimed after some recent investigations) – this is the only excavated stronghold in the region because it is within 8 km from the chief town of Targovishte (as far as it is from Vardun).

These three strongholds were keeping guard over the Boaza passage. Eastwards there were: the big stronghold "Tepeto" (within 4 km from Vardun) near Cherkovna, "Chanakkale" stronghold (within 9 km from Vardun) near Tarnovca and "Kaleto" stronghold (within 6 km from Vardun) near Koprec. Other strongholds (poorly examined as well) in the Preslavska mountain were "Beloto gradishte" in the Dervishki passage, the strongholds near villages Ovcharovo, Dolna Kabda and others inside the mountain.

In Gerlov was so called Tsika (or Chika) (Τζίκας). A modern interpretation (based on unknown premises) claims that Tsika was the capital of the tribe of Severs. The chronicle of Theophanes the Confessor from 9th century says that Tsika was the capital (if a settlement is meant) or the inner (metropolitan) region of the Bulgarian state where the palaces (αυλὴν) were.

Vardun Point on Graham Land, Antarctica is named after the village.