Материалът Orlovi Skali е публикуван за пръв път на Guesthouse Birch (Betula).

The meanders are not only visually stunning but also responsible for the formation of diverse ecosystems and biodiversity in the region. Among these vibrant areas teem with life, one can find a multitude of plant and animal species. Among them are both local and rare species, which awaken the curiosity and admiration of every visitor.

Traveling along the Arda River is a true adventure, offering exciting experiences for nature lovers and active relaxation seekers alike. The tourist routes in the area give you the opportunity to immerse yourself in untouched nature, explore unique panoramas, and enjoy the tranquility and beauty of the surrounding environment.

Do not miss the opportunity to visit this incredible natural gem in Bulgaria and immerse yourself in the magic of the meanders of the Arda River. Prepare to be enchanted by the beauty and tranquility that await you in this unique natural attraction! Read more…

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Материалът The meanders of the Arda River е публикуван за пръв път на Guesthouse Birch (Betula).

Located within the Nanovishka volcanic caldera, Harman Kaya impresses with its diversity of forms – from two cave-like chambers, through rectangular and circular basins, to trapezoidal niches and observation platforms. Noteworthy is the petroglyph named “The Chicken,” which further enriches the cultural heritage of the site.

Discovered as early as 1941 by Professor Vasil Mikov, the complex has been the subject of interest and study for many years. Scientific teams dating back to the Chalcolithic period have studied the site. Despite partial exploration, many consider Harman Kaya to be of Thracian origin. Its great value lies in the historical discoveries that reveal the contours of “the largest Thracian city.”

Access to the complex is challenging, with towering cliffs surrounding the massif. The entrance on the territory of the Rock Sanctuary of Harman Kaya is only possible through the Karabedik Dere Valley. Just before the entrance, a small artificial cave rises. It indicates the entrance to this mysterious complex. The trapezoidal niches, carved into the high cliffs, further emphasize the mystery of the place and facilitate its discovery.

Harman Kaya is more than just a natural formation – it is a place steeped in history and culture, captivating us with its beauty and mystery. Visit and immerse yourself in the ancient secrets preserved amidst the rocks of Raven Rock. Read more…

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Материалът Rock Sanctuary “Harman Kaya” е публикуван за пръв път на Guesthouse Birch (Betula).

Материалът Rope bridge to Lisitsite village е публикуван за пръв път на Guesthouse Birch (Betula).

Tourism

Материалът Archaeological complex “Perperikon” е публикуван за пръв път на Guesthouse Birch (Betula).

Deep in the heart of the Rhodope Mountains, just 200 meters from the picturesque village of Tatul and approximately 15 kilometers from Momchilgrad, rises the Thracian sanctuary known as Tatul. This magical site boasts one of the most magnificent megalithic monuments in Bulgaria, not only guarding ancient secrets but also revealing the rich history of the Thracian people.

The sanctuary is composed of a rocky massif upon which a majestic intersecting pyramid proudly stands. The complex consists of two sarcophagi, a rectangular bed for the main altar, and a three-meter well. Dating back to the late 5th to early 4th millennium BCE, the sanctuary unveils its ancient soul through the clay vessels discovered in the region.

“History”

Between the 18th and 11th centuries BCE, Tatul experienced its first great flourishing. The rocky pyramid and the tombs surrounding it bear witness to a time when the sanctuary was the center of rituals and sacrifices. Within a circle of clay altars, ceremonies were performed, and hundreds of cult objects, such as clay human idols and spindles, testified to the dedication to Thracian deities. From 2004 to 2007, excavations unearthed unique clay objects associated with solar worship, including three wheels for models of the Celestial Chariot and a part of a golden mask. Despite disputes regarding the exact dating, the complex emerged as both a sanctuary and fortress throughout various epochs.

