Smolyan

The town of Smolyan is the most important location in the Central Rhodopes, lying in a scenic valley about 1000 m above sea level. The town boasts a fascinating combination of old and new architecture. The experts say that the best of the typical folk houses, from the time of Bulgarian national revival in the 19th century, are to be found in the Rhodopes. An excellent example is Pangalova's house (built in 1860). Other notable buildings include the palace of Ali Bey in Raikovo quarter, whose oldest part was constructed in 1780, and the old houses in the neighborhood of Cheshitev. The construction of the new town center was completed in 1983. Buildings, like the Planetarium, Post Office, Municipality, and the Rhodopean Dramatic Theatre make up the core of the town. The famous Smolyan lakes, "the emerald eyes of the Rhodopes", line up in the close proximity of Smolyan. Once there were about twenty but only seven of them still remain now. The highest lake, called "The Muddy Lake", is the deepest and the most beautiful. On a small plateau, near the two lakes, there is the chapel of the Holy Spirit, which is still in use. Forests cover a big part of the territory. The highest mountain peak is Perelik- 2191 m.There are numerous natural and tourist sight-seeing sites in the region: the wonderful landscape around the Dospat dam lake - the second largest in Bulgaria, providing excellent opportunities for developing of water sports and fishing; the unique natural phenomena - the Trigrad canyon, the Devil's gorge, the caves Yagodina and Uhlovitsa, the Kastrakli reserve, the sites Lisitchevo, Moursalitsa, Chairite, the rock formation "The Elephant", the mineral waters of Devin, the architectural reserves in Shiroka Lucka and Raykovo, the feudal residence Agushevi konatsi in the village of Mogilitsa, the beautiful Smolyan lakes, the architectural monuments of Zlatograd, the historical sites "St.Nedelya" and "St.Atanasiy" and the cave Roupite; the national observatory "Rojzen", Smolyan planetarium. The region is fully suitable for skiing tourism - favorable natural specifics - climate combined with various mountain relief and preserved ethnographical peculiarities and traditions. The main attractive center for foreign tourists in the region is Pamporovo. The region of Smolyan has a wide range of natural and anthropogenic recreation resources and is therefore the most prominent tourist area in the West Rhodope Region. Ecological tourism in the region is also well developed - protected natural sites, spacious woodlands, clear rivers and water basins, mineral springs are situated on the territory of the region, characterized by wide variety in relief and landscapes.