| Rhodopes | |
| Bulgarian: Родопи - Greek: Ροδόπη | |
| Range | |
 The Vacha Dam. Bulgarian (български език IPA: ɛzˈik is an Indo-European language, a member of the Slavic linguistic group Greek (el ελληνική γλώσσα or simply el ελληνικά — "Hellenic" is an Indo-European language, spoken today by 15-22 million people mainly Vacha ( Antonivanovtsi Dam, renamed by edict from 1999 is a Dam situated in south Bulgaria, Devin municipality, 680 m above sea level
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| Countries | Bulgaria (83 %), Greece (17 %) |
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| Highest point | Golyam Perelik |
| - elevation | 2,191 m (7,188 ft) |
| - coordinates | |
| Length | 240 km (149 mi), west-east |
| Width | 100 km (62 mi), north-south |
| Area | 14,735 km² (5,689 sq mi) |
| Geology | granite, gneiss, marble, quartz |
The Rhodopes (Bulgarian: Родопи, Rodopi, usually used with a definite article: Родопите, Rodopite, sometimes also called Родопа, Rodopa or Родопа планина, Rodopa planina; Greek: Ροδόπη, Rodopi, "red aspect") are a mountain range in Southeastern Europe, with over 83% of its area in southern Bulgaria and the remainder in Greece. Golyam Perelik (Голям Перелик is the highest peak in the Rhodope Mountains. The metre or meter is a unit of Length. It is the basic unit of Length in the Metric system and in the International A foot (plural feet or foot; symbol or abbreviation ft or sometimes &prime – the prime symbol) is a non-SI unit The kilometre ( American spelling: kilometer) symbol km is a unit of Length in the Metric system, equal to one thousand A mile is a unit of Length, usually used to measure Distance, in a number of different systems including Imperial units United States The kilometre ( American spelling: kilometer) symbol km is a unit of Length in the Metric system, equal to one thousand A mile is a unit of Length, usually used to measure Distance, in a number of different systems including Imperial units United States Square Kilometre ( US spelling square kilometer) symbol km2, is a decimal multiple of the SI unit of The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. Bulgarian (български език IPA: ɛzˈik is an Indo-European language, a member of the Slavic linguistic group Greek (el ελληνική γλώσσα or simply el ελληνικά — "Hellenic" is an Indo-European language, spoken today by 15-22 million people mainly The state of Bulgaria (България transliterated bg-Latn ''Balgaria'' The country preserves the traditions (in ethnic name language and alphabet of the First Bulgarian Greece (Ελλάδα transliterated: Elláda, historically, Ellás,) officially the Hellenic Republic (Ελληνική Δημοκρατία Its highest peak, Golyam Perelik (2,191 m), is the seventh highest Bulgarian mountain. Golyam Perelik (Голям Перелик is the highest peak in the Rhodope Mountains. The region is particularly notable for the Karst areas with their deep river gorges, large caves and specific sculptured forms, such as the Trigrad Gorge. Karst topography is a landscape shaped by the dissolution of a layer or layers of soluble Bedrock, usually Carbonate rock such as Limestone The Trigrad Gorge ( Bulgarian: Триградско ждрело ʒdre'lo is a canyon of vertical Marble rocks in the Rhodope Mountains of Bulgaria
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Geography
The Rhodopes are spread over 14,735 km², of which 12,233 km² are on Bulgarian territory. The mountains are about 240 km long and about 100-120 km wide, with an average altitude of 785 m. 15 reserves have been established in the region, some of which under UNESCO protection. United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization ( UNESCO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations established on November 16 The mountains are famous for the largest coniferous woods in the Balkans, their mild relief and the lush vegetation in the western parts as well as the abundance of birds of prey in the eastern areas. Birds of prey are Birds that hunt for food primarily on the wing using their keen senses especially vision
Climate
The location of the Rhodopes in the southeastern part of the Balkan Peninsula determines the climate in the region to a great extent. It is influenced both by the colder air coming from the north and by the warmer breeze from the Mediterranean.
The average annual temperature in the Eastern Rhodopes is 12–13°C, the maximum value of precipitation is in December, the minimum is in August. In the Western Rhodopes, the temperature varies with 5° to 9°C and the summer rainfalls prevail.
The mild climate, combined with some other factors, works in favour of the development of recreation and tourist activities. The Pamporovo resort, where the microclimate permits a heavy snow cover to be preserved for a long time, is an excellent example.
Temperatures of −15°C are common in the winter, and due to this the Rhodopes are the southernmost place in the Balkans where tree species such as the Norway Spruce and the Silver Birch can be observed. Norway Spruce ( Picea abies) is a species of Spruce native to Europe.
