The different world from Plovdiv to the Rhodopes
There are places in Bulgaria that we know by name, but have never seen.
There are also those that we have seen, but have not looked at carefully.
This story is about the little-known Bulgaria: about waterfalls, rivers, rocks, bridges, megalithic forms, and villages hidden among landscapes that look as if they are from another world.
Bulgaria south of Plovdiv is different. The Rhodopes gradually change their appearance – from the mountain paths and waterfalls familiar to us near Bachkovo and Asenovgrad to the wild and mysterious landscapes of the Eastern Rhodopes.
The end is saturated with dramatic historical memory. Kardzhali and a large part of the Eastern Rhodopes were liberated and annexed to Bulgaria in 1912, during the Balkan War. On October 21, 1912, the Haskovo detachment, commanded by Col. Vasil Delov, entered Kardzhali.
But today we are not going to talk about history.
We will wander around this little-known Bulgaria.
Rediscover her!
The waterfalls of the Rhodopes
We start with the waterfalls, some of the most impressive natural treasures of the mountain.
And I will answer in advance the question you are probably already asking yourself: yes, all the waterfalls that Viktor Demidov has presented here can also be seen in video.
В TEA's YouTube channel it shows them from different perspectives, with information on where they are located and how to get to them.
And now let the footage speak.
Bachkovo Waterfall
We start with one of the most affordable: Bachkovo Waterfall.
We have already told you about him in TEA:
We will not repeat the two photographs from the waterfall here; you can admire them on the website.
But in the courtyard of the Bachkovo Monastery there is an interesting character.
The Metasequoia in the Bachkovo Monastery
At first glance: a magnificent tree.
The botanical name is Metasequoia (Dawn redwood – a broad-leaved conifer that changes color in autumn and loses its needles.
A particularly interesting plant with its history: for a long time the species was known to science solely from fossil remains, until living trees were discovered... in China in the 20th century.
The tree in the Bachkovo Monastery is relatively young, approximately 70–75 years old.
Who planted it?
Here, history leaves a small mystery. There is no reliably established data that would allow us to point to a specific person.
And perhaps that is precisely where the charm lies.
A tree that has survived for decades in the monastery courtyard and today continues to keep its unknown history.
The Bachkovo Monastery itself is one of the most significant spiritual and historical places in Bulgaria. It was founded in 1083, and among its most precious relics is the miraculous icon of Holy Mother of God Eleusa.
And now back to the water.
You can see the two faces of the Bachkovo Waterfall here:
The Gyubendzhiya and Sitovo
We continue with two more waterfalls that you already know from TEA's materials – Gubendzhiyata and the waterfall near Sitovo.
The Street Musician
They are part of Victor's grand journey through the waterfalls of Bulgaria – a journey that gradually transforms into a master photographic archive of Bulgarian nature.
Swallow Pool: water, rocks and tranquility
It is followed by the Sushitsa River and its Lyastovichi vir near the village of Dolnoslav.
And here water is no longer the only thing we need to watch out for.
Sometimes the most interesting thing is the whole place: the rocks, the vegetation, the light, the movement of the water.
And Viktor has a special talent for capturing precisely these moments.
St. George Waterfall, Gornoslav village
Near the village of Gornoslav, the St. George Waterfall awaits us.
And above it – the small chapel of St. George, which adds yet another layer to the landscape.
Nature, faith, and human presence: captured in a single frame.
Waterfall of Creation, Dolna Kula village
We are continuing to the village of Dolna Kula.
The name of the next waterfall itself sounds like the beginning of a parable – the Waterfall of Creation.
Two videos will show you the place much better than we could describe it in words.
The Devil's Bridge: Night Mystery
Contrastive photographs that leave one breathless.
The Devil's Bridge over the Arda River at night.
Darkly beautiful.
It gives you the chills.
Still water looks like a polished surface, and the bridge is mirrored in it. Or maybe the bridge is looking at itself?
And who is staring intently and hypnotically into the lens?
We leave the question to the photographer...
The Devil's Bridge is one of the most recognizable symbols of the Eastern Rhodopes. It was built at the beginning of the 16th century and has been preserved as an impressive monument of old construction art. It is situated over the Arda River in a narrow gorge where the river forms beautiful meanders.
And the legend? Of course it exists.
According to the most popular legend, the master builder of the bridge walled the shadow of a maiden into it (thank God, not herself) so that the structure would be sturdy and not be destroyed by the waters. As often happens in
The Rhodopes, the legend turns stone into history.
The meanders of Arda
After the bridge comes the river.
Arda.
One of the most beautiful in the Rhodopes, which carves curves, or rather meanders, amidst a lush green landscape. Delightful!
When has nature ever needed human intervention?!
Only from a good photographer.
The Pierced Stone near Stomantsi
We continue to the village of Stomantsi to admire rock formations that make you wonder: how long did it take the universe to carve them?!
The Pierced Stone.
The rocks in the Eastern Rhodopes seem to constantly change their shapes according to the light and the point of view.
And precisely here photography has a special power: it captures the moment and makes us contemplate it for as long as we want.
Boyno Village or When the Road Reaches the Sky
And now: the village of Boyno, in the Kardzhali region.
And a photo that I personally would let speak for itself.
The road seems to reach the end of the world.
And in the distance, the minaret's spire points straight up.
Like a rocket.
Or maybe he is actually about to fly off into space?
A photo much more than a landscape: movement, direction, and a sense of space.
Nebeska, a name like from a verse
In the municipality of Chernoochene, in the Kardzhali region of the Eastern Rhodopes, is the village of Nebeska.
The name alone is enough for me to call it one of the most poetic ones for a Bulgarian village.
Nebeska is interesting not only because of that.
Years ago, when I visited it, the village made a sad impression on me—semi-ruined houses, neglected yards... And on the roofs—satellite dishes.
The paradox was strange: perfectly paved roads leading up to its outskirts, yet with a feeling of oblivion.
During my last visit two years ago, Nebeska pleasantly surprised me.
The houses had been repaired. Young people had appeared. It was evident that some of them were investing what they had earned abroad into their native homes and the roofs of their ancestors.
I also saw new sheep buildings near the rock phenomenon.
And then I thought:
There is hope for this ancient region.
The Rocks above Neska
And above the village, nature has left a good reason to visit it.
The rock formations.
Ancient, bizarre, and almost surreal. With perhaps the touch of an ancient human hand.
Yes, the Eastern Rhodopes are so different from the rest of the mountain.
A video of a pastoral landscape and a whole herd of bright individuals, met in the form of a flock in the Eastern Rhodopes
A region worth rediscovering
Waterfalls, rivers, cliffs, megaliths, ancient villages and bridges.
Day and night. In different seasons and light.
Bulgaria, which is right next to us, but we don't know. And Viktor Demidov travels across our beautiful country in his spare time to
– Search;
- He's filming.
And to show us. Little-known Bulgaria.
A different world from Plovdiv to the Rhodopes.
