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96-800: It has its origin in the Rila Mountains in Western Bulgaria, its source being the Marichini Lakes . The Maritsa flows east-southeast between the Balkan and Rhodope Mountains , past Plovdiv and Dimitrovgrad in Bulgaria to Edirne in Turkey. East of Svilengrad , Bulgaria, the river flows eastwards, forming the border between Bulgaria (on the north bank) and Greece (on the south bank), and then between Turkey and Greece. At Edirne,

192-548: A broken embankment in the area, allowing floods to speed up, and were taken by a bus to a hotel in Didymoteicho temporarily, to prevent injuries and deaths. Around 23:00 , the road between the villages Polia and Avdella was cut in half due to water pressure. Under that road were optical fibers for internet and telephones, which were cut apart. That led to telecommunications being unavailable in Alepochori . From

288-492: A five-domed church, a defensive tower and monastic apartments encircling an inner yard. The exterior of the complex resembles a fortress with its high stone walls and little windows. The oldest surviving structure is the 23 m high Hrelyo's Tower, constructed in 1334–1335. The Church of Theodore Tyro and Theodore Stratelates in Dobarsko at an elevation of about 1,000 m is a small three-naved stone basilica half dug into

384-449: A heavy snowstorm started in the area. A few days later, after the snow started to melt, a new heavy rainfall started in the region of Evros on 1 February 2021, triggering aggravated floods in the areas of Soufli and Alexandroupoli . In the morning hours of 12 January 2021 , the village of Mikro Dereio was flooded and evacuated. Many houses including the central square of the village were flooded and local authorities were present in

480-491: A large area of Thrace was affected by heavy and long rainfall. Τhe village of Mikro Dereio and the rivers starting to overflow on 12 January. The city of Alexandroupoli had a precipitation of 408mm while the village of Metaxades had a precipitation of 203mm in January 2021. After the rainfall the temperature remained below freezing, causing some of the flooded areas not to dry. With the temperatures being cold for days,

576-544: Is 2,560 m while the lowest is 1,300 m. Over 36,000 foreign tourists have stayed in Borovets for the 2016/17 winter season spending an average of five nights. Other much smaller ski resorts include Panichishte with several ski runs, Semkovo with seven ski runs totaling 4 km, Bodrost with 5 km ski runs and Govedartsi with a single 1.7 km ski run. The Balmeken High Mountain Sports Complex

672-690: Is 2.6 °C on the northern slopes and 3.1 °C on the southern. With an average annual temperature of −3.0 °C, Musala is the coldest place in Bulgaria. The lowest absolute temperature in Rila was also measured there: −31.2 °C; the lowest mean monthly temperature was recorded there in February: −11.6 °C. The absolute maximum temperature at Musala is 18.7 °C. Temperature amplitude decreases with elevation from 20 °C at 800 m to 15 °C at 2,800 m. Temperature inversions , i.e. increase in temperature with height, are frequent on

768-584: Is also a 1968 song written by Jean Renard and Pierre Delanoë and interpreted by Sylvie Vartan . Hebrus Valles on Mars is named after this river. The Bulgarian Maritsa motorway , which roughly follows the course of the river from Chirpan (where it branches out of the Trakia motorway ) to the Turkish border at Kapitan Andreevo , is also named in honour of the river. Rila Mountains Rila ( Bulgarian : Рила , pronounced [ˈriɫɐ] )

864-464: Is also influenced by the terrain, the exposure of the slopes and the orientation of the valleys. The average temperature decreases and the average precipitation increases with elevation. The coldest month is March and the hottest one August. Negative temperatures remain on average for about nine months in the Alpine zone, often continuing until the end of June. A steady rise in temperature is observed in

960-594: Is called Lakatitska Rila. It is linked with the Verila mountain range to the north through the Klisura Saddle, and with Central Rila to the east through the Kobilino Branishte saddle. The average elevation is 1,556 m; the highest summit is Mount Golyiam Kupen at an elevation of 2731 m. There are 29 peaks over 2,100 m. This subdivision is known for its rugged peaks and picturesque lakes in

1056-415: Is closely linked to the snowline during the last glacial period and most of them lie at elevations between 2,100 m and 2,500 m. Most lakes (28) are situated at elevations between 2,300 m and 2,350 m; there are 23 between 2,350 m and 2,400 m, 19 between 2,250 m and 2,300 m and 19 between 2,400 m and 2,450 m. Their length varies between 800 m and 20 m,

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1152-463: Is covered by dwarf mountain pine ( Pinus mugo ) and common juniper ( Juniperus communis ) formations mixed with green alder ( Alnus viridis ) at wetter localities and Rhododendron myrtifolium in East Rila. The alpine line is covered with grass, moss, lichen, rare flowers, dwarf willows such as Salix herbacea , Salix retusa and Salix reticulata , etc. Due to the difficult terrain,

