Precis on the Beautiful Pirin National Park

The Pirin National Park is in southwest Bulgaria, in the Pirin Mountains. Gotse Delchev, Bansko, Razlog, Simitli, Strumyani, Sandanski, and Kresna are the seven municipalities in the Blagoevgrad area that make up the park. It was called the Vihren Nature Reserve when Pirin National Park was formed in 1962. It spanned 6,212 acres at the time and included the highest summits in the Vihren and Demyanishka areas. The park’s site has grown dramatically over the years, covering 40,000 decares currently. Read the full article to understand the history of the Pirin National Park or the Vihren National Park and Blagoevgrad Province.

History of Pirin National Park

Perun, the god of Slavic mythology, was said to have dwelt there. Thunder was thrown above the Earth or over humanity by a petulant god with a bad temper whose primary job was to be upset with the human race. As a result, it was given the names Perun and Pirin by various Slavic tribes. The Pirin were known as the Orbelus Mountains (or Orbel) by the Thracians (old settlement tribe of modern-day Bulgaria). Pirin’s name is thought to be derived primarily from the god Perun in Bulgarian folklore. However, according to academic Vladimir Georgiev, the name the Pirin is derived from the Thrace word “perintos,” which means “rock,” and the Hittite word “punish.” Yulen and Bayuvi Dupki–Dzhindzhiritsa are two natural reserves inside Pirin National Park’s limits. Bayu Dupki–Dzhindzhiritsa is one of Bulgaria’s earliest biosphere reserves, created in 1934.

Flora and Fauna at Vihren National Park

Due to considerable altitude variation and southern geographic latitude, the park’s flora is diversified and marked by high endemism. The Pirin National Park’s variable topography produces a variety of ecological conditions for plants, which are further diversified by the principal rock types that compose siliceous and calcareous terrain. Lakes and streams also create wetland habitats for hydrophyte species by diversifying the environment.

Plant life sustains various animals, including over 2,000 fish, invertebrates, and over 200 vertebrate species. The European tree frog, also known as Hyla Arborea, and the Eastern Hermann’s tortoise, i.e., Testudo Hermanni, are among them, and both are listed in The Red Book, a global list of extinction. One hundred fifty-nine bird species have been reported inside the park’s boundaries, accounting for around 40% of all bird species throughout Bulgaria. Bayuvki Dupki, Vihren, Sinanitsa, Bezbog, and Kamenitsa are the regions that make up the park, with the Three Rivers area being one of them.

Blagoevgrad Province

Blagoevgrad Province, often named Bulgarian Macedonia or Pirin Macedonia, is a southwestern Bulgarian province (oblast). To the north and east, it has boundaries with four other Bulgarian areas, the Greek region of North Macedonia to the west and Macedonia to the south. The province is divided into 14 municipalities, each with 12 towns. Blagoevgrad is the country’s capital. In the south, the climate shifts from moderate continental to the Mediterranean. Timber, natural springs, coal, and construction materials such as marble and granite are examples of natural resources. 

Both attractive and well-preserved natural environments are often regarded as a valuable resource. Biodiversity is protected in several protected areas and national parks. Arable land accounts for 38.8% of the province’s acreage, while woodland accounts for 52%. Blagoevgrad, the provincial capital, has a library with 345,000 books, a theatre, and an opera theatre. Bansko, Blagoevgrad, and Sandanski all have art galleries. Throughout the province, there are numerous tiny cultural institutes known as Chitalishte. 

The Pirin State Group is the most well-known among the innumerable folklore and musical bands. Ten museums are dedicated to preserving the province’s rich historical, ethnographic, and archaeological legacy in the area. The Theatre Festival in Blagoevgrad, the Melnik Evenings of Poetry, and the Jazz Festival in Bansko are cultural events.

Conclusion

UNESCO has designated the park as a World Heritage Site since 1983. It is part of the UNESCO Biosphere and Man Programme’s World Network of Biosphere Reserves. The Mesta River and the Struma River are two critical rivers with population centres in their valleys, serving as major transportation corridors in the Blagoevgrad Province. As an anecdote, the pine “Baykusheva Mura” in the park is Bulgaria’s oldest tree, dating back over 1.300 years. In this article, we have discussed the Pirin National Park or the Vihren National Park and explored various facts about the history of Blagoevgrad Province.