The Mystical Strandzha Mountain

Mysterious, fascinating, extraordinary...

Mysterious, fascinating, extraordinary... These are just a few of the definitions suitable for Strandzha. And not only because here the sea and the mountains literally flow together - an epitome of  wild beauty, untouched by the mass tourist influx, but also because at the backdrop of this unparalleled nature there are many preserved ancient culture monuments and an enchanting spiritual heritage. Even today, small rural churches and chapels continue to nourish faith and to consolidate its strong presence in this region. Places with healing springs - sources of numerous legends, create a truly magical and fairylike sense. The preserved unique pagan tradition - "Nestinarstvo" /”ritual bare foot dancing on smoldering embers performed by nestinari dancers” / to an even greater extent enhances the charm of Strandzha. The whole appearance of this place - with the old Strandzha houses, filled with serenity and warmth, brings a sense of humility and gratitude.

 

The history of the Strandzha Mountain is determined by the centuries-old presence of the Thracian civilization here - one of the oldest in the world .The preserved folklore is another embodiment of the mysticism of these places. The customs of "Bial Kuker"( The White Kuker) / “Kukeri” is a traditional Bulgarian ritual to scare away evil spirits, with costumed men performing /, "Filek" and “Nestinari” are absolutely unique, the latter is among the oldest pagan rituals in the Balkans. Still practiced in the village of “Balgari” – the barefoot fiery dance is performed in a state of trance by sunset and to the sound of drums. The “Nestinari” dance holding icons in their hands.  Sometimes their feet barely touch the ground, and in other cases, they deliberately step on the embers to put them out. It is believed that in that state, dancers could actually predict the future.

 

“Strandzha Nature Park” is the largest and one of the most exotic in Bulgaria. It includes the majority of the Bulgarian territory of Central  Strandzha Mountains to the Black Sea coast. The sunniest place in the country is also here- the area of Ahtopol and Rezovo. The uniqueness of the place, especially the central part of the mountain, is mostly a result of its appearance – the vast plateaus, alternated  by wavy ridges create a scenic but rather unwavering chain- without steep peaks and rocky cliffs- specific for other mountains. Several rivers work their way through the territory of the park – the largest ones are Veleka and Rezovska Rivers. Hundreds of springs freshen up the area with clear and often medicinal waters. A fountain called “The Great Ayasmo”/The Big Holy spring/ in the region of Gramatikovo village is considered by many to be healing. The area’s richness and abundance of animal species is most likely the result of decades of restricted access to the mountain, with a view to its proximity to the state border- fortunately, the flora and fauna are well preserved. 17 species of birds inhabit the mountain, all enlisted in the Red List of Bulgaria, and one of those is included in the IUCN Red List of threatened species as well. The park has the best preserved European otter’s population on the territory of the continent. The estimated number of mammal species here is 54, but presumably the number is larger, because the caves are only partially explored. Tree species are best represented by the Eastern beech populations. 50% of all species of vascular plants in Bulgaria grow on the territory of the park. Among them there are Bulgarian endemic, Balkan endemic, relict species, rare and endangered plants.

 

Nature Park Strandzha has natural reserves, protected areas, national monuments and historical sites. Access to protected areas is permitted, but is subject to certain rules. The “Veleka” territory protects interesting flora, fauna and rock formations. The oldest and thickest Strandzha tree is in “Paroria”, the area of “River Marina” - a huge variety of evergreen shrubs,   “Rudenovo “- the largest formation of the Strandzha blueberry. The coastal area of “Silistar” protects cliffs, sandy beaches and diverse vegetation.

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