1248-690: Is determined by the elevation. At the lowest portions there are xerothermal oak forests dominated by Hungarian oak ( Quercus frainetto ), pubescent oak ( Quercus pubescens ) and Austrian oak ( Quercus cerris ) with some Mediterranean cenosis of cade juniper ( Juniperus oxycedrus ) and scorpion senna ( Hippocrepis emerus ). Higher in the mountain up to 1,300 m the deciduous forests are primarily of sessile oak ( Quercus petraea ) with smaller participation of European hop-hornbeam ( Ostrya carpinifolia ), common hornbean ( Carpinus betulus ), Heldreich's maple ( Acer heldreichii ), Balkan maple ( Acer hyrcanum ) and European ash ( Fraxinus excelsior );

1344-554: Is divided into four distinct parts. East Rila, known also as Musala Rila, is the largest and highest subdivision, situated between the valleys of the rivers Beli Iskar and Belishka. It is formed of two main ridges. The Musala Ridge spans in north–south direction between the valleys of Beli Iskar and Maritsa; the Ibar Ridge runs in west–east direction from the summit of Marishki Chal to the Avramovo Saddle. It covers 37% of

1440-469: Is expected to rise to over 7000; of them 34 are endemic to Rila, 123 — to Bulgaria and another 123 — to the Balkans. The biodiversity, ecosystems and the pristine landscapes are protected by Rila National Park declared in 1992, which is Bulgaria's largest spanning a territory of 810.46 km , and Rila Monastery Nature Park covering another 252.535 km . There are four nature reserves in

1536-536: Is in autumn and winter. The largest waterfalls are Skakavitsa (70 m) and Goritsa (39 m). There are abundant mineral springs that include the hottest one in South-eastern Europe at Sapareva Banya forming a geyser with a temperature of 101.4 °C. The cirques at the high elevation zone contain 189 glacial lakes; there are also about 30 smaller ones that evaporate in summer, including tectonic lakes like Panichishte. Their location

1632-478: Is located at an elevation of 2,050 m in East Rila and is used for training, medical and biological research by athletes but also provides opportunities for family recreation. The mountain range was a favourite place of retreat for the Bulgarian monarchs Ferdinand I (r. 1887–1918) and his son Boris III (r. 1918–1943). The palace of Tsarska Bistritsa was constructed between 1898 and 1914 above Borovets in

1728-478: Is renowned mainly for the glacial lakes Ribni , Dzhendemski, Manastirski, as well as the largest glacial lake in the Balkan Peninsula ;— Smradlivo Lake . Northwest Rila, known also as Malyovitsa Rila, occupies about 24% of Rila and is situated between the valleys of Rilska to the south, Levi Iskar to the east, Samokov to the north-east and Dupnitsa to the west. Its much lower northern section

1824-641: Is served by the Bulgarian State Railways via railway line No. 1 in the north-east with stations at Kostenets and Belovo, railway line No. 5 along the Struma Valley in the west and the Septemvri–Dobrinishte narrow-gauge line in the south-east. The most important sectors of the local economy are tourism, services, industry and agriculture. The abundant water resources are utilised by some of Bulgaria's largest hydro power plants,

1920-520: Is situated there. Rila is a fault-block mountain and represents a crescent-shaped horst with two fault systems — concentric and radial. It is part of the oldest land in the Balkans, the Macedonian–Thracian Massif. The mountain range is formed mainly by metamorphic and intrusive rocks . The core of Rila is built up predominantly by granite. It is covered by a thick layer of crystalline schists and granite– gneiss ; this layer

2016-574: Is that is borrowed from Thracian ebros meaning 'splasher'. While the name Ἕβρος ( Hébros ) was used in Ancient Greek , the name Μαρίτσα ( Maritsa ) had become standard before the ancient form Ἕβρος was restituted in Modern Greek as Έβρος (now: Évros ). The name Maritsa may derive from a mountain near the mouth of the river known in antiquity as Μηρισός or Μήριζος , Latinized as Merit(h)us . In 1371,

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2112-471: Is the Rila Monastery , Bulgaria's largest and most important monastery, founded in the 10th century by Saint John of Rila . Due to its outstanding cultural and spiritual value it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983. Rila is also a popular destination for hiking, winter sports and spa tourism, hosting the nation's oldest ski resort Borovets , as well as numerous hiking trails. Some of

2208-754: Is the highest mountain range of Bulgaria, the Balkan Peninsula , and Southeast Europe . It is situated in southwestern Bulgaria and forms part of the Rila– Rhodope Massif. The highest summit is Musala at an elevation of 2,925 m which makes Rila the sixth highest mountain range in Europe after the Caucasus , the Alps , Sierra Nevada , the Pyrenees and Mount Etna , and the highest one between

2304-565: Is the oldest winter resort in Bulgaria and the largest one in Rila. It has 27 marked ski runs with a total length of 58 km equipped with 12 lifts facilities and provides conditions for alpine skiing , cross-country skiing , night skiing , biathlon , snowboard , etc.; it has hosted competitions in the FIS Alpine Ski World Cup and the Biathlon World Championships 1993 . The top elevation

