Kardzhali is located on both sides of the Arda river in the Eastern Rhodope mountains. It is located 259 kilometers from Sofia, 90 kilometers from Plovdiv, 50 kilometers from Haskovo, and around 15 kilometers from Perperikon, a historic town. The town has a population of around 76,000 people. The Mediterranean has a big impact on the climate here. In the winter, the average temperature is 0°C, while in the summer, it is +24°C.
Numerous traditions and myths surround Kardzha Ali — an ordinary guy transformed into a holy warrior, whose name the town of Kardzhali bears. According to folklore, when the Ottoman Turks stormed the Rhodope mountains during Sultan Murad I’s reign (1360-1389), the army was headed by Kardzha Ali, a warrior. He was assassinated in a fight, and his name was given to the new town.
The Regional History Museum is a prominent feature in Kardzhali. It is housed in a lovely early 1920s structure. The cultural objects on display there have been amassed over almost 50 years and are displayed on three levels totaling 1,300 square meters. The museum is set in a lovely park that has around 30 rare Bulgarian plant species.
One of the most significant medieval structures is found in Kardzhali – the temple „St. John the Baptist,“ which is located in the residential sector of Veselchane. In 2000, it was repaired. It was originally a component of a medieval monastery complex dating from the 11th to the 14th centuries, when the monastery stronghold was converted into an Episcopal house.
Another significant relic in the city is the Art Gallery, whose structure was constructed in the mid-nineteenth century with the intention of serving as a Turkish town hall. The gallery has a one-of-a-kind collection of icons created by eminent artists from the Rhodope Mountains and Thrace, as well as artworks by three generations of Bulgarian painters and sculptors. The structure is a significant architectural and cultural landmark in the community.
Another monastery complex – „St. Mary’s Assumption“ – is located in the Gledka residential part; the complex consists of a church and a monastery. For visitors, the church houses a tiny fragment of Christ’s cross that was discovered at a relic site during the 2002 Perperikon excavations.
Within 15 kilometers of Kardzhali lies the rock city of Perperikon — one of the world’s oldest colossal megalithic constructions, entirely cut into the rocks. The holy town is exceptional in terms of archaeology, history, natural beauty, and multi-religious diversity. It is one of Bulgaria’s and the world’s seven wonders. Perperikon has been one of the most popular tourist destinations in the country in recent years.
The Monyak stronghold is situated 11 kilometers east of Kardzhali, near the settlement of Shiroko pole. It was constructed during the 12th and 13th centuries and is one of the tallest medieval strongholds in the Rhodopes. It protects an area of more than 50 decares.
Another fascinating feature is the Rock niches, which are located near the settlement of Dazhdovnitsar, 10 kilometers northwest of Kardzhali. They date between 1,200 and 550 years BC. The Rock niches have a straight trapezoidal design, range in height from 70 to 90 meters, and are 30-50 cm wide, which also corresponds to their depth. Numerous theories exist about them. According to some, niches were used to store urns containing the ashes of poor people in ancient times, while the wealthy and elderly citizens were buried in carved rock tombs found across the Rhodope mountains. According to others, the niches used to have little doors and were filled with miniature sculptures of gods. A third group asserts that the young men loyal to the Orphic Thracian worship carved the niches in difficult-to-reach locations to demonstrate their masculinity.
The Utroba (Womb) cave is around 17 kilometers from Kardzhali. It is so named due to its form, which resembles that of a woman’s womb. Water regularly pours down the cave’s sides; an altar is carved into the cave’s southern inner end. Near the cave is a full ceremonial complex of sharapanas (rock niches for wine). It dates all the way back to the period of the Thracians. The wine was consumed during Utroba cave rites.
Throughout the year, the town of Kardzhali and its surroundings attract thousands of visitors due to its various attractions. The town and its environs are home to hotels and other types of lodging, as well as eateries. Two big dams – Studen Kladenets and Kardzhali – are situated adjacent to Kardzhali and are popular fishing locations for visitors from all over the country.
