The
Covered Bridge ( , Pokrit most) is, as
the name suggests, a covered bridge
in the town of Lovech
, Bulgaria
. The
bridge crosses the
Osam River, connecting
the old (
Varоsha) and new town parts of Lovech, being
possibly the most recognisable symbol of the town.
After the bridge that then served the town was almost completely
destroyed by a flood in 1872, the local
police chief ordered the famous Bulgarian
master builder
Kolyu Ficheto to
construct a new one. Ficheto personally chose the material for the
wooden bridge. Each citizen of Lovech contributed to the building
process, the poorer ones working themselves and the wealthier
donating money and paying other workers. Building finished in 1874.

The Covered Bridge
The initial bridge had a length of 84 m and 6 vents and
accommodated 64 shops. It was, however, wholly destroyed by fire on
the night of 2 to
3 August 1925. A more modern bridge was constructed at its place
in 1931 only to be replaced by a reconstruction of Kolyu Ficheto's
design in 1981-1982. The current bridge is 106 m long and has 14
shops, the architect being Zlatev.