Bulgaria Inside

Roupite
“This place [Roupite] is strange in its own way. It helps me accumulate power and gather energy and strength. Long time ago, a scary fire burned here and the mountains keep a great secret.”

These were the words the prophet Vanga used to describe the region of Roupite. The village is situated 9 km away from the town of Petrich, in a beautiful region under the same name.

The village appeared in 1815 as a Petrich neighborhood. From 1951 to 1993 it carried the name of Mouletarovo after the communist activist Vasil Mouletarov.

Nearly 1100 people live in the village. Roupite is surrounded by numerous natural and historic landmarks. The mountain of Kozhouh is situated only 2 km away. It represents volcanic remains but Kozhouh has been inactive for the past million years.

Kozhouh is also known for its ancient finds. Archaeologists found there the remains of one of the biggest ancient settlements situated on the shore of Strouma River. In 2002, they found ancient writings and analysis shows that the settlement is most probably Heraclea Sintica.

Roupite is situated 170 km away from the capital of Sofia. Petrich and Sandanski are situated nearby and you can explore them and spend the night there.

Sveta Petka Bulgarska Church
The church was constructed by the prophet Vanga in 1992. Her grave is situated nearby.

Controversial reactions resulted from the construction and the looks of the church. Artist Svetlin Rousev painted the icons, which are deemed to be too real and modernistic. The Bulgarian Orthodox Church refused to accept them.

Sveta Petka Bulgarska was constructed over the crater of an inactive volcano. Vanga said that the place had its own energy.

The church can be visited every day from 8 am to 6 pm.

Samouilova Fortress
The region near the village of Kliuch, 20 km away from the town of Petrich, remembers historic events and battles between Bulgarians and Byzantines.

Samouilova fortress is one of the 100 national tourist sites.

The remains of ancient Thracian and Bulgarian settlements are situated underneath the fortress. It has stone foundations, observation towers and two trenches. The structure determines the tower as a strategic military base.

A battle between the Bulgarian tsar Samouil and the Byzantine emperor Basil II in 1014 gave the tower its name. After the defeat, the Bulgarian soldiers were blinded and Samouil managed to escape.

On October 23 1982, the fortress was turned into a national park-museum. The remains of the tower were renovated and tourism facilities were added.

Accommodation is offered nearby, at Belasitsa hut. From Petrich, you can reach the hut in two hours walking. More information about the fortress is available here.