Geography of Kardzhali
Kardzhali is situated in the Rhodope Mountains’ low eastern portion, on both sides of the Arda River, between the Kardzhali and Studen Kladenets reservoirs. The town is located around 260 kilometers (162 miles) southeast of Sofia. It is located at a crossroads between Thrace and the Aegean Sea, on European Route 9 through the Makaza mountain pass.
Climate of Kardzhali
Kardzhali is situated in the Rhodope Mountains’ low eastern portion, on both sides of the Arda River, between the Kardzhali and Studen Kladenets reservoirs. The town is located around 260 kilometers (162 miles) southeast of Sofia. It is located at a crossroads between Thrace and the Aegean Sea, on European Route 9 through the Makaza mountain pass.
Culture and tourism of Kardzhali
The mosque and mausoleum of Krcali’s contemporary founder are located in the old city near the marketplace.
Perperikon, a Thracian settlement, is situated near the city on a rocky outcrop high above the valley. It’s unique due to the fact that it’s carved into the rock.
The 11th-century monastery is situated in the town’s Vesselchane Quarter. It was refurbished in 2000, with the addition of a new bell tower.
Bulgaria’s town clock is unusual in that it plays Bulgarian revolutionary anthems every hour.
The Kardzhali Museum of History has one of Southern Bulgaria’s most comprehensive displays. This comprises prehistoric artifacts and pottery from Perperikon and Tatul in Thrace, as well as Christian icons and anthropological displays. It is housed in the historic konak (Turkish town hall erected about 1870), which retains its original external architecture.
On the dam, there are several open-air restaurants serving a range of beverages and cocktails throughout the summer. It is a popular destination for water sports and fishing enthusiasts.
The town is home to two drama theaters — „Dimitar Dimov“ and „Kadrie Lyatifova“ — as well as a puppet theater, a history museum, and an art gallery.
A tiny badlands located 5 kilometers (3 miles) from Kardzhali, near the settlement of Zimzelen, has a series of white pillars that have eroded from the volcanic tuff and are known to as the „Kardzhali Pyramids.“ The names of the ensembles are based on their resemblances. One is dubbed „The Mushrooms,“ while the other is dubbed „The Stone Wedding.“
Kardzhali Point is located on Byers Peninsula, Livingston Island, South Shetland Islands, Antarctica.
The Sultans Trail is a long-distance hiking trail that travels through Kardzhali dam, the city center, and other villages.
Economy of Kardzhali
Kardzhali was once a tobacco processing hub, but all of the communist-era industrial enterprises have been closed for economic reasons. The town was previously an excellent site for the metallurgy and machine building industries due to the area’s huge quantities of lead and zinc ore. However, in 2016, the city’s defunct massive Lead and Zinc Complex came to an end when its two stacks were demolished.
Nowadays, retail and service sectors account for the lion’s share of local output. The area’s richness of cultural and natural attractions also makes it a prospective tourist destination.
In 2007, the city welcomed the opening of hypermarkets operated by the companies Technomarket, LIDL, Billa, and Technopolis, as well as the completion of the city’s new marketplace. Additionally, a Kaufland hypermarket opened in 2014. The local economy, on the other hand, has stopped.
Agriculture’s share of the labor force climbed from 41% to 47% in only seven years (the period between 2010 and 2017). Kardzhali has the second greatest proportion of agricultural workers, behind Silistra Province.
History of Kardzhali
Since the Neolithic, the region that is now Kardzhali has been inhabited. Numerous objects, including pottery and early tools, have been discovered during archaeological digs. The majority of them are presently on display in the town’s history museum.
Later Thracian tribes established themselves in the region and formed a highly complex civilisation. They constructed several shrines devoted to the sun and earth gods. In 2001, an artificial cave was discovered near the town of Nenkovo (northwest of Kardzhali). It is dubbed the Utroba Cave because it resembles a woman’s womb. At precisely noon, when the sun is at its greatest point in the sky, a beam of light enters the cave via a stone slit that creates a falitic gloom. This is the notion of the new sun deity, according to Thracian beliefs. Due to the fact that the beam of light enters the cave on a single day of the year (in comparison to Stonehenge in the United Kingdom), this cave is regarded a complicated astronomical facility (in comparison to Stonehenge in the United Kingdom).
