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Coordinates: 41°31′N 23°24′E / 41.517°N 23.400°E / 41.517; 23.400
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{{for|a town in the [[Czech Republic]]|Mělník}}
{{For|a town in the Czech Republic|Mělník}}
{{Infobox settlement <!--more fields are available for this Infobox--See Template:Infobox Settlement-->
{{Infobox settlement <!--more fields are available for this Infobox--See Template:Infobox Settlement-->
| official_name = Melnik
| official_name = Melnik
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| subdivision_type = [[Countries of the world|Country]]
| subdivision_type = [[Countries of the world|Country]]
| subdivision_name = [[Bulgaria]]
| subdivision_name = [[Bulgaria]]
| subdivision_type1 = [[Provinces of Bulgaria|Province]]<br><small>(Oblast)</small>
| subdivision_type1 = [[Provinces of Bulgaria|Province]]<br /><small>(Oblast)</small>
| timezone = [[Eastern European Time|EET]]
| timezone = [[Eastern European Time|EET]]
| utc_offset = +2
| utc_offset = +2
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| pushpin_map_caption = Location of Melnik, Bulgaria
| pushpin_map_caption = Location of Melnik, Bulgaria
| pushpin_mapsize =
| pushpin_mapsize =
| image_skyline = Meleniko.jpg
| leader_title = Mayor
| leader_title = Mayor
| postal_code_type = [[List of postal codes in Bulgaria|Postal Code]]||
| postal_code_type = Postal Code||
| subdivision_name1 = [[Blagoevgrad Province|Blagoevgrad]]
| subdivision_name1 = [[Blagoevgrad Province|Blagoevgrad]]
| population_total = 385
| population_total = 385
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}}
}}


'''Melnik''' ({{lang-bg|Мелник}}, {{lang-el|Μελένικο}}, ''Meleniko'') [[List of cities and towns in Bulgaria|is a town]] in [[Blagoevgrad Province]], Southwestern [[Bulgaria]], in the Southwestern [[Pirin Mountains]], about 440 m above sea level. The town is an architectural reserve and 96 of its buildings are cultural monuments. With a population of 385, it is the smallest town in Bulgaria, retaining its town status today for historical reasons. It is situated on the foothills of the [[Pirin]] mountain range and is overlooked by the [[Melnik Earth Pyramids]].
'''Melnik''' ({{langx|bg|Мелник}} {{IPA|bg|ˈmɛɫnik|}}, {{langx|el|Μελένικο}}, ''Meleniko'') [[List of cities and towns in Bulgaria|is a town]] in [[Blagoevgrad Province]], Southwestern [[Bulgaria]], in the Southwestern [[Pirin Mountains]], about 440 m above sea level. The town is an architectural reserve and 96 of its buildings are cultural monuments. With a population of 385, it is the smallest town in Bulgaria, retaining its town status today for historical reasons. It is situated on the foothills of the [[Pirin]] mountain range and is overlooked by the [[Melnik Earth Pyramids]].


