Melnik

Melnik attracts lots of Bulgarian and foreign tourists with its pyramids shining, golden-yellow, whimsical, shaped on the background of magnificent Pirin mountain. 380 m over the sea level, Melnik is rich in cultural monuments - pledge and tombstones, architectural details, coins, etc. Melnik is an old wine center. Melnik wine was highly appreciated at the market of Thessalonica. The town has been popular as a wine-growing region since 1346. The town is an architectural preserve. Cultural monuments are 96 buildings. The houses are amphitheatrically situated throughout Melnik golden rocks thus forming tiny streets with numerous workshops and cellars having wrought gates and shutters. The climate of Melnik is favorable for medical treatment of chronic pulmonary, kidney and rheumatic disorders.During the Traction- epoch here existed a village of the Thracian tribe "mcdi" which gave the world the great leader of the Roman- slaves Spariacus. The famous Melnik vine had been brought here from Syria in ancient times. During the first half of XIII century Melnik passed through a great political, economic and cultural upsurge, when despot Slav, a descendent of Assen dynasty ruler of the Rhodopes and Pirin mountain during 1209 turned the town into a capital of an independent feudal principality. Building developed to a great extent. Most of the house-building ruins are of that time. According to archaeological investigations data, residential quarters existed not only at the hill of St. Nicholas - the main center of mediaeval Melnik, but also at its foot in the North. Much representative was the Boyars House whose ruins may be observed at Chatala height in the Eastern part of the town. The Historical Museum of Melnik is in Pashov's House, built in 1815 with eight premises. Exhibited here are pieces of ceramics found on the territory of the contemporary town as well as in the plateau of St. Nicholas Hill (Slav Fortress). In the ground floor of the Museum you will feel the temptation of the former numerous Melnik wine cellars with dug-in barrels of sparkle-flowing wine. One cannot leave behind the houses of Sandukchievs, Lambovs, Jankovs and Daskalevs. But most impressive is Kordopulovs house, built in 1758. Strong are its two-centuries-old walls. The sunny windows now reflect, just like in the time of Paissii Hilendarski, everything that happens down in the streets.