The Thracians erected several stone castles and palaces in the area — Perperek, Ustra, and Vishegrad. The most impressive is Perperikon, which was formerly home of a Thracian king. The location has grown in popularity in recent years as a result of the abundance of items discovered during recent archaeological excavations.
Kardzhali was the capital of a Christian eparchy — Achridos — during the Byzantine era.
[reference required] Kardzhali was known as Zherkovo during the time of the Bulgarian Empire, a name that the Bulgarians retained until the 17th century. Built during the sixth and eighth centuries, the Monastery of John the Precursor is currently a monument of medieval architecture.
Several more monasteries were constructed during this period, with some lasting until the early nineteenth century. During the Middle Ages, the region was strategically important for the Bulgarian Empire, and the ruins of various medieval fortresses dispersed over the surrounding hills may still be seen.
The town evolved significantly as a result of its location on trade routes during the Ottoman Empire. It remained, nevertheless, a little town. During the 18th century, Turkish brigands exploited this distant hamlet as a hideout and supply center, and the town was eventually dubbed Krca Ali in honor of their commander. Pazvantolu Osman Pasha, who dominated the majority of northeastern Bulgarian regions and the Danube estuary until 1807, headed the best-known of these troops.
Kardzhali and its environs were part of the autonomous province of Eastern Rumelia in 1878, but were handed back to the Ottoman Empire in 1885 as a township of Gümülcine sanjak in Edirne vilayet after the reunification of the Principality of Bulgaria and Eastern Rumelia. Ottoman sovereignty ended after the First Balkan War, when Bulgarian General Vasil Delov freed the town and surrounding territory on 21 October 1912. Since 1937, the day has been marked with concerts and commemorative activities as a city holiday. Kardzhali was designated the provincial capital of Kardzhali Province in 1949, when it was formed from the southernmost section of Stara Zagora Province.
Kardzhali
Kardzhali
Kardzhali is located on both sides of the Arda river in the Eastern Rhodope mountains. It is located 259 kilometers from Sofia, 90 kilometers from Plovdiv, 50 kilometers from Haskovo, and around 15 kilometers from Perperikon, a historic town. The town has a population of around 76,000 people. The Mediterranean has a big impact on the climate here. In the winter, the average temperature is 0°C, while in the summer, it is +24°C.
Numerous traditions and myths surround Kardzha Ali — an ordinary guy transformed into a holy warrior, whose name the town of Kardzhali bears. According to folklore, when the Ottoman Turks stormed the Rhodope mountains during Sultan Murad I’s reign (1360-1389), the army was headed by Kardzha Ali, a warrior. He was assassinated in a fight, and his name was given to the new town.
The Regional History Museum is a prominent feature in Kardzhali. It is housed in a lovely early 1920s structure. The cultural objects on display there have been amassed over almost 50 years and are displayed on three levels totaling 1,300 square meters. The museum is set in a lovely park that has around 30 rare Bulgarian plant species.
One of the most significant medieval structures is found in Kardzhali – the temple „St. John the Baptist,“ which is located in the residential sector of Veselchane. In 2000, it was repaired. It was originally a component of a medieval monastery complex dating from the 11th to the 14th centuries, when the monastery stronghold was converted into an Episcopal house.
Another significant relic in the city is the Art Gallery, whose structure was constructed in the mid-nineteenth century with the intention of serving as a Turkish town hall. The gallery has a one-of-a-kind collection of icons created by eminent artists from the Rhodope Mountains and Thrace, as well as artworks by three generations of Bulgarian painters and sculptors. The structure is a significant architectural and cultural landmark in the community.
Another monastery complex – „St. Mary’s Assumption“ – is located in the Gledka residential part; the complex consists of a church and a monastery. For visitors, the church houses a tiny fragment of Christ’s cross that was discovered at a relic site during the 2002 Perperikon excavations.