Waters
The mountains have abundant water reserves. There is a dense network of mountain springs and rivers. The natural lakes are few, the most famous of these are the Smolyan lakes situated at several kilometers from the town of the same name. Some of the largest dams in the country are located in the Rhodopes including the Dospat Dam, Batak Dam, Golyam Beglik, Kardzhali Dam, Studen Kladenets, Vacha Dam, Shiroka Polyana and many others. Dospat Dam (язовир Доспат is situated in the western part of the Rhodope Mountains, Bulgaria. The Batak Dam (язовир Батак is located in the Rhodope Mountains and is the third largest in Bulgaria. Golyam Beglik is a dam near the central parts of the Rhodope Mountains, Bulgaria. The Kardzhali Dam is located near Kardzhali town in Kardzhali Province, Bulgaria Studen Kladenets ( bulgarian:Студен кладенец is a Dam on the Arda River located east-southeast of the town of Kardzhali in southern Vacha ( Antonivanovtsi Dam, renamed by edict from 1999 is a Dam situated in south Bulgaria, Devin municipality, 680 m above sea level Shiroka Polyana is a dam situated in the Western Rhodopes mountains in Bulgaria. They are used mainly for hydro power generation and for irrigation. There are many mineral water springs, the most famous being in Velingrad, Narechen, Devin, Beden, Mihalkovo and others. Velingrad (Велинград is a town in Bulgaria and one of the most popular Bulgarian balneological resorts Narechen (Наречен is a village in the Plovdiv Province, central Bulgaria. Devin (Девин) is a town in Smolyan Province in the far south of Bulgaria.
Subdivision
Western Rhodopes
The Western Rhodopes are the larger (66% of the area of the Rhodopes in Bulgaria), higher, most infrastructurally developed and most visited part of the mountains. The highest and best known peaks are located in the region (more than 10 are over 2,000 m) including the highest one, Golyam Perelik (2,191 m). Among the other popular peaks are Shirokolashki Snezhnik (2,188 m), Golyam Persenk (2,091 m), Batashki Snezhnik (2,082 m), Turla (1,800 m).
Some of the deepest river gorges in the Rhodopes are located in the western parts, as well as the rock phenomenon Wonderful Bridges. Significant bodies of water include the Chaira lakes and the dams Dospat, Batak, Shiroka Polyana, Golyam Beglik and Toshkov Chark. Dospat Dam (язовир Доспат is situated in the western part of the Rhodope Mountains, Bulgaria. The Batak Dam (язовир Батак is located in the Rhodope Mountains and is the third largest in Bulgaria. Shiroka Polyana is a dam situated in the Western Rhodopes mountains in Bulgaria. Golyam Beglik is a dam near the central parts of the Rhodope Mountains, Bulgaria.
The town of Batak is also located in this part of the mountains, as well as the popular tourist centres Smolyan, Velingrad, Devin, Chepelare, the winter resort Pamporovo, the Eastern Orthodox Bachkovo Monastery, the ruins of the Asen dynasty's fortress, the caves Dyavolskoto Garlo, Yagodinska, Vievo and many others. The Mesta (Места or Nestos (Νέστος is a river in Bulgaria and Greece. The Trigrad Gorge ( Bulgarian: Триградско ждрело ʒdre'lo is a canyon of vertical Marble rocks in the Rhodope Mountains of Bulgaria Batak (Батак is a town in Southern Bulgaria. It is located in Pazardzhik Province and is close to the town of Peshtera. Smolyan (Смолян is a town and ski resort in the very south of Bulgaria, the administrative center of Smolyan Province. Velingrad (Велинград is a town in Bulgaria and one of the most popular Bulgarian balneological resorts Devin (Девин) is a town in Smolyan Province in the far south of Bulgaria. Chepelare (Чепеларе is a town and ski resort in Smolyan Province in Southern Bulgaria. Pamporovo (Пампорово is a popular ski resort in Smolyan Province, southern Bulgaria, one of the best-known in Southeastern Europe. The Eastern Orthodox Church is the second largest single Christian Communion in the world The Bachkovo Monastery (Бачковски манастир Bachkovski manastir, პეტრიწონის მონასტერი Petritsonis Monasteri The Asen dynasty (Асеневци Asenevtsi) were a dynasty of rulers of a medieval state called in modern histography the Second Bulgarian Empire, between 1187 Vievo is a Pomak village in the Rhodope Mountains in the Smolyan Province of Bulgaria. The highest village in Bulgaria, Manastir (over 1,500 m), is crouched in the northern foot of Prespa Peak. A number of architectural reserves, such as Shiroka Laka, Kovachevitsa, Momchilovtsi, Kosovo, are also located in the area. Kosovo is a village in Plovdiv Province, Bulgaria, located at.
