Melnik is a small town in Blagoevgrad district in Bulgaria , is located in the Pirin Mountains and is surrounded by bizarre sandstone cliffs.
In the early Middle Ages, Melnik was a border town that sometimes belonged to Bulgaria and sometimes to Byzantium. In the 17th and 18th centuries Melnik became a trading center for wine and tobacco.
Melnik is located in the southwestern end of the country, in the valley of the Struma River, at the foot of the western slope of the Pirin mountain range. In the mountains that surround the city to the east we see the inaccessible fortress of the pyramids of sand and which are due to the strong erosion of the slopes of certain peaks.
Throughout history there have been 70 churches in Melnik and four monasteries in the vicinity. Three of the churches are still in use today , the exact location of only 21 churches is known. Of the monasteries, only the Roschen monastery is actually used.
The town is a tourist center and is under monument protection (architecture reserve), 96 houses have been declared cultural monuments. Despite the small number of inhabitants, Melnik keeps its status as a town for historical reasons.
Access : Coordinates: 41.516667, 23.4 / Melnik located in Blagoevgrad Province, Southwestern Bulgaria.
Highlights :
- A walk along the creek and the beautiful traditional buildings is worthwhile, as is a tour of some of the wine cellars.
- From the village of Rojen, start small dirt roads that lead to the Pirin mountain, they pass through very authentic small mountain hamlets in an exceptional setting.
- Around Melnik in the hillsides of vineyards, many small villages are to be discovered for their authentic and simple lifestyle and their picturesque streets, filled with goats, donkeys and the scent of fig trees and small gardens. ex: Vinogradi- wine village, Hotovo, full of storks Spatovo.
- Sand pyramids : The best way to enjoy this spectacle is certainly the path from Melnik to the village of Rozhen. Please note that the path is not marked.
- Top sights in Melnik, Bulgaria : Of the five churches of the National Revival period in Melnik, the one of Sveti-Nikolai (St. Nicholas the Miracle Worker) (1756) has been preserved, the most significant, most likely built by the same master who built the Kordopulov House. Although painted by another master, whose identity is unknown, the walls and the icons of the church are remarkable./ The Pashova House, built in 1815, is another impressive example of local architecture with its two floors. / The Kordopoulov House, built in 1754, belongs to the wine merchant Manolis Kordopoulos, famous throughout Europe at the time. Two of its four floors are built of stone. Seven interior staircases connect the different floors and rooms of the house.
/ 6 km from Melnik is the Monastery of Rojen (sometimes written Rozhen) accessible either by a hiking trail that passes through the sumptuous landscapes of the sand pyramids, or by an equally spectacular road. / Melnik Castle : The fortress dates from the beginning of the 11th century. It was rebuilt in the 12th century during the reign of Despot Alexius Slav. It is also known as the Despotslav Fortress / sandstone tunnel tunnel. Interesting tunnel carved into the sandstone.
/ Vanga Temple – It is the place where the tomb of the world-famous Bulgarian soothsayer Baba Vanga is located. / Ottoman Mansion – It is the mansion used by the Ottomans to provide administrative affairs in Melnik. / Boliarska House – It is an ancient Byzantine monument.
Go next : Pétritch , the last town before the border with Greece. / Sandanski ,with thermal springs and large park at the foot of the Pirine massif / Roupité, village, site of curative thermal springs, located in the old crater of a volcano and where is the church of St Petka.
