Melnik, Blagoevgrad Province, Bulgaria

Melnik is situated in the south west foothills of the Pirin Mountains in south west Bulgaria. With a population of around 385, it is Bulgaria's smallest town and retains its town status today for historical reasons. The town is an architectural reserve and 96 of its buildings are designated as cultural monuments. It is among the “100 Tourist Sites of Bulgaria” programme which promotes tourism among Bulgaria's most significant cultural, historic and natural landmarks. The town is also a centre of red wine production with numerous vineyards and cellars dug in to the local sandstone rock.

The area around Melnik is strikingly eroded, particularly the enormous area of cliff that serves as a backdrop to the town. This area, covering some 6.5 square miles around Melnik, Kurlanovo and Rozhen has been called the Melnik Earth Pyramids. The hills in this area can rise up to 330 feet high and the unique formations, which can resemble giant mushrooms, ancient towers and obelisks, were formed when heavy rain eroded the sandstone and clay which the hills are composed of. The Melnik Earth Pyramids are a geological phenomenon of global importance and they were declared a natural landmark in 1960 with a total protected area of 5 square miles.

Date: 29th May 2018

Location: view from Hotel Melnik, Melnik, Blagoevgrad Province, Bulgaria