2400-571: Is the smallest part spanning 9% of the Rila's total area but has the most Alpine character and the highest average elevation — 2,077 m. It stretches between the valleys of the rivers Beli Iskar, Cherni Iskar, Levi Iskar, Iliyna and Rilska . The later divides the two main ridges in Central Rila, Skakavitsa and Rilets. The highest summit is Cherna Polyana (2,716 m); other important peaks are Skalata, Small and Big Skakavets, Rilets; there are 28 peaks over 2,100 m. This subdivision

2496-552: Is topped by sandstones and conglomerates which were formed by elevated Tertiary sediments. Traces of these sediments are found in the Northwest Rila at an elevation of up to 1,900 m. The highest zones are made mainly of granite, and below are crystalline schists, whose compound minerals are sequentially deposited. They are represented by gneiss, mica schists, and amphibolite . In many places granite passes into granite–gneiss. There are marbles and amphibolites formed in

2592-744: Is used for hydroelectric power generation and irrigation. The earliest known name of the river is Εύρος ( Euros , Alcman , 7th–6th century BC). Proto-Indo-European * h₁wérus and Ancient Greek εὐρύς meant "wide". The Proto-Indo-European consonant cluster * -wr- shifted in Thracian to -br- , creating the Thracian name Ebros . Thereafter, the river began to be known as Ἕβρος ( Hébros ) in Greek and Hebrus in Latin. Rather than an origin as 'wide river', an alternative hypothesis

2688-513: The Balkan Peninsula , and the sixth highest in Europe after the Caucasus , the Alps , Sierra Nevada , the Pyrenees and Mount Etna . Musala is the fourth most isolated peak in continental Europe after Mont Blanc , Mount Elbrus and Galdhøpiggen raising at a distance of 810 km from the nearest point of the same elevation. With a prominence of 2,473 m, Musala ranks seventh among Europe's ultra-prominent peaks . The mountain range

2784-603: The Ivaylovgrad Dam , releasing large amounts of water in the Evros river . Around 14:00 , the river of Erythropotamos started exceeding the expected levels and reached the top of the embankment around the river. In the meantime, the fields around Metaxades started to flood. Around 15:00 , a bus carrying passengers from Alexandroupoli to Orestiada was trapped at the Feres agency, unable to go anywhere because of all

2880-637: The Paleozoic over 250 million years ago and subsequently elevated during the Tertiary period. The coarse–grained granites are the dominant rocks forming almost two–thirds of the area of the Rila's higher parts. Rila was subjected to glaciation during the Pliocene and the Pleistocene . Its modern Alpine relief was formed during the last Würm glaciation some 10–12 000 years ago, when the snowline of

2976-482: The largest flood taking place in 2021 . Several causes have been proposed, including more rainfall due to climate change, deforestation in the Bulgarian part of the catchment area, increased land use in the flood plains and difficult communication between the three countries. Maritsa Peak on Livingston Island in the South Shetland Islands , Antarctica is named after Maritsa River. La Maritza

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3072-680: The 120 are nesting within Rila National Park. These include three relicts — boreal owl , Eurasian pygmy owl and Eurasian three-toed woodpecker , and species that require special conservation measures like short-toed snake eagle , golden eagle , peregrine falcon , black stork , Eurasian woodcock , western capercaillie , hazel grouse , rock partridge , grey-headed woodpecker , black woodpecker , white-throated dipper , wallcreeper and Alpine chough among others. There are 18 reptile, 10 amphibian and 12 fish species. The invertebrate fauna discovered so far includes 4186 species and

3168-446: The 17–19 centuries due to production of iron and has a number of monuments, including churches, a convent, a 17th-century Ottoman drinking fountain and a museum of history. Near Belchin is located the recently restored Tsari Mali Grad Fortress. Rila Point on Livingston Island in the South Shetland Islands , Antarctica is named after Rila Mountain. 2021 Evros floods During the period of 12 January and February 2021 ,

3264-649: The Alpine zone that include the Seven Rila Lakes and the Urdini Lakes . Central Rila includes the mountain's highest waterfall, Skakavitsa (70 m). Southwest Rila stretches between the valleys of the Rilska, Iliyna and Belishka rivers to the north, the Predel Saddle that separates it from Pirin to the south, and Simitli and Blagoevgrad valleys to the west. It covers about 30% of the area of

3360-679: The Alps and the Caucasus. It spans a territory of 2,629 km with an average elevation of 1487 m. The mountain is believed to have been named after the river of the same name , which comes from the Old Bulgarian verb "рыти" meaning "to grub". Rila has abundant water resources. Some of the Balkans' longest and deepest rivers originate from Rila, including the Maritsa , Iskar and Mesta rivers. Bulgaria's main water divide separating

