History of Bulgarian town of Zlatograd

published on 4/7/10 11:50 AM

Photo: Veneta Nikolova

Zlatograd is the southernmost Bulgarian town and a cultural tourism destination. With the opening of a border checkpoint with Greece near the town, Zlatograd has filled up with tourists. Local hotels and guesthouses barely manage to accommodate all the tourists during holidays and weekends. Zlatograd has preserved its antique architecture and unique nature to the delight of the visitors.
Local businessmen say the number of tourists rose even before the opening of the border checkpoint. People visit the town mainly because of its old architecture. Most of the old houses are situated in the center of the town where craftsmen use traditional methods to create true pieces of art in their shops. In the local cafes and restaurants one can try delicious meals, while the small hotels offer all the comfort one needs.

Among the tourist landmarks in the town is the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Church, which was built in 1834. It is the oldest church built in the Rhodope Mountains during the Ottoman rule. 100 000 tourists visit the town of Zlatograd annually. Many of them arrive to learn more about the history of this antique town. Zlatograd is known for the number of historical landmarks. We learn more about them from archaeologist Nickolay Ovcharov, known as the Bulgarian Indiana Jones.

“In this region a number of rock sanctuaries can be seen. They are very interesting such as the phallic sanctuaries near the village of Benkovski, which date back to the 1st century BC. There are beautiful Christian monasteries in the region. Archeologists continue to study some of those monuments. Near Zlatograd one can see an interesting landmark, which is an old Thracian sanctuary. It is a huge cone-shaped rock surrounded by forests. It may be one of the oldest Thracian cult places in the Rhodope Mountains.”

Hotel owners expect the number of tourists to Zlatograd to rise in the summer, as the new border check point makes going to the Mediterranean coast very easy with the sea being only some 50 kilometers away. Tourists from Greece are also expected in the town, attracted by the charming and mystic Rhodope Mountains.

English: Alexander Markov

По публикацията работи: Veneta Nikolova

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History of Bulgarian town of Zlatograd

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