Within 15 kilometers of Kardzhali lies the rock city of Perperikon — one of the world’s oldest colossal megalithic constructions, entirely cut into the rocks. The holy town is exceptional in terms of archaeology, history, natural beauty, and multi-religious diversity. It is one of Bulgaria’s and the world’s seven wonders. Perperikon has been one of the most popular tourist destinations in the country in recent years.
The Monyak stronghold is situated 11 kilometers east of Kardzhali, near the settlement of Shiroko pole. It was constructed during the 12th and 13th centuries and is one of the tallest medieval strongholds in the Rhodopes. It protects an area of more than 50 decares.
Another fascinating feature is the Rock niches, which are located near the settlement of Dazhdovnitsar, 10 kilometers northwest of Kardzhali. They date between 1,200 and 550 years BC. The Rock niches have a straight trapezoidal design, range in height from 70 to 90 meters, and are 30-50 cm wide, which also corresponds to their depth. Numerous theories exist about them. According to some, niches were used to store urns containing the ashes of poor people in ancient times, while the wealthy and elderly citizens were buried in carved rock tombs found across the Rhodope mountains. According to others, the niches used to have little doors and were filled with miniature sculptures of gods. A third group asserts that the young men loyal to the Orphic Thracian worship carved the niches in difficult-to-reach locations to demonstrate their masculinity.
The Utroba (Womb) cave is around 17 kilometers from Kardzhali. It is so named due to its form, which resembles that of a woman’s womb. Water regularly pours down the cave’s sides; an altar is carved into the cave’s southern inner end. Near the cave is a full ceremonial complex of sharapanas (rock niches for wine). It dates all the way back to the period of the Thracians. The wine was consumed during Utroba cave rites.
Throughout the year, the town of Kardzhali and its surroundings attract thousands of visitors due to its various attractions. The town and its environs are home to hotels and other types of lodging, as well as eateries. Two big dams – Studen Kladenets and Kardzhali – are situated adjacent to Kardzhali and are popular fishing locations for visitors from all over the country.
Geography of Kardzhali
Kardzhali is situated in the Rhodope Mountains’ low eastern portion, on both sides of the Arda River, between the Kardzhali and Studen Kladenets reservoirs. The town is located around 260 kilometers (162 miles) southeast of Sofia. It is located at a crossroads between Thrace and the Aegean Sea, on European Route 9 through the Makaza mountain pass.
Climate of Kardzhali
Kardzhali is situated in the Rhodope Mountains’ low eastern portion, on both sides of the Arda River, between the Kardzhali and Studen Kladenets reservoirs. The town is located around 260 kilometers (162 miles) southeast of Sofia. It is located at a crossroads between Thrace and the Aegean Sea, on European Route 9 through the Makaza mountain pass.
Culture and tourism of Kardzhali
The mosque and mausoleum of Krcali’s contemporary founder are located in the old city near the marketplace.
Perperikon, a Thracian settlement, is situated near the city on a rocky outcrop high above the valley. It’s unique due to the fact that it’s carved into the rock.
The 11th-century monastery is situated in the town’s Vesselchane Quarter. It was refurbished in 2000, with the addition of a new bell tower.
Bulgaria’s town clock is unusual in that it plays Bulgarian revolutionary anthems every hour.
The Kardzhali Museum of History has one of Southern Bulgaria’s most comprehensive displays. This comprises prehistoric artifacts and pottery from Perperikon and Tatul in Thrace, as well as Christian icons and anthropological displays. It is housed in the historic konak (Turkish town hall erected about 1870), which retains its original external architecture.
On the dam, there are several open-air restaurants serving a range of beverages and cocktails throughout the summer. It is a popular destination for water sports and fishing enthusiasts.
The town is home to two drama theaters — „Dimitar Dimov“ and „Kadrie Lyatifova“ — as well as a puppet theater, a history museum, and an art gallery.