3456-644: The Balkan area. Established in the First Bulgarian Empire by the medieval Bulgarian hermit and saint John of Rila during the reign of emperor Peter I of Bulgaria (r. 927–969), the monastery developed into one of the main cradles of Bulgarian culture, literature and spirituality. In the 18th century it became one of the main hubs of the Bulgarian National Revival . The complex covers an area of 8,800 m and consists of

3552-645: The Balkans separating the drainage basins of the Black Sea and the Aegean Sea passes through Rila's northern ridge, including the summit of Musala. Some of the Balkans' longest rivers originate from Rila, including the Maritsa , Iskar and Mesta , as well as several important tributaries of the Struma  — Rilska , Dzherman and Blagoevgradska Bistritsa . Of them, the Iskar and its tributaries belong to

3648-481: The Balkans. Rila accounts for 6% of Bulgaria's timber resources. Manufacturing industry is centred in Blagoevgrad, Dupnitsa, Samokov, Razlog and Belovo; the main sectors are food processing, machine building, pharmaceutical and paper mills. Rila is a popular tourist destination for winter sports, spa tourism, recreation and cultural tourism. Borovets , situated on the northern slopes at 9 km from Samokov,

3744-640: The Balkans; 31 are Tertiary or pre-glacial relicts and 104 are glacial relicts. Notable Bulgarian endemic species include Rila primrose ( Primula deorum ) and rhapontic rhubarb ( Rheum rhaponticum ); taxa restricted to the Balkans include Bulgarian avens ( Geum bulgaricum ), yellow columbine ( Aquilegia aurea ), Bulgarian gentian ( Gentianella bulgarica ), Balkanian butterwort ( Pinguicula balcanica ), Crocus veluchensis , Dianthus microlepis , etc. The non-vascular flora includes 974 algae , 313 moss and 251 lichen species. The fungi are represented by 665 species, including 64 mushrooms listed in

3840-606: The Black Sea and the Aegean Sea drainage systems follows the main ridge of Rila. The mountain range is dotted with almost 200 glacial lakes such as the renowned Seven Rila Lakes , and is rich in hot springs in the fault areas at the foothills, including the hottest spring in South-eastern Europe in Sapareva Banya . The mountain range has varied flora and fauna with a number of endemic and relict species and some of

3936-481: The Black Sea drainage basins, and all the rest — to the Aegean. About 78% of the water flows into the Aegean drainage system. The runoff comes from snowmelt in the Alpine zones and rainfall. Water discharge reaches its maximum in late spring and early summer with spring accounting for more than half of the total annual discharge. The maximum at the highest elevations is in summer due to the late snowmelt. The minimum

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4032-530: The European Union, leading to the 2020 Greek–Turkish border crisis . In May 2020, news emerged that Turkish forces occupied 16 acres (6.5 ha) of Greek territory, Melissokomeio, as shown on maps of 1923, following a change in the flow of the river. These crises passed following the improvement in Greek-Turkish relations in 2023, however, illegal migration is still a major issue. Starting from

4128-468: The Red Book of Bulgaria. The mammal species within Rila National Park and its surroundings are 62 and include taxa of high conservation value, such as brown bear , gray wolf , wildcat , least weasel , European pine marten , marbled polecat , wild boar , red deer , roe deer , chamois , European ground squirrel , as well as the glacial relict European snow vole . The bird species are 156; of

4224-524: The aqueducts were damaged due to being under water during the floods, which led to the water being cut off for about a week. As a result, the inhabitants of some settlements were forced to carry buckets of water from water sources in the wider area of their places of residence. A few days later, in consultation with the authorities, the mayors and the presidents of the cities and settlements, bottles of water were sent to each resident. Some roads were destroyed, which have led to major traffic inconveniences. Under

4320-564: The area for hours. Residents managed to get inside the village church to save themselves. Schools in Mikro Dereio were closed on the spot. At the same time, an iron bridge was destroyed by the water pressure in the village Loutra near Alexandroupoli . The bridge used to connect the two sides of the village. Warning signs were placed by the authorities of the Municipality of Alexandroupoli . Few hours later, Bulgaria opened up

4416-546: The area has ever faced". Residents of the area were forced to abandon their cars and homes because of the rising, powerful floodwaters. The residents of the southern area of the village Polia were forced to evacuate because of a broken embankment in the area, and were taken by a bus to a hotel in Didymoteicho temporarily, to prevent injuries and deaths. In early January, right after the Epiphany , it started raining for days. Not all areas were affected. On January 10 though,

4512-441: The area of Erythropotamos flooded with severe damages in buildings and fields from powerful water pressure. The aqueduct in the area of Alepochori went underwater and this led to the water being cut off for Alepochori and Polia . Other villages experienced the same water issue but it wasn't critical damage. In the meantime, the residents of the southern area of the village Polia were forced to evacuate their houses because of