“A World of Mysteries and Observations”

Beyond being a sanctuary for sacrificial rites, Tatul serves as a historical site for observing the sunrise and sunset on specific days of the year. For instance, during sunrise, the sun penetrates through the “notch” of a special rock cleft. The shape of the highest part of the megalith, a carved semicircle resembling a rising sun, hints at the connection between the sanctuary and the celestial bodies.

Tatul is more than just a stone complex; it is evidence of the ancient link between the Thracian people and the cosmos. Step into Tatul and immerse yourself in the magic of Thracian history that this unique megalithic monument with its pyramidal beauty offers. Read more…

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Материалът Archaeological complex “Tatul” е публикуван за пръв път на Guesthouse Birch (Betula).

The “Womb” cave is a natural horizontal gap in the rock, 22 meters deep, which was additionally cut by human hands. The height of the hole is 3 meters and the width is about 2.50 m. Enough light penetrates inside. The entire cave is literally shaped like a female vulva. In the hole, there is a carved altar about 1.30 m high, which is shaped like the labia minora. A small hole, about 10 cm deep and 5 cm wide, is made in its center. It is cut slightly to the side. The tunnel has an ideal south-north orientation, with its entrance from the south. There is a specially made slit in its ceiling, through which a ray of sunlight falls precisely at 12 o’clock every day. It is visible for several minutes, gradually increasing in size, and moving toward the altar. 

Guide

The “Womb” cave is located near the Kardzhali dam, 23 km from the city of Kardzhali. To get to it, you can leave your car near the beginning of the path, which is located 5 km south of the village of Nenkovo. The path falls right in front of the dam, being comfortable, but steep and narrow in places. It can be walked only in the northeast direction, as there are several breaks. At the entrance to the path, there is a place to park the car, as well as a sign. The road from the beginning of the path to the cave is 2.1 kilometers long, and its height difference is a little over 350 meters.

At a certain distance from each other, gazebos have been built for relaxation, from which a beautiful view of the Kardzhali dam and the surrounding area is revealed.  It takes about 1 hour at a normal pace. Read more…

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Материалът The “Womb” cave е публикуван за пръв път на Guesthouse Birch (Betula).

The rock phenomenon “Stone Wedding” is located next to the village of Zimzelen, a few kilometers east of Kardzhali town. The formations extend over an area of about 40 acres and are a truly beautiful sight. Like the Rock Mushrooms near the village of Beli Plast, nature is the reason for the wonderful shapes here. Tens of millions of years ago, as a result of underwater volcanic activity, the rocks – rhyolite tuffs – were formed. Later, after the sea receded, they were exposed to the effects of rain, wind and sun. These elements shaped their present forms. Different minerals in the rock are also the reason for the various colors and shades.

Among them, there are interlayers of other rocks – limestones, conglomerates, etc. The different mineral composition of the rocks determines their different strength, and this is an important condition for modeling the fantastic figures of the pyramids. 

Legends

The name of the rock group – Stone Wedding – is given because of several rock fragments forming a group. With some imagination, it can be likened to a group of people. Two legends are known about this phenomenon. According to the first, the wedding guests and newlyweds were petrified by God because the father-in-law angered him with his impious thoughts towards the young bride. The second legend states that there was an old folk belief that the face of the bride should not be seen during the wedding. But a strong wind blew away the veil and the young woman’s face was seen by all. As punishment, the forces of nature punished everyone present and petrified them.

Another legend tells that the wedding procession was overtaken by robbers, whose leader was so impressed by the bride’s beauty that he demanded her as a ransom. When he didn’t get it, he ordered everyone killed. At that moment they were petrified, and the red color of the rocks remained to preserve the memory of the spilled blood. Before their death, the newlyweds froze in a passionate kiss, which can still be seen today on the side of the petrified procession. Read more…

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Материалът The rock phenomenon “Stone Wedding” е публикуван за пръв път на Guesthouse Birch (Betula).