==History==
==History==
Line 36: Line 37:
| first =Paul
| first =Paul
| title =Bulgaria
| title =Bulgaria
| url =https://archive.org/details/bulgaria00paul
| url-access =registration
| publisher =Lonely Planet
| publisher =Lonely Planet
| isbn =1-86450-148-0
| isbn =1-86450-148-0
| page =[https://archive.org/details/bulgaria00paul/page/137 137]
| page =137
| year =2002 }}</ref> Centuries later, the presence of the [[Ancient Rome|Romans]] left the town one of its landmarks&nbsp;— the [[Ancient Roman]] bridge, which is still preserved. The [[Slavs]] who later came in these parts named the settlement ''Melnik'' after the sand formations surrounding it on all sides (the [[Bulgarian language|Bulgarian word]] мел ''mel'' means "white clay, chalk").<ref name=Greenway/> Melnik became a part of the [[First Bulgarian Empire]] under the rule of [[Khan (title)|Khan]] [[Presian I of Bulgaria|Presian I]] (836-852) and prospered greatly in the period. Melnik became the capital of an independent feudal principality ruled by [[Despot (court title)|Despot]] [[Alexius Slav]], a descendant of the [[Asen dynasty]], in 1209, and passed through an economic and cultural upsurge during his reign. The town continued to flourish under [[Tsar]] [[Ivan Asen II of Bulgaria|Ivan Asen II]] because of the duty-free trade with [[Venetian Republic|Venetian]]-ruled [[Dubrovnik]].
| year =2002 }}</ref> Centuries later, the presence of the [[Ancient Rome|Romans]] left the town one of its landmarks&nbsp;— the [[Ancient Roman]] bridge, which is still preserved. The [[Slavs]] who later came in these parts named the settlement ''Melnik'' after the sand formations surrounding it on all sides (the [[Bulgarian language|Bulgarian word]] мел ''mel'' means "white clay, chalk").<ref name=Greenway/> Melnik became a part of the [[First Bulgarian Empire]] under the rule of [[Khan (title)|Khan]] [[Presian I of Bulgaria|Presian I]] (836-852) and prospered greatly in the period. Melnik became the capital of an independent feudal principality ruled by [[Despot (court title)|Despot]] [[Alexius Slav]], a descendant of the [[Asen dynasty]], in 1209, and passed through an economic and cultural upsurge during his reign. The town continued to flourish under [[Tsar]] [[Ivan Asen II of Bulgaria|Ivan Asen II]] because of the duty-free trade with [[Venetian Republic|Venetian]]-ruled [[Dubrovnik]].


Line 51: Line 54:
| isbn =0-906672-63-5
| isbn =0-906672-63-5
| page =234 }}</ref> with wine being exported abroad, mainly to [[England]] and [[Austria]]. In that time Melnik was also a centre of craftsmanship, particularly church decoration and woodcarving. Many Bulgarian schools and churches were built in Melnik in that period.
| page =234 }}</ref> with wine being exported abroad, mainly to [[England]] and [[Austria]]. In that time Melnik was also a centre of craftsmanship, particularly church decoration and woodcarving. Many Bulgarian schools and churches were built in Melnik in that period.
[[File:Greek School of Melnik.jpg|thumb|210px|A Greek school of Melnik]]
⚫
Melnik was taken by the [[Imperial Russian Army]] during the [[Russo-Turkish War of 1877-1878]], but was given back to the [[Ottoman Empire]] according to the [[Treaty of Berlin, 1878|Treaty of Berlin]]. The town was the centre of a ''[[qadaa|kaza]]'' in the [[Sanjak of Siroz]] as ''Menlik'' (or {{langx|el|Μελένικο}}, ''Meleniko'') until 1912. During the [[First Balkan War]], Melnik was ultimately liberated and became once again part of Bulgaria.<ref name="Greenway"/> In the late 18th century, the town had 1300 houses, seventy churches and a population of some 20,000 people, but a fire largely destroyed it.<ref name="Greenway"/> Since then it has been restored and rebuilt, and still, the current population of 400 is nowhere near the one from the beginning of the 20th century, when it primarily consisted of [[Greeks]], but also of [[Bulgarians]], [[Turkish people|Turks]], [[Vlachs]] and [[Romani people|Romani]].<ref>Editors Maria Couroucli, Tchavdar Marinov, Balkan Heritages: Negotiating History and Culture, Volume 1 of British School at Athens - Modern Greek and Byzantine Studies, Taylor & Francis, 2017, {{ISBN|1134800754}}, p. 83.</ref> Melnik is the subject of [[Yuri Trifonov]]'s short story "The Smallest Town on Earth" (1967). According to the statistics of [[Vasil Kanchov]] ("Macedonia, Ethnography and Statistics"), Melnik used to have 2.650 Greek [[Christianism|Christian]], 950 Turkish, 500 Bulgarian Christian, 200 Romani and 30 Vlach inhabitants in 1900.<ref>[[Vasil Kanchov|Kanchov, Vasil]], {{ URL | 1=http://www.promacedonia.org/vk/vk_2_45.htm | 2=Macedonia, Ethnography and Statistics }}, [[Sofia]], 1900, book 2, p. 18. Written as "Мелникъ". (in Bulgarian)</ref>