Eastern Rhodopes
The Eastern Rhodopes are spread over a territory of about 34% of the mountains' area in Bulgaria, constituting a much lower part.
The large artificial dams Kardzhali and Studen Kladenets are located in this part of the mountains. The Kardzhali Dam is located near Kardzhali town in Kardzhali Province, Bulgaria Studen Kladenets ( bulgarian:Студен кладенец is a Dam on the Arda River located east-southeast of the town of Kardzhali in southern The region is rich in thermal mineral springs. The waters around Dzhebel have national reputation for healing various diseases. Dzhebel (Джебел Cebel is a town in Kardzhali Province, southern Bulgaria. Belite Brezi is an important healing centre for respiratory and other ailments.
Major cities in the area are Haskovo and Kardzhali, as well as the smaller Momchilgrad, Krumovgrad, Zlatograd and Kirkovo. Haskovo (Хасково is the name of a town and administrative centre of the province of the same name in southern Bulgaria, not far from the borders with Kardzhali or Kurdzhali (Кърджали Kırcaali is a town in Bulgaria, capital of Kardzhali Province in the Eastern Rhodopes. Momchilgrad (Момчилград "the town of Momchil " Mestanlı is a town in the very south of Bulgaria, part of Kardzhali Province Krumovgrad (Крумовград Koşukavak is a town in Kardzhali Province in the very south of Bulgaria, located in the Eastern Rhodopes on the banks Zlatograd (Златоград literally Gold town) is a town in Bulgaria, 60 km from Smolyan. Kirkovo (Кирково is a village in Kardzhali Province, southern Bulgaria, near the Greek border The Eastern Rhodopes, being significantly lower, are also more populated than the western part.
Almost every species of the European birds of prey nestle in rocks and forests of the Eastern Rhodopes including the extremely rare Black vulture, Egyptian vulture and others. Birds of prey are Birds that hunt for food primarily on the wing using their keen senses especially vision The Egyptian Vulture ( Neophron percnopterus) is a small Old World vulture, found from southwestern Europe and northern Africa
Southern Rhodopes
The Southern Rhodopes are the part of the mountain range that is located in Greece. The Rhodope Prefecture in the northern part of the country is named after the region. Rhodope (Ροδόπη Rodópi,) is one of the Prefectures of Greece.
History
The Rhodopes are inhabited from the Prehistoric age. Stone Age Paleolithic See also Paleolithic, Recent African Origin, Early Homo sapiens, Early human migrations "Paleolithic" There are many archaeological finds of ancient tools in some of the caves. Archaeology, archeology, or archæology (from Greek grc ἀρχαιολογία archaiologia – grc ἀρχαῖος archaīos
The first known people that inhabited the mountain are the Thracians. "Thracians" also refers to modern inhabitants of Thrace, regardless of ethnicity They built many temples, cities and fortresses. The most famous town in the area is the sacred city of Perperikon located at a few kilometers of Kardzhali. The ancient Thracian city of Perperikon (also Perpericon) is located in the Eastern Rhodopes, 15 km northeast of the present-day town of One of the most important Thracian temples was Tatul near the village of the same name. Tatul (Татул the local name for Datura stramonium) is a village in Momchilgrad municipality Kardzhali Province located in the
During the Middle Ages the mountain was part of the Bulgarian and Byzantine Empires and often changed hand between the two countries. Ustra (Устра is a castle in the eastern Rhodope mountains southern Bulgaria. Bulgarian Empire (Българско царство Balgarsko tsarstvo ˈʦar There was a dense network of castles which guarded the trade routes and the strategic heights. The largest and most important castles include Lyutitsa, Ustra, Tsepina, Mezek, Asenova krepost and many others. Lyutitsa (Лютица is one of the largest and best preserved castles in the easternmost part of the Eastern Rhodopes, located several kilometres from Ivaylovgrad Ustra (Устра is a castle in the eastern Rhodope mountains southern Bulgaria. Tsepina (Цепина was a castle and town in the western Rhodope mountains southern Bulgaria, now in ruins Asenova krepost (Асенова крепост " Asen 's Fortress" is a medieval fortress in the Bulgarian Rhodope Mountains, 2-3 km Between 1371 and 1375 the Rhodopes fell under Ottoman occupation in the course of the Bulgarian-Ottoman Wars. The Ottoman Empire (1299–1923 ( Old Ottoman Turkish: دولتْ علیّه عثمانیّه Devlet-i Âliye-yi Osmâniyye, Late Ottoman and Modern Turkish The local population resisted stiffly against the superior Muslim hordes and many towns were seized after months of siege and after negotiations. [1]
During the 16th and 17th centuries the Ottoman authorities began a process of forcible Islamisation of the region to compensate for the losses against the Christian powers in the Mediterranean. A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth As a result many Bulgarian adopted the Islam and those who refused were killed. A large number of churches and monasteries were completely destroyed and reduced to ruins. The towns and the villages in the Western Rhodopes took active part in the April Uprising in 1876. The April Uprising (Априлско въстание Aprilsko vastanie) was an insurrection organised by the Bulgarians in the Ottoman Empire from April When the uprising was crushed the Ottomans slaughtered around 5,000 people in Batak alone. Batak massacre refers to the massacre of Bulgarians in Batak by Ottoman troops in 1876 at the beginning of the April Uprising. [2][3] Thousands more perished in Bratsigovo, Perushtitsa and other rebel villages which are also burnt and looted.