4608-538: The authorities was present in areas needing help. Around 12:00 , in High School of Antheia, students and teachers were trapped inside. Also, traffic was stopped on the National Road Ardaniou - Ormeniou (A21) , from the village Thymaria to Provatonas . Around 13:00 , students were trapped in the school of Apalos , and for this reason a rescue operation was set up by the fire brigade. During

4704-482: The best preserved forests in the country. The biodiversity and the pristine landscapes are protected by Rila National Park which covers much of the mountain; the rest lies within Rila Monastery Nature Park . In addition, there are five nature reserves : Parangalitsa , Central Rila Reserve , Rila Monastery Forest , Ibar and Skakavitsa . The most recognisable landmark of the mountain range

4800-409: The biggest and most complex hydroelectric complex in Bulgaria, with a combined installed capacity of 1,599 MW. At an elevation of 1,900 m is located the second biggest reservoir in Rila, Beli Iskar , constructed between 1939 and 1945, that provides 25% of Sofia's potable water and powers a small 16 MW hydro power station. At an elevation of 2,394 m, Kalin is the highest reservoir in

4896-551: The cessation of traffic on the National Road Ardaniou - Ormeniou (A21) , from the settlement of Provatona to the District of Dadia . Around 17:00 , the village of Poros was evacuated because of the overflow of the stream "Tsai" which led to the decision by the mayor of Alexandroupoli , Giannis Zampoukis. Around 19:00 , the Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that in the next few hours an increase in

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4992-634: The children of the Kindergarten, where the power cut off and the ground floor started to flood, to the church of the village so that the parents could pick them up. At the same time, the municipality of Alexandroupoli announced the suspension of the operation of all school units in Apalos . The settlements of Antheia and Maistros face serious problems as the water level is constantly rising. Around 11:00 , streets in Soufli and Agnantia flooded and

5088-403: The early hours of 1 February 2021 , heavy rainfall started to hit the region of Evros . Because of a previous snowstorm, snow was melting all over the region. The snow melting in combination with the heavy rainfall caused new serious floods in many areas. Around 10:30 , military vehicles and vehicles of the municipality of Alexandroupoli went to the settlement of Apalos in order to transport

5184-400: The fault lines along the northern foothills of Rila favour health and spa tourism. The most significant spa resorts from west to east are Sapareva Banya with a total discharge of 33 L/sec and temperature of 33–101.4 °C, Belchinski Bani with a total discharge of 24 L/sec and temperature of 40–41.5 °C, Dolna Banya with a total discharge of 22 L/sec and temperature of 56.3 °C and

5280-560: The foothills, inhabited by c. 250,000 people. Administratively it falls in four of Bulgaria's 28 provinces: Blagoevgrad , Kyustendil , Sofia and Pazardzhik . From west to east there are five towns at the northern foothills — Sapareva Banya (pop. 3,815 as of 2016), Samokov (25,880), Dolna Banya (4,510), Kostenets (6,228) and Belovo (3,533); there are four towns at the western foothills (from north to south) — Dupnitsa (35,255), Rila (2,359), Kocherinovo (1,723) and Blagoevgrad (66,886); as well as three more at

5376-442: The force of the water. Houses were flooded inside and destroyed furniture and personal items of residents. Many farmers had significant loss due to field and agricultural vehicle damage. Some areas of the embankments in Alepochori and Polia were broken, leaving the area vulnerable for future floods. The broken embankments also restrict farmers and residents from visiting specific areas because of destroyed paths. Some machines in

5472-399: The forests of Rila are not much influenced by anthropogenic activities and their average age is above 100 years. Some Norway spruces and European silver firs reach height of 60 m. The number of vascular plants includes about 1400 species registered only within the territory of Rila National Park, of them 34 are endemic to Bulgaria, including three restricted to Rila, and 89 — to

5568-478: The former — Parangalitsa , Central Rila Reserve , Ibar and Skakavitsa , and another one, Rila Monastery Forest , in the latter. Parangalitsa was declared a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 1977, while the Central Rila Reserve is the largest one in the Balkans with an area of 123.937 km . Rila is a sparsely populated mountain range with most of the settlements located in the valleys at

5664-496: The ground, constructed in 1614 and painted in 1672. The church is noted for its abundance of original frescoes and icons. The Church of Saint Nicholas in Sapareva Banya is small medieval edifice, constructed anytime from the 11th to the 14th century. It was built using red bricks and white mortar and is of a simple cross-in-square design, with a single nave and apse. The town of Samokov achieved economic prosperity during

5760-760: The highest lakes. The largest glacial lake in Rila and in the Balkans is Smradlivo with an area of 212 decares; the longest is the Upper Ribno Lake reaching 801 m; the deepest is Okoto, one of the Seven Rila Lakes with a depth of 37.5 m; the highest is Ledeno at an elevation of 2,709 m; the lowest is Suho at 2,045 m. The most important lake groups are the Seven Rila Lakes (seven lakes), Musala Lakes (seven), Marichini Lakes (seven), Urdini Lakes (six), Malyovishki Lakes (three), Elenski Lakes (three), Chanakgyolski Lakes (two), Vapski Lakes (two), etc. The vegetation