⚫
At the end of the Second Balkan War in 1913, the Greeks left Melnik and moved to Greece by the express orders of the Greek government; the order being given when it was known that Melnik was to be ceded to Bulgaria.<ref name="carnegie">{{Cite book | last1 =Carnegie Endowment for International peace | last2 =Division of Intercourse and Communication | title =REPORT OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMISSION To Inquire into the causes and Conduct OF THE BALKAN WARS | place =WASHINGTON, D.C. | publisher =PUBLISHED BY THE ENDOWMENT | year =1914 | volume =Publication No. 4 | url =https://archive.org/details/otherbalkanwars100inte | isbn =0-87003-032-9 | url-access =registration }}, pp. 202-204</ref> According to Bulgarian claims submitted to the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, some Bulgarian shops and houses were looted by retreating Greeks.<ref name="carnegie"/> The Greek population moved primarily to [[Sidirokastro]] and fewer settled in [[Serres, Greece|Serres]] and [[Thessaloniki]].
⚫
Melnik was taken by the [[Imperial Russian Army]] during the [[Russo-Turkish War of 1877-1878]], but was given back to the [[Ottoman Empire]] according to the [[Treaty of Berlin, 1878|Treaty of Berlin]]. The town was the centre of a ''[[qadaa|kaza]]'' in the [[Sanjak of Siroz]] as ''Menlik'' (or {{lang-el|Μελένικο}}, ''Meleniko'') until 1912. During the [[First Balkan War]], Melnik was ultimately liberated and became once again part of Bulgaria.<ref name="Greenway"/> In the late 18th century, the town had 1300 houses, seventy churches and a population of some 20,000 people, but a fire largely destroyed it.<ref name="Greenway"/> Since then it has been restored and rebuilt, and still, the current population of 400 is nowhere near the one from the beginning of the 20th century, when it primarily consisted of [[Greeks]], but also of [[Bulgarians]], [[Turkish people|Turks]], [[Vlachs]] and [[Romani people|Romani]].<ref>Editors Maria Couroucli, Tchavdar Marinov, Balkan Heritages: Negotiating History and Culture, Volume 1 of British School at Athens - Modern Greek and Byzantine Studies, Taylor & Francis, 2017, {{ISBN|1134800754}}, p. 83.</ref> Melnik is the subject of [[Yuri Trifonov]]'s short story "The Smallest Town on Earth" (1967). According to the statistics of [[Vasil Kanchov]] ("Macedonia, Ethnography and Statistics"), Melnik used to have 2.650 Greek [[Christianism|Christian]], 950 Turkish, 500 Bulgarian Christian, 200 Romani and 30 Vlach inhabitants in 1900.<ref>[[Vasil Kanchov|Kanchov, Vasil]], {{ URL | 1=http://www.promacedonia.org/vk/vk_2_45.htm | 2=Macedonia, Ethnography and Statistics }}, [[Sofia]], 1900, book 2, p. 18. Written as "Мелникъ". (in Bulgarian)</ref>

⚫
At the end of the Second Balkan War in 1913, the Greeks left Melnik and moved to Greece by the express orders of the Greek government; the order being given when it was known that Melnik was to remain Bulgarian.<ref name="carnegie">{{Cite book | last =Carnegie Endowment for International peace | first = | author-link = | last2 =Division of Intercourse and Communication | first2 = | author2-link = | title =REPORT OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMISSION To Inquire into the causes and Conduct OF THE BALKAN WARS | place =WASHINGTON, D.C. | publisher =PUBLISHED BY THE ENDOWMENT | year =1914 | volume =Publication No. 4 | edition = | url = | doi = | id = | isbn =0-87003-032-9 | postscript =<!--None--> }}, pp. 202-204</ref> According to Bulgarian claims submitted to the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, some Bulgarian shops and houses were looted by retreating Greeks.<ref name="carnegie"/> The Greek population moved primarily to [[Sidirokastro]] and fewer settled in [[Serres, Greece|Serres]] and [[Thessaloniki]].