The northern Rhodopes were liberated in 1878 but remained in the autonomous state Eastern Rumelia until its unification with the Principality of Bulgaria. Eastern Rumelia or Eastern Roumelia (Източна Румелия Iztochna Rumeliya; Ottoman Turkish: Rumeli-i Şarkî; Modern Turkish The Principality of Bulgaria (Княжество България was a state created as a vassal of the Ottoman Empire by the Treaty of Berlin in 1878 The other part of the Rhodopes was liberated as a result of the First Balkan War (1912-1913) but after the Second Balkan War (1913) and the First World War (1914-1918) the southern slopes of the mountain was occupied by Greece and the Bulgarian population of the annexed areas was forced to flee to Bulgaria and those who remained were called by the Greek government "Slavophonic Greeks" after intense Hellenization. The First Balkan War, which lasted from October 1912 to May 1913 pitted the Balkan League ( Serbia, Montenegro, Greece, and Bulgaria The Second Balkan War was fought in 1913 between Bulgaria on one side and its First Balkan War allies Serbia, Greece, and Montenegro World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All Hellenization (or Hellenisation) is a term used to describe the spread of Greek culture.
Mythology
The Rhodopes are widely considered to be the mythological birthplace of legendary singer and lyre player Orpheus and his wife Eurydice. The lyre is a stringed musical instrument well known for its use in Classical Antiquity and later Orpheus ( Greek: Ὀρφεύς ˈɔrfiəs ( OHR-fee-uhs) or /ˈɔrfjuːs/ ( OHR'-fews) in English is a figure from Greek mythology born in In Greek mythology, Eurydice ( Eurydíkê, Εὐρυδίκη was an oak nymph or a sweet maiden Additionally, there are archeological sites throughout the region related to the cult of Dionysus, such as the ancient Thracian city of Perperikon. In Classical mythology, Dionysus or Dionysos (in Greek, Διόνυσος or Διώνυσος; associated with Roman The ancient Thracian city of Perperikon (also Perpericon) is located in the Eastern Rhodopes, 15 km northeast of the present-day town of In Greek mythology, Queen Rhodope of Thrace, the wife of King Haemus, was changed into the Rhodope Mountains by Zeus and Hera as a punishment. Greek mythology is the body of stories belonging to the ancient Greeks concerning their gods and Heroes the nature of the world and the origins and significance In Greek mythology, Queen Rhodope of Thrace was the wife of Haemus. Thrace (Тракия Trakiya or "Trakija" or Trakia, Θράκη Thráki, Trakya is a historical and geographic area in southeast Europe In Greek mythology, King Haemus (Αἷμος Haîmos) of Thrace was the son of Boreas. Zeus (zjuːs in Greek: nominative: Zeús /zdeús/ genitive: Diós; Modern Greek /'zefs/ in Greek mythology In the Olympian pantheon of classical Greek Mythology, Hera (ˈhɪərə or /ˈhɛrə/ Greek) or Here ( in Ionic and Homer
People
The sparsely populated area of the Rhodopes has been a place of ethnic and religious diversity for hundreds of years. Madan (Мадан is a town with a population of 6914 situated in the very south of Bulgaria in the Yellow Share of the Rhodope Mountains, in Smolyan Apart from the Eastern Orthodox Bulgarians and Greeks, the mountains are also home to a number of Muslim communities, including the Muslim Bulgarians, locally called Pomaks, that predominate in the western parts and a large concentration of Bulgarian Turks, particularly in the Eastern Rhodopes. The Bulgarians (българи balgari) are a South Slavic people generally associated with the Republic of Bulgaria and the Bulgarian language The Greeks ( Greek: Έλληνες) are a Nation and Ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighbouring regions For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. 2001 Distribution of Turks in Bulgaria by Districtjpg|thumb|100px|Distribution of Turks in Bulgaria by District in 2001]] Turks in Bulgaria The mountains are also one of the regions associated with the Karakachans, an Eastern Orthodox nomadic people of uncertain origin that traditionally roamed between Northern Thrace and the Aegean coast. The Sarakatsani (Σαρακατσάνοι are a group of Greek transhumant shepherds in Greece. The Upper Thracian Plain (Горнотракийска низина Gornotrakiyska nizina) constitutes the northern part of the historical region of Thrace. Etymology In ancient times there were various explanations for the name Aegean.
