Assenovgrad is 200 km elevated above sea level in the western part of the Thracian lowland, in the foot of the Rhodope Mountain.It is 19 km distant in south from Plovdiv, 82 km in north from Smolyan and 165 km in south east from Sofia. The population is about 58000 people

In the outlying lands of Assenovgrad are found a lot of Thracian mounds. In the past the town was called “Stanimaka” which means “defense of a pass” and there was built a fortress with strategic significance in the Middle Ages. Later ,during the kingdom of Ivan Asen II it was enlarged and accepted the name Asen’s fortress. The town was renamed to Assenovgrad. The fortress is 2 km distant from the town, on the road to Smolyan. In the area there is an ancient church – “St. Virgin Mary of Petrich” and a glorious view of the town.

Nowadays Assenovgrad is world-renowned as a wine-grower. The wonderful red wine with a superb taste, called Mavrud, is produced only in this region and Assenovgrad is famous all over the world with it.

In the town there are several interesting museums: the Historical Museum, the Paleontology Museum, the Ethnographic Museum and the Museum of viticulture.

In the surroundings are erected many churches, chapels and monasteries. The most impressive are the Monasteries of Bachkovo and Arapovo.

45 km distant in south is Krastova gora (Cross forest). People believe that if someone is sick and spend the night there it is absolutely possible he to regain his health. Other legend recounts that a part of the Christ’s cross has been buried there.

The world famous reserve “The red wall” is located 8 km away from Assenovgrad.

Assenovgrad is a quiet town where you could find hospitable hotels, restaurants and taverns.

The cirque of the Seven Rila Lakes is the largest in all of Rila Mountain. It is centered East of Haidyta Peak (also known as Hermit Peak) and South of the steap rock slopes of Razdela Ridge and Otovishka Peak, found to the West of the peak directly above Kidney lake. The cirque opens to the North and feeds the German River, which is a main source of the Stryma River. The lakes of the cirque are found at differing altitudes and appear like large footprints or steps leading up the mountain. They are the most picturesque and visited group of lakes in Rila Mountain. They are all named according to their shapes and officially numbered from the top to the bottom. The entire area is maintained within the boundaries of Rila National Park.

The Seven Rila Lakes is an extremely sensitive and wonderous spot on Rila Mountain. Many of its species are endemic and listed in the Red Data Book of Flora and Fauna, which denotes them as endangered or rare.

The first lake – ‘”The Tear ‘” is the highest of the Rila Lakes. It is found at 2535 meters above sea level and has an area of .7 hectares. It is 4.5 meters at its deepest.

The 2nd – ‘”The Eye’” is found at 2440 meters above sea level and has an area of 6.8 hectares. It is the deepest of the lakes with a depth of 37.5 meters.

The 3rd – ‘”The Kidney’” is at an altitude of 2282 meters above sea level and has an area of 8.5 hectares. It is 28 meters at its deepest.

The 4th – ‘”The Twins’” are actually one lake nearly split into two. They are at 2243 meters above sea level and is the largest and longest of the lakes. It has an area of 9.1 hectares and a depth of 27.5 meters.

The 5th – ‘”Three-Lobed Lake’” has an irregular shape and steep banks and is found at 2216 meters above sea level. It is 6.5 meters deep and has a total area of 2.6 hectares.

The 6th – ‘”The Fish Lake’” is found at 2184 meters above seal level and has an area of 3.5 hectares. It is the shallowest of the lakes at 2.5 meters. The 7 Lakes Lodge is found at its most Northern bank.

The 7th – ‘”The Low Lake’” is at 2095 meteres above sea level, has an area of 5.9 hectares and is 11 meters dee

ABOUT THE TOWN OF MEZDRA
The town of Mezdra (13 502 inhabitants, 230 meters above the sea level) is spread out amphitheatrically along the left bank of the Iskar River where it leaves the Balkan Iskar gorge. It is located 100 km northeast of Sofia, 85 km southeast of Montana, 17 km southeast of Vratsa and 40 km northwest of Botevgrad.

HISTORY
Mezdra has inherited an ancient culture. Remains from the ancient Stone-copper age and the Thracian period were found there. During the Roman Empire there was a big town with a castle on the rocks up above the Iskar River (remains of it can still be seen south of the railway station, in the Kaleto place). It protected the roads to Sofia, Vratsa and Montana. The town declined with the fall of the Roman Empire. During the Bulgarian Middle ages the settlement was recovered, but only to be burned to ashes by the Turkish invaders in 1393. A Turkish document dating back from the 15 century marked the place as Mezra Torbaritsa, meaning “empty bag”. The life in the village revived during the 18 century, yet it remained small and insignificant.
Immediately after the Liberation (1878) there were only about 20 houses in Mezdra and the total of 86 inhabitants. When the railway from Sofia to Varna was constructed in 1897 the village started its rapid development and with the construction of the railway Mezdra – Vratsa – Lom in 1923 it turned into an important distribution point for this part of the country. The village was proclaimed a town in 1950.

LANDMARKS
The “Kaleto” fortress is located south of the railway station. The archaeologists have found out that the foundations of the fortress are of Roman origin and the very wall dates back from the ancient Bulgarian period. These are the best-preserved ancient ruins within the area. The fortress is only 15 minutes walk from the center of Mezdra. The art gallery in the town possesses a rich collection of masterpieces of art, among which one can see some original sculptures of Prof. Ivan Funev.

TRANSPORT
The town has well-developed bus and railway connections with the surrounding smaller towns and villages.

SURROUNDING AREAS
Near the town of Mezdra one can visit the Iskar Gorge, National Park “Hristo Botev” and the Strupeshki Monastery “Prophet Ilia”.

One of the underground palaces in the Rhodope mountains is the “Uhlovitsa” cave. It is located at the distance of 3 km. to the northeast of Mogilitsa village, 37 km away from Pamporovo and 47 km from Chepelare. It is one of the oldest caves in the region and is with very beautiful “dendrite” formation, which look like sea corals. There are really beautiful coralities and helictites, formed by the centuries. There are and 7 incredible lakes at the end of the cave. In the spring they are filled with water. In the summer you can enjoy the magnificent view around the biggest lake, because of the stone spurts of the brilliant summer waterfall. The “Uhlovitsa” cave is settled at 1040 meters above the sea level, and the temperature in the cave through the whole year is 10-11 degrees. The road to the cave is one big challenge, but you must take it, because that is the only way to sea the magnificent beauty of the cave.