{{wide image|Melnishkipiramidi.jpg|800px|Panoramic overview of Melnik}}
{{wide image|Melnishkipiramidi.jpg|800px|Panoramic overview of Melnik}}
Line 60: Line 63:
==Climate==
==Climate==


Melnik has a Mediterranean climate with hot summers and cold winters.
Melnik has a Mediterranean climate with hot summers and cool winters.


'''Climate table:'''
'''Climate table:'''
Line 80: Line 83:
|Dec high C = 7.5
|Dec high C = 7.5
|year high C = 20.8
|year high C = 20.8
|Jan mean C = 2.4
|Jan mean C = 2.6
|Feb mean C = 4.0
|Feb mean C = 4.2
|Mar mean C = 8.7
|Mar mean C = 8.7
|Apr mean C = 14.0
|Apr mean C = 14.1
|May mean C = 20.1
|May mean C = 20.1
|Jun mean C = 23.3
|Jun mean C = 23.3
|Jul mean C = 26.1
|Jul mean C = 26.2
|Aug mean C = 26.4
|Aug mean C = 26.1
|Sep mean C = 21.3
|Sep mean C = 21.3
|Oct mean C = 15.1
|Oct mean C = 15.2
|Nov mean C = 8.7
|Nov mean C = 8.7
|Dec mean C = 3.8
|Dec mean C = 3.8
|year mean C = 14.4
|year mean C = 14.6
|Jan low C = -1.7
|Jan low C = -1.7
|Feb low C = -0.8
|Feb low C = -0.8
Line 121: Line 124:
|year precipitation mm = 643
|year precipitation mm = 643


|source 1 = stringmeteo.com<ref>[http://www.stringmeteo.com/synop/bg_climate.php]</ref>{{Failed verification|date=November 2013}}
|source 1 = stringmeteo.com<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.stringmeteo.com/synop/bg_climate.php|title = Климатични данни » България}}</ref>{{Failed verification|date=November 2013}}
|source 2 = Hong Kong Observatory
|source 2 = Hong Kong Observatory
|date=August 2010
|date=August 2010
Line 128: Line 131:


==Sights and winemaking==
==Sights and winemaking==
The unique architecture of Melnik and the nearby [[Rozhen Monastery]] (located 6&nbsp;km northeast of Melnik) make it a popular tourist destination. In addition, the town has been famous for producing strong wine since at least 1346. The local wine from the varietal Broad Leave Melnik Vine was reportedly a favourite of [[Winston Churchill]]'s. Lately, the area of Melnik is enjoying a revival of vine growing and wine making. Several new, modern wineries have been built and operate ([[Villa Melnik Winery]], Sintika Winery, Orbelus, etc.), producing high quality wine from local and international varieties.
The unique architecture of Melnik and the nearby [[Rozhen Monastery]] (located 6&nbsp;km northeast of Melnik) make it a popular tourist destination. In addition, the town has been famous for producing strong wine since at least 1346. The local wine from the varietal Broad Leave Melnik Vine was reportedly a favourite of [[Winston Churchill]]'s. Lately, the area of Melnik is enjoying a revival of vine growing and wine making. Several new, modern wineries have been built and operate ([[Villa Melnik Winery]], Sintica Winery, Orbelus, etc.), producing high quality wine from local and international varieties.