A tiny badlands located 5 kilometers (3 miles) from Kardzhali, near the settlement of Zimzelen, has a series of white pillars that have eroded from the volcanic tuff and are known to as the „Kardzhali Pyramids.“ The names of the ensembles are based on their resemblances. One is dubbed „The Mushrooms,“ while the other is dubbed „The Stone Wedding.“
Kardzhali Point is located on Byers Peninsula, Livingston Island, South Shetland Islands, Antarctica.
The Sultans Trail is a long-distance hiking trail that travels through Kardzhali dam, the city center, and other villages.
Economy of Kardzhali
Kardzhali was once a tobacco processing hub, but all of the communist-era industrial enterprises have been closed for economic reasons. The town was previously an excellent site for the metallurgy and machine building industries due to the area’s huge quantities of lead and zinc ore. However, in 2016, the city’s defunct massive Lead and Zinc Complex came to an end when its two stacks were demolished.
Nowadays, retail and service sectors account for the lion’s share of local output. The area’s richness of cultural and natural attractions also makes it a prospective tourist destination.
In 2007, the city welcomed the opening of hypermarkets operated by the companies Technomarket, LIDL, Billa, and Technopolis, as well as the completion of the city’s new marketplace. Additionally, a Kaufland hypermarket opened in 2014. The local economy, on the other hand, has stopped.
Agriculture’s share of the labor force climbed from 41% to 47% in only seven years (the period between 2010 and 2017). Kardzhali has the second greatest proportion of agricultural workers, behind Silistra Province.
History of Kardzhali
Since the Neolithic, the region that is now Kardzhali has been inhabited. Numerous objects, including pottery and early tools, have been discovered during archaeological digs. The majority of them are presently on display in the town’s history museum.
Later Thracian tribes established themselves in the region and formed a highly complex civilisation. They constructed several shrines devoted to the sun and earth gods. In 2001, an artificial cave was discovered near the town of Nenkovo (northwest of Kardzhali). It is dubbed the Utroba Cave because it resembles a woman’s womb. At precisely noon, when the sun is at its greatest point in the sky, a beam of light enters the cave via a stone slit that creates a falitic gloom. This is the notion of the new sun deity, according to Thracian beliefs. Due to the fact that the beam of light enters the cave on a single day of the year (in comparison to Stonehenge in the United Kingdom), this cave is regarded a complicated astronomical facility (in comparison to Stonehenge in the United Kingdom).
The Thracians erected several stone castles and palaces in the area — Perperek, Ustra, and Vishegrad. The most impressive is Perperikon, which was formerly home of a Thracian king. The location has grown in popularity in recent years as a result of the abundance of items discovered during recent archaeological excavations.
Kardzhali was the capital of a Christian eparchy — Achridos — during the Byzantine era.
[reference required] Kardzhali was known as Zherkovo during the time of the Bulgarian Empire, a name that the Bulgarians retained until the 17th century. Built during the sixth and eighth centuries, the Monastery of John the Precursor is currently a monument of medieval architecture.
Several more monasteries were constructed during this period, with some lasting until the early nineteenth century. During the Middle Ages, the region was strategically important for the Bulgarian Empire, and the ruins of various medieval fortresses dispersed over the surrounding hills may still be seen.
The town evolved significantly as a result of its location on trade routes during the Ottoman Empire. It remained, nevertheless, a little town. During the 18th century, Turkish brigands exploited this distant hamlet as a hideout and supply center, and the town was eventually dubbed Krca Ali in honor of their commander. Pazvantolu Osman Pasha, who dominated the majority of northeastern Bulgarian regions and the Danube estuary until 1807, headed the best-known of these troops.
Kardzhali and its environs were part of the autonomous province of Eastern Rumelia in 1878, but were handed back to the Ottoman Empire in 1885 as a township of Gümülcine sanjak in Edirne vilayet after the reunification of the Principality of Bulgaria and Eastern Rumelia. Ottoman sovereignty ended after the First Balkan War, when Bulgarian General Vasil Delov freed the town and surrounding territory on 21 October 1912. Since 1937, the day has been marked with concerts and commemorative activities as a city holiday. Kardzhali was designated the provincial capital of Kardzhali Province in 1949, when it was formed from the southernmost section of Stara Zagora Province.
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