Archaeological Museum “Kardzhali” is located near the center of the town of Kardjali. It is next to the exit road to the town of Haskovo. The building was built at the beginning of the 20s of the 20th century. The project was made by Prof. Arch. Pomeryantsev. He was a teacher at the Art Academy in St. Petersburg. Like most museum buildings in Bulgaria, this one was originally created for another purpose. The idea was to house a Muslim spiritual school there. Due to the various vicissitudes of fate, this never happened. The initial idea for the function of the building imposed atypical, at first glance, architectural solutions for our lands. In the facade dominating are Moroccan arches and details reminiscent of the architecture of the Arab world. Due to its unique appearance, the building has been declared a cultural monument of national importance.

Department of Archeology

The “Archaeology” department is located on the first floor of the museum and has 9 halls and a total of 600 m² of exhibition space. It stores archaeological finds from the Neolithic to the late Bulgarian Middle Ages. The department presents a reconstruction of a prehistoric home with collections of tools. Prehistoric idol sculptures and household objects. Also on display are Thracian votive tiles, bronze sculptures, sgraffito ceramics, and medieval coins.

Department of Nature

The “Nature” department is housed in four halls on the second floor of an exhibition area of 300 m². The department exhibits natural specimens from the living and non-living nature of the Eastern Rhodopes. There are herbaria of rare and protected plants. Fossils of sea creatures, collections of ore minerals, non-mineral raw materials, geodes and precious stones. Photos of some of the natural attractions of the region are shown:

• Stone Wedding
• Stone Mushrooms
• Petrified Forest
• The stone wood
• Devil’s Bridge

Department of Ethnography

The “Ethnography” department is located on the top third floor. On an area of 600 m² in 9 halls, life in the Eastern Rhodopes from the end of the 19th century to the 1950s is presented. The department contains reconstructions of a dairy, of a coal-mining. Different workshops are also presented. Оbjects related to the basic livelihoods of the population in the region, as well as traditional national costumes and ornaments are exhibited. Read more…

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Материалът Archaeological Museum е публикуван за пръв път на Guesthouse Birch (Betula).

Monastery “St Joan Podrom” was founded in the 6th – 8th century. At the beginning of the 9th century, a fortified monastery was built on the site of a small church, which received the relics of an ecclesiastic. It was the center of one of the great medieval dioceses – Ahridos and has a typical Athonian style. In it in 1998. a unique tomb was discovered that preserved the relics of a high-ranking bishop and parts of the gold-embroidered textiles of the bishop’s vestments from the 13th – 14th centuries. This makes it a value of world importance.

The remarkable thing in this complex are the three temples and the two tombs. At the beginning of the 11th century, a complete reconstruction of the monastery was carried out, it was distinguished by a unique structure. A new fortress wall was built, with square towers at the four ends and in the middle of the walls. To the east of the large three-apsed conchal church was the palace of the abbot – bishop of the Ahridos bishopric.t.

Short History

From the lead seals found in the administrative center of Perperikon, the names of three bishops are known – Thomas, Constantine and Eustathius. At the beginning of the 13th century, the vestibule from the west was turned into a crypt. After another raid, the southern conch was rewritten, on which the painter left the words – “I, Dobromir, wrote in the holy Prodrom”. Monastery “St Joan Podrom” experienced moments of rise and attacks. Life in it subsided at the end of the 14th century, but the memory of it was preserved until the beginning of the new century. Quadrangular fortress wall with five towers, three-apsed, three-nave cross-domed church /10-14th century / with the partially preserved wall painting.

The symbol of Christianity – the cross – is embedded in its very plan. The architecture of the temple “St. John Prodrom” directly followed the catholicon “St. Athanasius”. In the year 2000, the restored church, after 600 years of silence, once again rang with a bell ringing in Kardzhali. It is included in the 100 national tourist sites of the Republic of Bulgaria. There is constant tourist interest in the Monastery, but accurate statistics on visits are not kept. Read more…

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Материалът Monastery “St Joan Podrom” е публикуван за пръв път на Guesthouse Birch (Betula).