Pirin Mountains, Blagoevgrad Province, Bulgaria
The Pirin Mountains are a mountain range in south west Bulgaria spreading over 1000 square miles. They extend about 50 miles from the north west to the south east and they are about 25 miles wide. Vihren at 9560 feet is the highest peak in the Pirin Mountains, the second highest in Bulgaria and the third highest in the Balkans.
To the north, the Pirin Mountains are separated from Bulgaria's highest mountain range, the Rila Mountains, by the Paril Saddle whilst to the south they extend towards the mountain of Slavyanka Mountain located on the border of south west Bulgaria and north Greece. To the west is the valley of the River Struma and to the east the valley of the River Mesta which separates the Pirin Mountains from the Rhodopes Mountains.
The Pirin Mountains are dotted with 118 glacial lakes, the largest and the deepest of them being Popovo Lake. They also contain Europe's most southern glaciers, Snezhnika and Banski Suhodol. The Snezhnika glacier is a remnant of the former Vihren glacier. It lies at a height of between 7956 feet and 8140 feet in the deep Golemiya Kazan cirque at the steep northern foot of Vihren. The Banski Suhodol glacier is a small glacier which lies below the peak of Kutelo peak (9540 feet) in the upper Banski Suhodol valley.
The northern part of the Pirin Mountains is protected by the Pirin National Park (originally named Vihren National Park). It encompasses the larger part of the Pirin Mountains and covers an area of around 155 square miles. It is one of the 3 national parks in Bulgaria, the others being Rila National Park and Central Balkan National Park. Pirin National Park was established in 1962 and its territory has expanded several times since then. It was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983 and it is also part of Natura 2000, the network of nature protection areas of the European Union. Pirin National Park falls within the Rodope montane mixed forests terrestrial eco-region of the Palearctic temperate broadleaf and mixed forest. Forests cover 57.3% of the area of Pirin National Park and almost 95% of them are coniferous forests. The average age of the forests is 85 years. Bulgaria's oldest tree, Baikushev's pine, is located in Pirin National Park and it has an approximate age of about 1,300 years. Pirin National Park is noted for its rich and diverse flora and fauna which includes 45 species of mammals, 159 species of birds, 11 species of reptiles, 8 species of amphibia and 6 species of fish.
The Pirin Mountains are an important tourist destination. The town of Bansko, situated on the north east slopes of the mountain range, has grown to be the primary ski and winter sports centre in the Balkans. A number of settlements in the foothills have mineral springs and are spa resorts e.g. Banya, Dobrinishte, Gotse Delchev, Sandanski, etc.
Melnik is situated in the south west foothills of the mountain. 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 sandstone 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 near Melnik, Blagoevgrad Province, Bulgaria
To the north, the Pirin Mountains are separated from Bulgaria's highest mountain range, the Rila Mountains, by the Paril Saddle whilst to the south they extend towards the mountain of Slavyanka Mountain located on the border of south west Bulgaria and north Greece. To the west is the valley of the River Struma and to the east the valley of the River Mesta which separates the Pirin Mountains from the Rhodopes Mountains.
The Pirin Mountains are dotted with 118 glacial lakes, the largest and the deepest of them being Popovo Lake. They also contain Europe's most southern glaciers, Snezhnika and Banski Suhodol. The Snezhnika glacier is a remnant of the former Vihren glacier. It lies at a height of between 7956 feet and 8140 feet in the deep Golemiya Kazan cirque at the steep northern foot of Vihren. The Banski Suhodol glacier is a small glacier which lies below the peak of Kutelo peak (9540 feet) in the upper Banski Suhodol valley.
The northern part of the Pirin Mountains is protected by the Pirin National Park (originally named Vihren National Park). It encompasses the larger part of the Pirin Mountains and covers an area of around 155 square miles. It is one of the 3 national parks in Bulgaria, the others being Rila National Park and Central Balkan National Park. Pirin National Park was established in 1962 and its territory has expanded several times since then. It was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983 and it is also part of Natura 2000, the network of nature protection areas of the European Union. Pirin National Park falls within the Rodope montane mixed forests terrestrial eco-region of the Palearctic temperate broadleaf and mixed forest. Forests cover 57.3% of the area of Pirin National Park and almost 95% of them are coniferous forests. The average age of the forests is 85 years. Bulgaria's oldest tree, Baikushev's pine, is located in Pirin National Park and it has an approximate age of about 1,300 years. Pirin National Park is noted for its rich and diverse flora and fauna which includes 45 species of mammals, 159 species of birds, 11 species of reptiles, 8 species of amphibia and 6 species of fish.
The Pirin Mountains are an important tourist destination. The town of Bansko, situated on the north east slopes of the mountain range, has grown to be the primary ski and winter sports centre in the Balkans. A number of settlements in the foothills have mineral springs and are spa resorts e.g. Banya, Dobrinishte, Gotse Delchev, Sandanski, etc.
Melnik is situated in the south west foothills of the mountain. 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 sandstone 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 near Melnik, Blagoevgrad Province, Bulgaria
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Also in: Bulgaria
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