VelingradVelingrad

Velingrad is a town in Velingrad is a town in Southern Bulgaria, Southern Bulgaria, located in the Chepino located in the Chepino valley in the Western valley in the Western Rhodope Mountains. Rhodope Mountains.

The town is the The town is the administrative center administrative center of the municipality of of the municipality of Velingrad.Velingrad.

GeographyGeography

ClimateClimateThe city has The city has mountainous climate. mountainous climate. Summer is cool and Summer is cool and short and winter - soft short and winter - soft and long. Rainfall is and long. Rainfall is relatively low. In the relatively low. In the spring and early spring and early summer rainfalls are summer rainfalls are more abun-dant and more abun-dant and late summer and late summer and autumn it is dry. autumn it is dry. Snowfalls are sufficient Snowfalls are sufficient and the retention of and the retention of snow is long (150 snow is long (150 days). Snow is durable days). Snow is durable and thickand thick..

HistoryHistory

Cultural layers give rise to Cultural layers give rise to claims that Chepino region claims that Chepino region was inhabited by Thracian was inhabited by Thracian tribes in 6-5 century BC. tribes in 6-5 century BC. The most persistent are the The most persistent are the vestiges of the Bessi tribe - vestiges of the Bessi tribe - there are mounds, there are mounds, cemeteries, walls of towns cemeteries, walls of towns and fortresses. Written and fortresses. Written evidence of this era is evidence of this era is given by the ancient given by the ancient historians Herodotus and historians Herodotus and Thucydides.Thucydides.

BessiBessiBessi are priestly clan of Bessi are priestly clan of the Thracian tribes Satri, the Thracian tribes Satri, oracle guardians of oracle guardians of Dionysus, who according to Dionysus, who according to the ancient information was the ancient information was in Pangaion or "vsezemie" in Pangaion or "vsezemie" (Bulgarian Kushnitsa) and (Bulgarian Kushnitsa) and according to modern according to modern scholars a question of the scholars a question of the Rhodope mountains. There Rhodope mountains. There are other assumptions are other assumptions about the location of the about the location of the temple - the mountain temple - the mountain Falakro within the former Falakro within the former Satriyski lands.Satriyski lands.

BessiBessi

“ The Satri as far as I know - Herodotus wrote - were not subject to anyone ever and only the Thracians remain free ever since, living high in the mountains, covered with forests and snow and are all excellent warriors. They have the temple of Dionysius, it is on a high mountain peak. Among the Satri, the Bessi deal with oracle in the sanctuary; the high priestess gives predictions, just like in Delphi, there's nothing different”.

The first to mention the famous temple was Herodotus.

In the early 6th century the Chepino region was inhabited by Slavs. According to Professor Peter Petrov and Marin Drinov the dragovitchi tribe lived here. Slavs adopted most of the traditions, customs and culture of the Thracians, adding their traits to them. Later, the Bulgarians joined the Slavs. The valley was annexed to the Bulgarian state under the rule of Malamir and his successor Presian, who included the whole Rhodope region.

Coins from the time of Tsar Ivan Alexander were Coins from the time of Tsar Ivan Alexander were found in the Chepino region. It is believed that found in the Chepino region. It is believed that the fall of the Tsepina fortress and the entire the fall of the Tsepina fortress and the entire Chepino region under Turkish rule occurred in Chepino region under Turkish rule occurred in 1371-1373. After this event a number of major 1371-1373. After this event a number of major changes occurred in the lives of the local changes occurred in the lives of the local Bulgarians. The Ottoman Empire had need Bulgarians. The Ottoman Empire had need allies at the center and began to impose Islam allies at the center and began to impose Islam voluntarily or by force in the early 16th century.voluntarily or by force in the early 16th century.

The population of Chepino is not left out of the The population of Chepino is not left out of the Renaissance and the national liberation struggle of Renaissance and the national liberation struggle of the Bulgarian people. In 1816 people of Kamenitsa the Bulgarian people. In 1816 people of Kamenitsa built the new St. Trinity church. It became a center built the new St. Trinity church. It became a center for Bulgarian strengthen awareness and spread for Bulgarian strengthen awareness and spread knowledge and education. The church opened the knowledge and education. The church opened the first school in 1823, and then secondary school, first school in 1823, and then secondary school, housed in a separate building.housed in a separate building.

In 1948 the villages Ladzhene, Chepino and Kamenitsa united into a town. It bears the name of Kamenitsa born guerrilla Vela Peeva and is called Velingrad. In 1977, it became an admi-nistrative center.

Velingrad – Spa Capital on the Balkans

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