250size50.jpgPetrich is situated at the northern foot of Belasitsa Mountain, 86 km south of Blagoevgrad. It is a balneological resort at an altitude of some 200 m. The population of Petrich is 28 000.

Petrich is a city where one can find everything: mountain ranges, fields, a river, a centuries-long history as well as culture. But it also possesses something unique: the fascination of southern Bulgaria, the spirit of Baba Vanga – the diviner – and the nostalgia after the ancient folk songs.

Petrich is a fine starting point for short outings to interesting sights.

The town was included in the Bulgarian territory under Knyaz Boris I (852-889). In the Middle Ages it was a significant Bulgarian fortress. Upon the Liberation of Bulgaria in 1878 the district of Petrich remained under Turkish domination in accordance with the Berlin Treaty and was liberated during the Balkan Wars of 1912-1913. The Church of the Holy Virgin dates back to 1857.

The Samouil fortress is be found 15 km west of Petrich, near the village of Klyuch. Built in the reign of Tsar Samouil (997-1014) it was part of the defence system of the Bulgarian state. The Fortress was Demolished in 1014 at the time by Emperor Basil II named Bulgaroctone. The remains of the fortress are included in a park-museum built in 1982.

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