Melnik

Posted: Mar 11, 2022 | Updated: Mar 21, 2023

Modern Melnik is a beautiful little town with a population of less than 400 people (as of 2008), and unsurprisingly is the smallest town in Bulgaria, only retaining its town status due to historical reasons. It is situated near the Greek border on the southern foothills of the Pirin mountains, and if you draw a line north to Bansko, the line will cross Pirin National Park and be not far from intersecting with Vihren mountain, the destination for winter sports enthusiasts based in the year round resort of Bansko.

Up to the 14th century Melnik was a thriving town but the Ottoman conquest of the Balkans in the 14th to 15th century resulted in a period of decline, only halting in the 17th and 18th century due to tobacco and wine production.

In the late 18th century Melnik had a population of 20,000 people but the 1765 fire that largely destroyed it led to drastic depopulation. With rebuilding the population rose to about 4,300 by 1900, the majority of whom being Greek.

At the end of the Second Balkan War in 1913, Melnik was ceded to Bulgaria, a consequence being the Greek population leaving for Greece. Due to its former size and history many buildings are designated as cultural monuments.

The Highlights

Rozhen Monastery a well preserved medieval monastery which evokes mental images of Orthodoxy and Byzantium.
Kordopulov House built in 1754 and now a museum in traditional Bulgarian style. The walk up to the house takes you through streets lined with traditional buildings.

Posted: Aug 11, 2010 | Updated: Mar 14, 2022

Wine and monasteries

Only 1.5 hours away, a day trip to Melnik is one of the easily doable excursions available if you are staying in Bansko. With eye catching architecture, Melnik's main attractions are to the wineries and nearby Rozhen Monastery of the Nativity of the Mother of God, a well preserved medieval Bulgarian monastery. We set off in the early morning and our driver woke us when we got to Melnik and the environs. He first took us to the monastery first which is a few kilometers outside of Melnik.

This was a bit of an opportunity lost and I should have investigated the area first and arranged a pick up time at the end of the day rather than be on the driver's timetable. Once we were in Melnik we were driven in and allowed to walk the short but scenic route to Kordopulov House. After that it would have been nice to have been given time to just wander the narrow streets of this beautiful town. In fact there are walking trails in the area which if you staying in Melnik for a day or two would be great to follow.

The earliest archaeological evidence of life at the Rozhen Monastery is a grave with a few coins from the time of Byzantine Emperor Michael VIII Palaiologos (1259–1282). Other remains date as far back as the 13th or 14th century. A number of frescos are well preserved despite devastation by fire in the years between 1662 and 1674. Major reconstruction finished in 1732. The paintings we see today date as far back as 1597 and the frescos in the photos date to then and 1611.

Kordopulov House was built in 1754 for the business of wine production and consists of a wine cellar as well as floors for habitation. Kordopulov House is now a museum decked out in traditional Bulgarian style.