Certain places in Bulgaria are purely mesmerizing. Nature itself creates wonders that no human being can recreate. If you have visited such locations, you know what it feels like. You simply sit there, inhale the fresh air, and take in the scenery that charges your body with energy.
We are going to explore 10 magical nature wonders in the heart of Bulgaria. Are you joining us? Keep reading.
Stob Pyramids: The lips that turned an entire village to stone
Although they are not as big and massive as the ones in Egypt, the Rila mountain also has its own pyramids. They are located right over Stob village in southwestern Bulgaria, close to Blagoevgrad, and are 7-10 meters tall. What is interesting here are the legends that surround them. Here is one of the most famous tales in the region:
Many years ago, there was a big valley. Whenever there was a wedding, the whole village would gather there to dance, feast, and celebrate. There were two lovers in the village, but the girl’s mother disapproved of her daughter marrying her lover. Despite everything, the youngsters decided to marry and spend their lives together.
When the mother found out, she was furious. She hurried to the valley, big cross in her hand, and cursed her daughter. She kept repeating the words: ‘Whenever her lips touch his, all of the guests shall turn into stone’.
The wedding day inevitably came. All of the guests were full of joy, celebrating, laughing, dancing. Only the mother stayed home and prayed her curse reached her daughter. When the celebration reached the valley, the time came for the newlyweds to kiss. At that instant, all guests, along with the bride and groom, turned into stone. Since that day, the wonderful pyramids stand there, reminding everyone of the tale of two tragic lovers.
Wonderful bridges: A Barbaric ritual in the heart of the Rhodopes
Situated on the valley of Erkryupria river in the western Rhodopes and in the skirt of Big Persenk peak. They were formed due to the erosion, caused by a river that used to flow there. It was so strong it turned the cracks in the stone into a cave. It is believed that the water flow was so strong that it took with it parts of the cave, leaving only this bridge-like stone figure.
Not only a beautiful phenomenon, but there is also a Barbaric ritual that has occurred after the bridges became a natural landmark. Every tourist that goes underneath the bridge would have to write their names with coal on the walls. Although it is forbidden and the fines range from 500 to 5,000 lev, tourists still do it.
Zlatolist village: The fortune-teller who traveled through dimensions
32 kilometers southeast of Sandanski, this village carries a magical and charging energy. You can instantly feel it from the moment you take on the asphalt path. The main reason people go there is to visit the ‘St. George’s temple. It was built in 1857, and at the turn of the twentieth century, it used to be the home of the healer and fortune-teller Prepodobna Stoyna – the predecessor of Vanga. Throughout her whole life, people would visit Stoyna for help, healing, and to confess their doings. People would also leave gifts and enter Stoyna’s room with calmness, praying in solitude.
Many interesting stories are told about the priestess. She would lay down for days, and her spirit would leave her body, only to return, telling stories of different worlds. But to get a taste of this heavenly energy, you have to visit the village and the temple. When you leave, make sure to take a sip from the healing water from the well and keep the magic in your heart.
Devil’s bridge: The Devil’s Building
Legends say that if you look at the bridge between 11 and 12 at noon when the bridge draws a full circle in the water, you can see the Devil’s face.
Numerous tales surround this mystical place. It is located on the river Arda in Kardzhali municipality. The bridge was built at the beginning of the XVI century by the orders of Sultan Selim I. Not much is known about it, but the fact that it was built by the craftsman Dimitar from the nearby village Nedelino.
The tale around the construction of the bridge states that the builder wanted to build this bridge, despite the whole village telling him he could not do it. Unfortunately, shortly after finishing the construction, the craftsman died. The legend tells that the craftsman made a deal with the Devil to build the bridge within 40 days – if he didn’t, Satan would take his soul. The builder did, but the Devil kept his promise and took with him both the craftsman’s soul and the secret of how this beautiful architectural creation came to life.
Krastova Gora (Cross forest): The Christ cross is in the soil
Situated in the Central Rhodopes, Krastova Gora is another highly energetic place. The first thing you see at the entrance of the magical place is a big arch. Once you go through, you feel a sudden relief, as if all of your worries go away and you are left with peace and calmness. It might sound odd when you first hear it, but believe us – once you go, you will know.
The main reason for the place’s high energetic charge is because it is believed that a piece of the Cross where Christ was crucified was buried in the soil. The tale also talks about Yordancho, a man from a nearby village who spent his life as a missionary and used to get visions about future events. One of them explains the history of the place.
Once upon a time, there was a monastery that was used to keep the peace of Christ’s Cross. When the Russian king found out about it, he sent numerous gifts and money to the sultan that used to reign, stating that he wanted the cross. When the sultan saw the gifts, he instantly gave them to the Russian soldiers. However, the sultan’s mother immediately told his son to bring back the cross – it was the reason he was still in power. Once the Russian soldiers found out they were being followed, they hid the cross at the monastery on top of Krastov peak.
The monks managed to hide the piece of the Cross when the sultan army busted into the temple and destroyed it. The vision told Yordancho that a metal cross should be put at the place where the original cross was buried, thus naming the place Krastova Gora.
Begliktash: The Sun Deities and ‘The Path of trials’
The Bulgarian Stonehenge, Begliktash is a stone ‘city’ on the Black sea shore – just 5 km away from Primorsko. It is thought to have originated XIV B.C. and to have been a sacred place from the Thracian tribes – this is where the Thracians used to pay their tribute to the Sun God and the Mother Goddess. They would gather around two ‘beds’ of stone and pour wine, olive oil, water, and milk into the gutters on both sides, sending the ritual liquids to the Gods. The liquids would connect in the end, symbolizing the creation of the Cosmos, with the water symbolizing water elements, the wine symbolizing fire, the milk being the air, and the olive oil – the earth.