Economy
Services, tourism, industry and agriculture dominate the economy of the Rhodopes region.
Livestock breeding, forestry and tobacco are the most important agricultural activities. Due to the large Muslim population the number of pigs is relatively low but there are many sheep which are traditional for the Rhodopes. Tobacco is grown in the Eastern Rhodopes and forms a large part of the total national production.
The industrial sector is well-developed. One of the largest industries in the area is mining. There are around 80 mines for lead and zinc whose reserves are among the largest in Europe. Characteristics Lead has a dull luster and is a dense, Ductile, very soft highly Zinc (ˈzɪŋk from Zink is a Metallic Chemical element with the symbol Zn and Atomic number 30 They are situated mainly in central parts of the mountain and along the border with Greece as well as the to the east. Kardzhali Province is rich in non-metalliferrous minerals and gold. Kardzhali (Кърджалийска област Kırcaali İli is a Province of southern Bulgaria, neighbouring Greece with the Greek prefectures Gold (ˈɡoʊld is a Chemical element with the symbol Au (from its Latin name aurum) and Atomic number 79 There are also small reserves of chromite and iron ore as well as significant impurities of rare metals in the lead and zinc ores. Chromite is iron magnesium chromium oxide (Fe MgCr2O4 It is an Oxide Mineral belonging to the Spinel group Iron (ˈаɪɚn is a Chemical element with the symbol Fe (ferrum and Atomic number 26 There are several flotation factories which enrich the ores before it is sent to the large lead and zinc refineries in Kardzhali and Plovdiv. Kardzhali or Kurdzhali (Кърджали Kırcaali is a town in Bulgaria, capital of Kardzhali Province in the Eastern Rhodopes. Machinery is developed in Smolyan, Kardzhali, Devin, Bratsigovo, Ivailovgrad and others; there is a pharmaceutical plant in Pestera. Some of the centers of textile industry include Zlatograd, Smolyan, Madan, Laki. A textile is a flexible material comprised of a network of natural or artificial Fibres often referred to as thread or Yarn. Timber industry is developed mainly in the western parts where there are some of the most important forest massifs in the Balkan Peninsula. The Phodopes are one of the main hydro-power generation regions of the country with a number of major HPPs such as "Batak", "Peshtera", "Aleko", "Studen Kladenets", "Kardzhali", "Vacha" and others.
Nowadays tourism is an important industry with even growing significance. Tourism is Travel for Recreational or Leisure purposes The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people who "travel Pamporovo and Chepelare are famous winter resorts and during summer there are a number of resorts, camp sites and refuges on the shores of the dams or in the green valleys. The caves along the Greek border such as Yagodinska Cave, Uhlovitsa, Devil's Throat Cave, Snezhanka (near Peshtera) and others are popular among speleologists with their spectacular forms and underground lakes and rivers. This article is about the Bulgarian cave For other uses see Snezhanka (disambiguation. The ruins of castles, Thracian sites such as Perperikon and Tatul, the villages in National Revival style and the monasteries are also visited by many Bulgarian and foreign tourists. The ancient Thracian city of Perperikon (also Perpericon) is located in the Eastern Rhodopes, 15 km northeast of the present-day town of
References
- Asdracha, Catherine, La région des Rhodopes aux XIIIe et XIVe siècles: étude de géographie historique, Athen: Verlag der Byzantinisch-Neugriechischen Jahrbücher, 1976, Pp. 294.
External links
- Panorama photos of Rhodope: Yagodina, Trigrad view, Trigrad river, Vodni pad.
- Rhodope Mountains – the home of Orpheus
- The ancient city of Perperikon
- Pictures of the Rhodopes at Astraka.net
- Pictures of the Rhodopes at Imagesfrombulgaria.com
Footnotes
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