Interesting architectural landmarks include the [[Byzantine House]], one of the oldest civilian buildings in the [[Balkans]] (built probably in the 12th or 13th century as a Bulgarian fortress), the [[Kordopulov House]] (named after the merchant Manolis Kordopulou to whom it once belonged), which also has one of the largest wine cellars in Melnik, the [[Pashov House]] (1815), which houses the [[Melnik History Museum|Historical Museum of Melnik]] and the [[Pasha's House]], built by Ibrahim [[Bey]], one of the richest beys in the region, during [[Ottoman Empire|Ottoman]] rule. Some of the old churches in the town worth visiting are [[Church of St Nicholas, Melnik|St Nicholas]] (built in the 13th century), SS Peter and Paul (1840), St Nicholas the [[Thaumaturge]] (1756) and St Anthony.
Interesting architectural landmarks include the [[Byzantine House]], one of the oldest civilian buildings in the [[Balkans]] (built probably in the 12th or 13th century as a Bulgarian fortress), the [[Kordopulov House]] (named after the merchant Manolis Kordopulou to whom it once belonged), which also has one of the largest wine cellars in Melnik, the [[Pashov House]] (1815), which houses the [[Melnik History Museum|Historical Museum of Melnik]] and the [[Pasha's House]], built by Ibrahim [[Bey]], one of the richest beys in the region, during [[Ottoman Empire|Ottoman]] rule. Some of the old churches in the town worth visiting are [[Church of St Nicholas, Melnik|St Nicholas]] (built in the 13th century), SS Peter and Paul (1840), St Nicholas the [[Thaumaturge]] (1756) and St Anthony.


The area around Melnik is strikingly eroded, particularly the enormous area of cliff that serves as a backdrop to the town. This area, covering some 17&nbsp;km² near Melnik, [[Kurlanovo]] and [[Rozhen, Bulgaria|Rozhen]], has been called the [[Melnik Earth Pyramids]] or Melnik Badlands. The hills in this area can rise up to {{convert|100|m|ft}} high.<ref name="readersnatural">{{Cite book|title=Natural Wonders of the World|publisher=Reader's Digest Association, Inc|year=1980|isbn=0-89577-087-3|editor-last=Scheffel|editor-first=Richard L.|location=United States of America|pages=243|quote=|editor-last2=Wernet|editor-first2=Susan J.|via=}}</ref> The unique formations, which can resemble giant [[mushroom]]s, ancient [[tower]]s, and [[obelisk]]s, were formed when heavy rain eroded the sand and clay the hills are composed of.<ref name="readersnatural" />
The area around Melnik is strikingly eroded, particularly the enormous area of cliff that serves as a backdrop to the town. This area, covering some 17&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup> near Melnik, [[Kurlanovo]] and [[Rozhen, Bulgaria|Rozhen]], has been called the [[Melnik Earth Pyramids]] or Melnik Badlands. The hills in this area can rise up to {{convert|100|m|ft}} high.<ref name="readersnatural">{{Cite book|title=Natural Wonders of the World|publisher=Reader's Digest Association, Inc|year=1980|isbn=0-89577-087-3|editor-last=Scheffel|editor-first=Richard L.|location=United States of America|pages=243|editor-last2=Wernet|editor-first2=Susan J.}}</ref> The unique formations, which can resemble giant [[mushroom]]s, ancient [[tower]]s, and [[obelisk]]s, were formed when heavy rain eroded the sand and clay the hills are composed of.<ref name="readersnatural" />


==Notable people==
==Notable people==
*[[Anastasios Polyzoidis]] a Greek politician and judicial official.
*[[Anastasios Polyzoidis]] a Greek politician and judicial official
*Manassis Iliadis a Greek scholar.
*[[Anastasios Christomanos]], Greek chemist
⚫
*[[Emanuil Vaskidovich]] a Bulgarian National Revival enlightener of Greek descent
*Petros Zanos a Greek politician and diplomat.
*[[Ilija Antonovic]] a Serbian merchant and a great benefactor
*Konstantinos Tsopros a Greek interpreter, lawyer and author.
*[[Ivan Anastasov]] an IMRO revolutionary of Greek descent
⚫
*[[Emanuil Vaskidovich]] a Bulgarian National Revival enlightener.


