Madzharovo is a town in Southern Bulgaria. It is located in Haskovo Province, near Arda river. The town is the administrative center of the Municipality of Madzharovo. This is the smallest town in Bulgaria, after Melnik. The village’s name was Yatadzik until 1912 when it was renamed to Dupnitsa. In 1959, in recognition of the great thracian voyvoda Dimitar Madjarov, the village was renamed Madjarovo.
In the town of Madzharovo the Historical-Ethnographic Exposition can be visited, which presents the traditions and history of the Thracian population from the Eastern Rhodopes, as well as the life and culture of the inhabitants of Aegean Thrace, whose successors are the modern inhabitants of the region.
The Kovan Kaya area is located near the town of Madzharovo. The road passes along wonderful rock formations where the Arda River has formed a canyon with many beautiful curves. The view from Kovan Kaya is wonderful. In the rocky volcanic niches,there are nests of Griffon and Egyptian vultures, black storks, as well as many southern species such as blue rock thrush and rock bayonet. World-threatened terrestrial tortoises are also presented.
The protected area of Madzharovo is located in the Eastern Rhodopes, 55 km southeast from the town of Haskovo. The area covers part of the deep, narrow valley of Arda river, surrounded by mountain slopes and cliffs. It has been declared a protected area under the Birds Directive and rock climbing, delta and paragliding during the breeding season, from 1 March to 31 July, is forbidden.
The Eastern Rhodopes Nature Conservation Center works for the conservation of nature in the Eastern Rhodopes and is a regional structure of the Bulgarian community for the Protection of Birds. The organization has wide public support and is the leader in the conservation of wild birds and their habitats. In the building of the Nature Conservation Center is the only Balkan interactive exhibition on the life of the vultures.