The history of the village of Batishnitsa – from ancient traces to a lively settlement

Centuries ago, the present-day village of Batishnitsa was home to a Greek population, of which tombstones and the remains of an old church still remind us. In later times, before the Liberation, Circassians and Tatars who came from Russian territories settled in the village. At that time, there were about 70–80 houses here, and the landscape stretched out into endless pastures, old forests and modest fields.

With the onset of the Russo-Turkish War of Liberation, the Turkish population left, leaving behind empty homes, which were quickly settled by Bulgarians who came from the Balkans. Some of the first families that gave the appearance of the new Batishnitsa were the Uzuns, the Kinarchovs, the Bardars, the Stanchovs and many others. One of the most memorable personalities from this period is Doncho Totev – an enterprising Balkanist, who with his own funds built a bridge, a well and fountains, as well as helped with the construction of the church "St. Ivan Rilski". The grateful village buried him in the churchyard and erected a monument to him.

The area of "Tabite" still bears the traces of the Russian troops that wintered here in 1877 - trenches and dugouts are reminders of those fateful days. Among the legends there is also a curious story: the Turkish commander-in-chief was bribed with... a pumpkin full of gold!

After the Liberation, Batishnitsa began to grow – in 1900 the population already numbered over 1000 people. The village developed rapidly – from the production of beets, which were transported to Ruse, to the creation of the first cooperatives and the mechanization of agriculture. In the 1920s, the first threshing machines arrived, and in 1925 a water supply system was built.

Socialism also left its mark – in 1945, one of the first TKZS in the region was founded, and in 1977, a foam workshop began operating. The village experienced a real transformation – from dusty streets and modest homes, Batishnitsa turned into a modern village with a new school, cultural center, community center, kindergarten, sports facilities and even an airport for agricultural aviation.

Today, Batishnitsa preserves not only the memory of its past, but also the spirit of those generations who, with hard work and heart, transformed the village into a picturesque and inspiring place.