What is also interesting about the place is the energy it carries. People believe that the energy of the ancient rituals still haunts the place and has the power to make your wishes come true. It is also said that only a person with a pure soul can make their way through the stone labyrinth – ‘the path of trials’ – and reach the end, freeing themselves from any negative thoughts and energies.
Another legend states that these precise corridors pave the way to Hades kingdom of shadows, and there is a great treasure buried underneath. However, if you want to go there to feel purified, put on some white clothes, go up before sunrise on a summer day (when the energies are highest), and make a wish. It might come true.
Belintash: The sacrifice for the treasure of the stone
Not to be confused with Begliktash, Belintash is a stone plateau in the Rhodope mountain, dating back to V B.C. It is believed that it originated after a volcano on a nearby peak erupted. When you visit the place, you will feel an instant burst of energy and the signs of intentional human work – to this day still a mystery. The energy is so strong that compasses go crazy, and the snow instantly melts.
One of the many legends surrounding the place states that this is where Noah’s Ark would pier, with the holes in stone still to be seen. Another legend states that the stone has been a landing place for extraterrestrial beings and that the strange symbols on the ground represent a coordinate system of distant stars in the solar system.
A legend that the locals usually tell is that Alexander of Macedon buried a golden treasure underneath the stone. According to Vanga, the treasure will be discovered when the stone takes eight human lives. So far, only five people have died there.
Regardless of legends, you must visit the place and feel its immense energy. Take a stroll near the Tree of wishes on the way to Belintash. Sit on the stone for a second, absorb its energy, and look at the stars. People have said that they feel as if they are floating in space when they look up at the sky at night.
Karadzhov Kamak (Karadzhov Stone): The legend of the mighty voyvoda
Situated in the western Rhodopes and part of the energetic trinity with Belintash and Krastova Gora, Karadzhov Kamak is another highly energetic and interesting place. Although not as high in energy as Belintash, it still has great historic importance. What you see is a huge stone, neatly sitting on the corners of two rocks, high above the ground. When you look around, you can easily see both landmarks that we mentioned.
Again, as with many Bulgarian natural landmarks, numerous legends surround the place. One of the widely spread ones is about Karadzha voyvoda from the nearby village Yavrovo. He used to guard the village from the Turkish armies. After a brutal killing of a young couple, Karadzha voyvoda got so furious he killed 25 Turks, leaving only one alive and taking him to the main Turk in charge of the region, stating that the Bulgarians from the village will not take this brutality anymore. The Turk got so mad he ordered to have the voyvoda killed right at the place where currently Karadzhov Kamak is situated.
Another legend describes how the voyvoda buried a cursed treasure near the stone that is thought to bring bad fortune to anyone who finds it. So, be careful if you stumble upon something shiny on your way there.
Rupite: The Almighty Baba Vanga
We are about to tell you about one of the most magical places in Bulgaria. Some of the mightiest Bulgarians used to live in Rupite. Baba Vanga is one of them. You may have heard of her, but she deserves a whole story on her own, where we tell you all about her magical fortune-telling abilities. But for now, we’ll focus on the place where she used to live – Rupite.
Situated near Blagoevgrad, Rupite is its own little region, named that way because it used to remind people of a thick winter coat. It is part of the crater of a volcano that had erupted around a million years ago and is the place where the “Vanga” complex is situated. The complex itself includes Vanga’s house, a church ‘St. Petka Bulgarian’. Walking up to the little church, you will see a 2-meter-tall bronze statue of Vanga herself with one hand stretched outward and her head looking up to the sky for guidance.
Born in Macedonia in 1911, Vangelia Gushterova was to become one of the most powerful people in this land. When she was only 15 years old, she lost her sight during a terrible storm, when the blizzard swept her up from the ground and threw her away by the wind, only to be discovered days later, buried under the stone. In the 1940s she obtained the gift of fortune-telling and became the connection between the living and the afterlife, the Cosmos and the common man.
For the next 55 years, she helped people to fight diseases and provided guidance in hard times. People would queue in front of her door and when she spoke, her voice would change – as if a man was speaking, as she looked up at the sky. She is thought to have foreseen many historical events, although there are still fortunes (perhaps) yet to come true.
Vanga initially chose this place to build her house in the 1970s, because she used that place as an “accumulator” of energy and believed that the place carries enormous energy. She also believed that people should walk barefoot and bathe in the water for health. The energy that surrounds this place is inexplicable, although one could think of it as calm and reassuring. However, you have to feel it, to understand it.
Tatul: The Thracian demigod king and his musical horses
Last, but not least, we’ll explore yet another interesting sacred place in the Eastern Rhodopes. It originates from VI B.C. and is thought to have been a sacred Thracian place, where the tribe used to pay tribute to the God of music – Orpheus, and as a cult to the Sun God.
There are a few legends that surround the place, most of them centered around Thracian gods and tzars. One of the legends states that a Thracian tzar is buried in the stone 3500 years ago and since then used to act as a sacred place for the tribes. Some of the beings that are thought to be connected to the place are the mythical Tzar Rezos and Orpheus. People believe that Orpheus’s body is buried in this place by his mother.
Another legend talks about Tzar Rezos, who was a son to the muse Evterpa and the river God Strymon. Tales used to go around about him and how he would ride musical horses, “fast as the wind and white as snow”. It is believed that those horses had the powers to beat any Troyan. And after his death, he would continue his life as a half-god and half-person, hidden into the caves, where animals would willingly offer themselves as a sacrifice.
These are only 10 of the many interesting and mythical places in Bulgaria. The history of the land is so vast and old that tales about every corner of the country are hidden in the stone, water, and forests. You only have to look for them. But until then, you can go visit some of these 10 interesting places, immerse yourselves in their energy and admire the beauty of nature.