5856-663: The highest peaks are: Rila is situated in the southern zone of the humid continental climate region and has typical Alpine climate with elevational zones. The climate is influenced by the Icelandic and the West Mediterranean cyclones , the former mainly in late spring and early summer, and the latter — in winter, bringing frequent and high rainfall, as well as by the Azores and Siberian anticyclones in summer and winter, bringing droughts. The local microclimate

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5952-661: The highest sections of the mountain with an elevation between 2,800 and 2,400 m. It represents practically leveled terrain with gently folded surface, formed in the place of ancient forest massifs. The next Late Miocene level, the young Miocene, is situated on the main side ridges with an elevation between 2,600 and 2,300 m. The third level formed during the Early Pliocene has an elevation of 1,800 and 1,600 m. The Late Pliocene level occupies areas with an elevation of up to 1,300 m. There are two summits above 2,900 m, Musala and Malka Musala . Some of

6048-405: The influx of warm Mediterranean air masses. Winds may reach speed of 40–45 m/s (over 100 km/h) at the summits, with mostly south-western and western orientation. The north-west and north-east winds are more moderate. The average monthly wind speed on the highest mountain summits reaches 11–12 m/s. In the lower parts, the average monthly speed varies from 1.2 to 2.5 m/s and in

6144-517: The main ones. The bottom of cirques are often occupied by glacial lakes . As a result of the weathering , scree formations of varied nature have been accumulated. In the south-western foothills of Rila the Stob Earth Pyramids were formed under the influence of erosion. The staged elevation of the mountain during the geological eras and the large range of vertical folds have led to the formation of four denudation levels of distinct age, height and range. The oldest Early Miocene level encompasses

6240-413: The massif. In the west along the Struma Valley runs Struma motorway paralleled by the first class I-1 road , both part of European route E79 , that connect the national capital Sofia and Greece via the provincial centre Blagoevgrad . The second class II-62 road branches off I-1 at Dupnitsa and runs east to Samokov where it joins the second class II-82 road which continues in eastern direction until

6336-415: The middle and end of July. Even during the summer months, temperature over 10 °C do not hold up for long periods. About five to ten days in June, July and August have an average temperature above 15 °C. This determines the short vegetation period in the high elevation areas which varies from three to six months; it lasts about three months at elevation over 2,000 m. The average annual temperature

6432-411: The middle height zone it ranges from 2.5 to 3.2 m/s. Winds are usually strongest in winter and lightest in autumn. The annual duration of sunshine in the Alpine zone is 1930 hours with maximum in August and minimum in December–January; it raises to more than 2150 hours at 1,000 m. Rila is an important hydrological unit in Bulgaria with very high hydropower potential, representing about 1/4 of

6528-433: The most important hydro power stations in Bulgaria are situated in the eastern part of the mountain range, including the Belmeken–Sestrimo–Chaira Hydropower Cascade (1,599 MW), the largest and most complex hydroelectric complex in Bulgaria. Rila is a mountain range in south-western Bulgaria, part of the Rila– Rhodope Massif. It is situated between five valleys – Dupnitsa Valley to the north-west, Samokov Valley to

6624-433: The most important of them being fueled by the Belmeken Dam in East Rila — Chaira Pumped Storage Hydro Power Plant (864 MW), Belmeken Pumped Storage Hydro Power Plant (375 MW), Sestrimo Hydro Power Plant (240 MW) and Momina Klisura Hydroelectric Power Station (120 MW). Chaira is the largest pumped storage HPP in South-eastern Europe. They form the Belmeken–Sestrimo–Chaira Hydropower Cascade ,

6720-406: The mountain range. With an average elevation of 1,307 m, it has the lowest elevation in Rila. The highest summit is Angelov Peak (2,643 m). The Blagoevgradska Bistritsa River divides it in two distinct ridges to the north and to the south. Apart from its northernmost part, Southwest Rila does not have the Alpine character of the other three subdivisions. The biosphere reserve Parangalitsa

6816-463: The mountain was 2,100–2,200 m. The glaciers reached elevations as low as 1,200 m. Above this boundary, the glaciers radically altered the existing relief, forming deep cirques, pyramidal peaks , steep cliffs, long U-shaped valleys , moraine fields and other glacial forms. On the slopes of some valleys such as those of the rivers Beli Iskar, Maritsa and Rilska there are hanging glacier valleys  — tributary valleys located higher than

6912-487: The mountain's territory and contains the highest summit in the range — Musala (2,925 m), as well as 12 of the 18 summits over 2,700 m — Irechek (2,852 m), Deno (2,790 m), Mancho (2,771 m) and others; there are 46 peaks over 2,100 m. East Rila contains a number of glacial lake groups, including Musala Lakes and Marichini Lakes , as well as the nation's largest ski resort Borovets . Central Rila, known also as Skakavitsa Rila,

