Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2025 All Rights Reserved

A five-century-old Scots pine attracts visitors in the Rhodope village of Pchelarovo

Photo: BTA

In the village of Pchelarovo, nestled among the slopes of the Eastern Rhodopes, there is a legend that ancient oak forests and walnut trees once thrived in the area and that wild bees inhabited their hollows. Beekeeping has long been a livelihood for the locals, as the name of the settlement itself indicates. A five-century-old Scots pine attracts the attention of visitors. It stands nearly 25 meters tall, has a trunk circumference of 3.50 meters, and was declared a protected natural site in 1984.

St, Petka Church

The ancient tree is marked with a sign and the local municipality has taken initial steps to enhance the area, said BTA. The pine is one of the tourist attractions in Pchelarovo. Another local pride, the church of "St. Petka’’, is located about 50 meters away from the pine tree. It was built in 1876 and was declared an architectural and artistic monument of culture on May 19, 1992.

Photos: BTA


Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.

More from category

The Jamala Masquerade Festival fills the town of Kyustendil with sound and colour

More than 4,000 participants from 52 masquerade groups from all over the country will take part in the Jamala National Masquerade Festival in Kyustendil on 15 and 16 February. A children's folklore procession will start from Velbazhd Square at 10.30 a.m...

published on 2/15/25 7:30 AM

Archaeology as a cause for people who unearth and protect Bulgaria’s historical heritage

With more 40 thousand archaeological sites and artifacts, Bulgaria is a true open-air museum. In terms of the number of finds, this country ranks third in the world after Italy and Greece. From the Neolithic, eight millennia ago, to..

published on 2/14/25 3:11 PM

Balkan developments

NATO tests new 'no U.S.' mission model in Balkans NATO is testing its ability to deploy rapidly across Eastern Europe - without direct US support - as Washington shifts its approach to European defence and the war in Ukraine, the Associated Press..

published on 2/14/25 2:17 PM