ABOUT DUPNITZA
The town of Dupnitza (43 326 inhabitants, altitude 510 meters above sea level) is situated at the northwestern foot of the
Rila Mountain, on both banks of the
German River – a left tributary of the
Struma River, which takes its source from the seven
Rila lakes. The town is located 69 km south of
Sofia, 38 km southeast of
Kjustendil, 33 km north of
Blagoevgrad and 40 km west of
Samokov.
HISTORY
The town appeared after the period of the Turkish invasion in Bulgaria. The first accounts for its existence are to be found in artifacts from the VIV century. Its name was mentioned for the first time in the diary of King Arnold von Harf who visited the country in 1499. He described Dupnitza as “a pleasant town”.
The town is the birthplace of the social activist from the Renaissance period Hristo Pavlovich (1804 – 1848), a teacher and a scholar who published the first Bulgarian book in secular script and the first Bulgarian printed publication of the Slav-Bulgarian History of Paisii Hilendarski.
LANDMARKS
In the town of Dupnitza one can visit the
Municipal Museum of History, the remains of the medieval fortress
Kulata, the
Mosque from the 14 century, the
Clock tower built in 1782, the church
“Saint Constantine and Elena” restored in 1902, the church
“Holy Mother” built in 1789 and the 1844 church
“St. Nikola”. The town has its own Institute of Pedagogy.
TRANSPORT
The town is located on the international highway and the railway line Sofia – Kulata – Athens. There is a bus to
Sofia and
Sapareva Bania at every hour. There are regular bus connections with
Kjustendil,
Blagoevgrad,
Razlog,
Bansko,
Pernik, the
Rila monastery and all villages in the region. The bus station is located in the western part of the town.
SURROUNDING AREAS
15 km away from Dupnitza is the resort town
Sapareva Bania, which was built over the ruins of an ancient Thracian settlement.
Description