==Honours==
==Honours==
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==References==
==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
*{{cite book |last1=Kostova |first1=Elena |title=Medieval Melnik, from the End of the 12th Century to the End of the 14th Century: The Historical Vicissitudes of a Small Balkan Town |date=2013 |publisher=American Research Center in Sofia |location=Sofia |isbn=978-954-92571-3-7}}
*Nachev, Ivaylo (2015). [https://www.academia.edu/33699785/Melnik_after_1912_Social_and_Economic_Challenges_Facing_a_Border_Town_at_the_Time_of_Nation_States Melnik after 1912: social and economic challenges facing a border town at the time of nation states]. Etudes balkaniques, 1, 126-139


==External links==
==External links==
{{commons category|Melnik}}
{{Commons category|Melnik}}
*[https://archive.org/details/lamacdoineetsap01mishgoog D. M. Brancoff. La Macédoine et sa Population Chrétienne. Paris, 1905, 192–193]
*[https://archive.org/details/lamacdoineetsap01mishgoog D. M. Brancoff. La Macédoine et sa Population Chrétienne. Paris, 1905, 192–193]
* [http://www.doiserbia.nb.rs/img/doi/0584-9888/2010/0584-98881047247P.pdf Popovic, M. Die Siedlungsstruktur der Region Melnik in spätbyzantinischer und osmanischer Zeit. – Зборник радова Византолошког института, Т. 47 (2010), 247-276]
* [http://www.doiserbia.nb.rs/img/doi/0584-9888/2010/0584-98881047247P.pdf Popovic, M. Die Siedlungsstruktur der Region Melnik in spätbyzantinischer und osmanischer Zeit. – Зборник радова Византолошког института, Т. 47 (2010), 247-276]
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{{Cities of Bulgaria}}
{{Cities of Bulgaria}}
{{Sandanski}}
{{Sandanski}}
{{Authority control}}


[[Category:Towns in Bulgaria]]
[[Category:Towns in Bulgaria]]

Latest revision as of 21:51, 12 November 2024

For a town in the Czech Republic, see Mělník.
Melnik
Мелник
Town
Melnik is located in Bulgaria
Melnik
Melnik
Location of Melnik, Bulgaria
Coordinates: 41°31′N 23°24′E / 41.517°N 23.400°E / 41.517; 23.400
CountryBulgaria
Province
(Oblast)		Blagoevgrad
Government
 • MayorAtanas Petev (2015)
Elevation
437 m (1,434 ft)
Population
 (2008-06-16)
 • Total
385
Time zoneUTC+2 (EET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+3 (EEST)
Postal Code
2820
Area code07437

Melnik (Bulgarian: Мелник [ˈmɛɫnik], Greek: Μελένικο, Meleniko) is a town in Blagoevgrad Province, Southwestern Bulgaria, in the Southwestern Pirin Mountains, about 440 m above sea level. The town is an architectural reserve and 96 of its buildings are cultural monuments. With a population of 385, it is the smallest town in Bulgaria, retaining its town status today for historical reasons. It is situated on the foothills of the Pirin mountain range and is overlooked by the Melnik Earth Pyramids.

History

[edit]

According to archaeological evidence, the first to settle in the area were the Thracian tribe Medi to which the famous rebel Spartacus belonged.[1] Centuries later, the presence of the Romans left the town one of its landmarks — the Ancient Roman bridge, which is still preserved. The Slavs who later came in these parts named the settlement Melnik after the sand formations surrounding it on all sides (the Bulgarian word мел mel means "white clay, chalk").[1] Melnik became a part of the First Bulgarian Empire under the rule of Khan Presian I (836-852) and prospered greatly in the period. Melnik became the capital of an independent feudal principality ruled by Despot Alexius Slav, a descendant of the Asen dynasty, in 1209, and passed through an economic and cultural upsurge during his reign. The town continued to flourish under Tsar Ivan Asen II because of the duty-free trade with Venetian-ruled Dubrovnik.

