Devin

Devin municipality is located at the southwestern part of the Rhodope Mountains along the river Vacha. The relief of the municipality is mountainous, with steep and huge slopes and deep valleys and high ridges. The climate is transcontinental with low summer temperatures and regular rains.

The municipal center, the town of Devin, is located on the two banks of Devin River, in a small hilly valley in the heart of the Western Rhodopes. It is 196 km southeast from Sofia.

In Thracian times there was a settlement in that place. It was called  “Diove”, but the Slavs gave it the name “Dyovlen”, which probably means  “hollow”.

The municipality is rich in water resources: karst springs, rivers, dams, and also hot springs with water temperatures from 16 to 76 ° С. There are several springs like “Bedenski bani” near the village of Breze, the town of Devin – water with very good properties. In Mihalkovo springs the water is naturally carbonated.

Following the opposite direction of Vacha river, you reach the connection between the two smaller rivers which form it – Trigradska and Buynovska. For millions of years, both of them have carved fantastic canyons with two magnificent caves for each one. The right inflow is the Trigrad River, which has created the famous Trigrad Gorge, that is made of marble and is several kilometers long. Before entering it, the river falls into the Devil’s Throat, an incredible cave where the water forms over 1800 underground waterfalls, and then, passing through the enormous Yelling Hall, it enters the canyon.

Walking two hours along the river you reach the ruins of the Caurish Fortress – an old, inaccessible Bulgarian fortress (built in VIII-X century). From there the trail continues along the entire gorge (15 km), passes by Minaretash – a vertical cliff on the left bank of the river, with a diameter of 30 m and a height of 150 m, reaching the famous Kemer Bridge.

The area of ​​Devin is extremely rich in natural sites and attractions – gorges, caves, rock formations, protected areas and nature reserves. Interesting landmarks in the area are: Trigrad Gorge, Devil’s Throat cave and Yagodinska Cave.

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