Bulgaria Inside

History Museum
Melnik’s history museum is situated in a new building near one of the town’s biggest hotels. Until recently, the museum was to be found in Pashova house, constructed back in 1815.

Several main themes have been followed through the expositions. Artifacts trace Melnik’s history since ancient times. The ethnographic collection is quite abundant and describes in details the lifestyle of Melnik residents and of Greek settlers in the town.

One of the most interesting collections is dedicated to wine production in the town. Photos and objects describe how the production techniques evolved through the centuries.

The museum works each day from 8 am to 6 pm. To learn more about Melnik, click here.

Kordopoulova House
Kordopoulova house is one of the biggest preserved revival period edifices. It is situated in the eastern part of Melnik. The house used to belong to a rich Greek family that was involved in wine production and trade.

Wine production and preservation are the house’s main functions. Its cellars can preserve up to 300 tons of wine. The cellars were carved into stone and form a tunnel of great length.

Venetian wall paintings and woodcarvings decorate Kordopoulova house. The last member of the family that lived there was killed in 1912. His heir, probably his sister, married a Bulgarian under the name Georgi Tsintsara. As a result, the house is also known as Tsintsarova house.

The building was renovated in the years between 1974 and 1980. It is open for visitors every day from 8 am to 6 pm.

Rozhen Monastery
Rozhen Monastery is the biggest sanctuary in the Pirin Mountain region and the second biggest in the country after Rila Monastery. It is one of the best preserved medieval monasteries in Bulgaria. The monastery is situated 1 km southwest of the village of Rozhen and 2.5 km away from the town of Melnik.

The sanctuary was constructed in the 9th centuries and went through numerous conflagrations and renovations. Some new buildings were added in the 18th and 19th centuries. The church has been named a monument of culture because of its paintings and decoration. Old writings inside the church date back to the 16th century.

Rozhen monastery offers accommodation and a restaurant and a hotel function only several hundred meters away. To learn more about the monastery, click here.