Plan of the medieval fortress

The Ottoman conquest of the Balkans in the 14th-15th century resulted in a long period of decline, but Melnik was once again a thriving town in the 17th and 18th century, the time of the Bulgarian National Revival, due to the tobacco and wine production,[2] with wine being exported abroad, mainly to England and Austria. In that time Melnik was also a centre of craftsmanship, particularly church decoration and woodcarving. Many Bulgarian schools and churches were built in Melnik in that period.

A Greek school of Melnik

Melnik was taken by the Imperial Russian Army during the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-1878, but was given back to the Ottoman Empire according to the Treaty of Berlin. The town was the centre of a kaza in the Sanjak of Siroz as Menlik (or Greek: Μελένικο, Meleniko) until 1912. During the First Balkan War, Melnik was ultimately liberated and became once again part of Bulgaria.[1] In the late 18th century, the town had 1300 houses, seventy churches and a population of some 20,000 people, but a fire largely destroyed it.[1] Since then it has been restored and rebuilt, and still, the current population of 400 is nowhere near the one from the beginning of the 20th century, when it primarily consisted of Greeks, but also of Bulgarians, Turks, Vlachs and Romani.[3] Melnik is the subject of Yuri Trifonov's short story "The Smallest Town on Earth" (1967). According to the statistics of Vasil Kanchov ("Macedonia, Ethnography and Statistics"), Melnik used to have 2.650 Greek Christian, 950 Turkish, 500 Bulgarian Christian, 200 Romani and 30 Vlach inhabitants in 1900.[4]

At the end of the Second Balkan War in 1913, the Greeks left Melnik and moved to Greece by the express orders of the Greek government; the order being given when it was known that Melnik was to be ceded to Bulgaria.[5] According to Bulgarian claims submitted to the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, some Bulgarian shops and houses were looted by retreating Greeks.[5] The Greek population moved primarily to Sidirokastro and fewer settled in Serres and Thessaloniki.

Panoramic overview of Melnik

Climate

[edit]

Melnik has a Mediterranean climate with hot summers and cool winters.

Climate table:

Climate data for Melnik
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 6.5
(43.7) 		8.8
(47.8) 		14.5
(58.1) 		20.9
(69.6) 		26.5
(79.7) 		31.2
(88.2) 		34.3
(93.7) 		34.7
(94.5) 		28.4
(83.1) 		21.5
(70.7) 		14.6
(58.3) 		7.5
(45.5) 		20.8
(69.4)
Daily mean °C (°F) 2.6
(36.7) 		4.2
(39.6) 		8.7
(47.7) 		14.1
(57.4) 		20.1
(68.2) 		23.3
(73.9) 		26.2
(79.2) 		26.1
(79.0) 		21.3
(70.3) 		15.2
(59.4) 		8.7
(47.7) 		3.8
(38.8) 		14.6
(58.3)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) −1.7
(28.9) 		−0.8
(30.6) 		2.8
(37.0) 		7.1
(44.8) 		12.7
(54.9) 		15.6
(60.1) 		17.8
(64.0) 		18.0
(64.4) 		14.1
(57.4) 		8.7
(47.7) 		3.8
(38.8) 		0.1
(32.2) 		8.1
(46.6)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 58
(2.3) 		49
(1.9) 		49
(1.9) 		54
(2.1) 		62
(2.4) 		59
(2.3) 		29
(1.1) 		21
(0.8) 		40
(1.6) 		54
(2.1) 		77
(3.0) 		63
(2.5) 		643
(25.3)
Source 1: stringmeteo.com[6][failed verification]
Source 2: Hong Kong Observatory

Sights and winemaking

[edit]

The unique architecture of Melnik and the nearby Rozhen Monastery (located 6 km northeast of Melnik) make it a popular tourist destination. In addition, the town has been famous for producing strong wine since at least 1346. The local wine from the varietal Broad Leave Melnik Vine was reportedly a favourite of Winston Churchill's. Lately, the area of Melnik is enjoying a revival of vine growing and wine making. Several new, modern wineries have been built and operate (Villa Melnik Winery, Sintica Winery, Orbelus, etc.), producing high quality wine from local and international varieties.