7008-417: The national road and many streets were flooded. Many fields were destroyed and some houses were damaged. Later that day, announcements from the mayor of Alexandroupoli were made about the suspension of schools in Apalos and Antheia due to dangers and due to damages on buildings. The two big floods led to serious damages in villages and fields. Walls of warehouses and garages were completely torn down by

7104-480: The north, Kostenets–Dolna Banya Valley to the north-east, Razlog Valley to the south and Blagoevgrad Valley to the south-west. Five saddles link Rila to the surrounding mountain ranges – Klisura Saddle (1,025 m) with Verila to the north-west, Borovets Saddle (1,305 m) with Sredna Gora to the north, Yundola (1,375 m) and Avramovo Saddles (1,295 m) with the Rhodope Mountains to

7200-638: The northern slopes and after 20–30 December on the southern. Its average monthly thickness reaches 20 to 30 cm in February at low elevations. In the Alpine zone above 2,000 m the snow cover is thickest in March, reaching 70 to 80 cm. In the highest ridges the maximum thickness reaches 200 to 240 cm. The snow cover remains for an average of 70–80 days at elevations of 1,200–1,300 m and 180 to 200 days at elevations above 2,000 m. Avalanches are frequent, often caused by temperature changes by

7296-516: The northern slopes and occur especially often in the Samokov Valley, Borovets and Musala, where it is observed in 250 days annually. The annual precipitation varies with elevation and slope orientation. The annual precipitation is 653 mm at Samokov (1,029 m), 932 mm at Borovets (1,350 m) and 1200 mm at Musala (2,925 m); about 80% of it being snow at the later. The rainfall occurs mostly in summer and spring on

7392-544: The northern slopes, with maximum in June and minimum in February; the rainfall increases in winter and decreases in summer on the southern slopes and yet the monthly maximum and minimum are the same; there are 130–160 days with rainfall/snowfall. Air humidity in the highlands of Rila ranges between 80 and 85%. The coldest winter months are also the driest. Humidity differs on the northern and southern slopes of Rila. The snow cover above 1,000 m begins to form on 10–15 December on

7488-419: The operation, however, the 46-year-old Chief Firefighter Zafeiropoulos Ioannis, driver of a fire truck that participated in the efforts and "stuck" in the rainwater, as he was walking away, was swept away by the rushing waters and was found dead near the airport streams. Two other colleagues were in the vehicle, who managed to get out safely. His death caused pan-Hellenic shock and mourning. Around 16:00 ,

7584-733: The river as an external boundary of the EU. Since the 1990s, the river, as a natural barrier on the border between Turkey and Greece, has become a major route for migrants from a variety of countries attempting to enter the EU irregularly. Between 2000 and 2019, 398 bodies were found on the Greek side of the Maritsa/Evros river. Up until that time, drowning in the river was the leading cause of death among migrants trying to enter Greece. In February 2020, Turkey unilaterally opened its borders to Greece to allow refugees and migrants seeking refuge to reach

7680-404: The river meets it two chief tributaries Tundzha and Arda , and flows through Turkish territory on both banks. It then turns towards the south and forms the border between Greece on the west bank and Turkey on the east bank all the way to the Aegean Sea , which it enters near Enez , forming a river delta . The upper Maritsa valley is a principal east–west route in Bulgaria. The unnavigable river

7776-700: The river was the site of the Battle of Maritsa , also known as the battle of Chernomen, an Ottoman victory over the Serbian rulers Vukašin Mrnjavčević and Jovan Uglješa , who died in the battle. After 1923, the river gained political significance as the modern border between Greece and Turkey . This was further bolstered by Greece joining the European Union in 1981 (and then the Schengen area ), marking

7872-486: The river's source, significant tributaries of Maritsa include: The lower course of the river Maritsa, where it forms the border between Greece and Turkey, is very vulnerable to flooding. For about 4 months every year, the low lands around the river are flooded. This causes significant economic damage (loss of agricultural production and damage to infrastructure), which is estimated at several hundreds million Euro. Recent large floods have taken place in 2006, 2007, 2014, with

7968-412: The rivers Erythropotamos ( Greek : Ερυθροπόταμος) and Evros ( Greek : Έβρος) also known as Maritsa ( Bulgarian : Марица, Turkish : Meriç) overflowed twice because of heavy rainstorms resulting in severe floods of the areas around the rivers, that led to 1 death and serious damages to private and public property. The floods were described by the media and residents as "one of the biggest disasters

8064-485: The road that collapsed in Avdella , there were optical fibers which were responsible for the internet connection and for the interconnection of the landlines in the villages of Alepochori and Polia . This led to severe optical fiber damage that took about two months to repair, leaving children unable to attend e-learning (which was mandatory of a general COVID-19 lockdown that was going on since November) for weeks until

