Rupite

Rupite lies in the crater of the extinct Kozhuh volcano near Petrich in the far south-west, where hot mineral water at around seventy-five degrees rises to the surface in a marshy area of reeds and pools, with a distinctive flora and a bird list that includes species found almost nowhere else in Bulgaria. It became widely known for a different reason: Baba Vanga, a blind woman regarded by many Bulgarians as a seer, lived here in her later years, and the church of Saint Petka she had built in 1994, decorated by the artist Svetlin Rusev in a style that caused controversy with the Orthodox church, stands beside her house and her grave. The site draws a steady flow of visitors, many of them pilgrims rather than tourists.

History

The ruins of an ancient town lie at the south-western foot of the Kozhuh hill, and a Latin inscription of 308 found in 2002 suggests it was Heraclea Sintica, the main town of the Thracian Sinti, which likely existed from the 4th century BC to the 6th century AD. The village, once called Shirbanovo, is best known as the home in her last years of the blind seer Baba Vanga, 1911-1996, who saw the area as a source of energy (Wikipedia, Rupite).

What's there

• Hot springs in a volcanic crater - water at around seventy-five degrees.
• The Saint Petka church - built in 1994 with contested decoration.
• Vanga's house and grave - the reason most visitors come.
• Marsh flora and rare birds - the wetland around the springs.

When to go

April to October. Half a day. Weekends and religious dates bring large numbers of pilgrims. Mornings are quieter. The far south-west is very hot in summer.

Good to know

The site is dominated by the Vanga association and the surrounding stalls, which sit oddly with the nature reserve. The springs are very hot and unfenced in places. Bathing is not permitted at the source. Facilities are basic.

Nearby

Petrich is south-west; Melnik and Rozhen lie north.