Interesting architectural landmarks include the Byzantine House, one of the oldest civilian buildings in the Balkans (built probably in the 12th or 13th century as a Bulgarian fortress), the Kordopulov House (named after the merchant Manolis Kordopulou to whom it once belonged), which also has one of the largest wine cellars in Melnik, the Pashov House (1815), which houses the Historical Museum of Melnik and the Pasha's House, built by Ibrahim Bey, one of the richest beys in the region, during Ottoman rule. Some of the old churches in the town worth visiting are St Nicholas (built in the 13th century), SS Peter and Paul (1840), St Nicholas the Thaumaturge (1756) and St Anthony.

The area around Melnik is strikingly eroded, particularly the enormous area of cliff that serves as a backdrop to the town. This area, covering some 17 km2 near Melnik, Kurlanovo and Rozhen, has been called the Melnik Earth Pyramids or Melnik Badlands. The hills in this area can rise up to 100 metres (330 ft) high.[7] The unique formations, which can resemble giant mushrooms, ancient towers, and obelisks, were formed when heavy rain eroded the sand and clay the hills are composed of.[7]

Notable people

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Honours

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Melnik Ridge[8] and its summit Melnik Peak[9] on Livingston Island in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica are named for Melnik.

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  • Overview
    Overview
  • The Kordopulov House in winter
    The Kordopulov House in winter
  • The famous sand pyramids
    The famous sand pyramids
  • The Ottoman konak
    The Ottoman konak
  • Basilica of St Anthony (1765)
    Basilica of St Anthony (1765)
  • The Byzantine House (12th–13th century)
    The Byzantine House (12th–13th century)
  • Ruins of the St Nicholas Church
    Ruins of the St Nicholas Church
  • Despot Slav's Fortress
    Despot Slav's Fortress
  • View of Melnik
    View of Melnik

References

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  1. ^ a b c d Greenway, Paul (2002). Bulgaria. Lonely Planet. p. 137. ISBN 1-86450-148-0.
  2. ^ Ward, Philip (1987). Travels in Oman: On the Track of the Early Explorers. The Oleander Press. p. 234. ISBN 0-906672-63-5.
  3. ^ Editors Maria Couroucli, Tchavdar Marinov, Balkan Heritages: Negotiating History and Culture, Volume 1 of British School at Athens - Modern Greek and Byzantine Studies, Taylor & Francis, 2017, ISBN 1134800754, p. 83.
  4. ^ Kanchov, Vasil, Macedonia, Ethnography and Statistics, Sofia, 1900, book 2, p. 18. Written as "Мелникъ". (in Bulgarian)
  5. ^ a b Carnegie Endowment for International peace; Division of Intercourse and Communication (1914). REPORT OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMISSION To Inquire into the causes and Conduct OF THE BALKAN WARS. Vol. Publication No. 4. WASHINGTON, D.C.: PUBLISHED BY THE ENDOWMENT. ISBN 0-87003-032-9., pp. 202-204
  6. ^ "Климатични данни » България".
  7. ^ a b Scheffel, Richard L.; Wernet, Susan J., eds. (1980). Natural Wonders of the World. United States of America: Reader's Digest Association, Inc. p. 243. ISBN 0-89577-087-3.
  8. ^ Melnik Ridge. SCAR Composite Gazetteer of Antarctica.
  9. ^ Melnik Peak. SCAR Composite Gazetteer of Antarctica.

Further reading

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