8160-685: The roads being blocked due to floods. Teachers that worked in Alexandroupoli were unable to return to their home, and that resulted in them staying in Feres and Tychero all day. Around 16:00 , Erythropotamos overflowed and embankments broke, causing severe damage to fields and properties around the area of many villages of the Didymoteicho municipality . A few minutes later, the General Regional Police Directorate of Eastern Macedonia & Thrace announced

8256-414: The south-east and Predel Saddle (1,140 m) with Pirin to the south. Within these limits Rila spans an area of 2,629 km and has an average elevation of 1,487 m. The high elevation zone over 1,600 m forms about 50% of the total territory. There are over 140 main peaks above 2,000 m. With an elevation of 2,925 m at Musala, Rila is the highest mountain range in Bulgaria and

8352-441: The south-eastern foothills (from west to east) — Razlog (12,036), Belitsa (2,964) and Yakoruda (5,288). There are a number of villages, including among others Govedartsi , Belchin , Madzhare , Kostenets , Pastra , Stob , Barakovo , Dobarsko , etc. Some of the settlements on the Rila include a small Aromanian minority. The mountain range is served by several roads running along its foothills. No roads traverse

8448-549: The summit of Musala. Rila Monastery is the most important architectural monument in the mountain range. It is situated at an elevation of 1,147 m and was declared a UNESCO's world heritage site in 1983. The Monastery is considered to be a cultural and spiritual centre of Bulgaria. With its architecture and frescos Rila Monastery represents a masterpiece of the creative genius of the Bulgarian people and has exerted considerable influence on architecture and aesthetics within

8544-465: The total potential of the country. The water reserves that form within the mountain range are the most important source of clean potable water for the surrounding settlements, the national capital Sofia and part of the population of Northern Greece and European Turkey. The regime of the rivers of Rila is directly related to the elevation and about half of the water reserves in the mountain are at an elevation above 2,050 m. The main drainage divide in

8640-524: The town of Kostenets, where it joins the first class I-8 road , part of European route E80 . The second class II-19 road which branches off I-1 at Simitli , goes east crossing the Predel Saddle into the Razlog Valley and at the homonymous town links with the second class II-84 road which runs in north-eastern direction along the Avramovo Saddle and links with the I-8 road/E80 near Pazardzhik . Rila

8736-602: The traditional Bulgarian National Revival style with several edifices and a park. Its 170 kW hydroelectric generator installed in 1912 is still working unaltered. Two other hunting lodges were constructed for the monarchs — Sitnyakovo and Saragyol . There are 17 mountains refuges with a total of 1938 beds. There are 198 km primary and 363 km secondary hiking trails in Rila National Park, including E4 European long distance path that traverses it from west to south and E8 European long distance path that traverses it from north-west to south. Rila National Park

8832-546: The village of Kostenets with a total discharge of 12 L/sec and temperature of 46–73 °C. Rila has well developed cultural tourism and contains five of the 100 Tourist Sites of Bulgaria  — the Church of Theodore Tyro and Theodore Stratelates in the village of Dobarsko , the Rila Monastery and the Stob Earth Pyramids , the Seven Rila Lakes, the museum of history and the convent in the town of Samokov, and

8928-436: The water level of the rivers Arda and Erythropotamos is expected following the gradual and controlled release of water from the Ivaylovgrad Dam . A few minutes later, The Police Department of Alexandroupoli decided to temporarily stop the traffic. Around 20:30 , the river level of Erythropotamos has exceeded the vigilance limit and has reached 5.81 meters with an alarm limit of 7 meters. At this time, many villages in

9024-425: The width — between 375 m and 10 m, the area — between 1 m and 212 decares, the depth — between 0.5 m and 37.5 m. Most of them are between 2 m and 10 m deep and four reach depth of over 20 m. The water is transparent as deep as 15 m. Most of the lakes are covered with ice during most of the year — from October to June. The ice thickness reaches 3 m in

9120-549: The zone between 1,300 m and 1,600 m is dominated by European beech ( Fagus sylvatica ), at places mixed with European silver fir ( Abies alba ). The endemic Rila oak ( Quercus protoroburoides ) inhabits only the Rilska River valley. The forests of coniferous zone between 1,600 m and 2,100 m consist of primarily of Norway spruce ( Picea abies ), Macedonian pine ( Pinus peuce ) и Scots pine ( Pinus sylvestris ). The sub-Alpine zone up to 2,500 m

9216-583: Was visited by about 100,000 tourists annually for the period 2000–2014 reaching a peak of 268,000 in 2012, while with a little more than 1 million visitors Rila Monastery Nature Park is the second most visited one in the country, after Vitosha . In 2000 on the south-western slopes was established the Dancing Bears Park Belitsa that shelters all dancing bears from Bulgaria following the ban of that practice, as well as individuals from Albania and Serbia. The abundant mineral springs along

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