CONTENT:

1. To the reader

2. Where is Momchilovtsi…

3. Infrastructure of the village

4. Why in Momchilovtsi…

5. About the past…

6. The nature…

7. The power of the spirit…

8. The culture…

9. Tourism…

10. Useful information

· 1. Dear reader,

This small book was made for all the people that love the nature and being in harmony with it. It’s made for those who want to touch the traditions and the every day life of the Rodopi people.

If you want to discover yourself, to run away even for a day from the big city noise and the vanity – read about this small heaven on Earth. It’s a place where everyone bows down before the nature majesty and the marvelous beauty takes your breath away.

The village called Momchilovtsi, is huddled up in the foot of the Rodopi mountain. It has preserved the ancient traditions of the Christian religion and culture. Here you will find the desired cozy, secure and calm atmosphere. When you are leaving you will take with you the memory of the days spent in this small oasis and there will always be a special place in your heart for this small lovely Rodopi village called Momchilovtsi.

· 2. Where is Momchilovtsi…

The village is situated just 80 km from the International Plovdiv airport, 14 km northwards from Smolian and 12 km eastwards from the world famous ski-resorts Pamporovo and Chepelare.

The turn off from the main road Plovdiv – Smolian (via Rozhen) is at the village Sokolovci. The Rodopi village is placed high in the mountain – 3km up the river Biala. The altitude of the village is about 1070-1280 m. The place is preferred by people with respiratory and bronchial problems because of the ancient pine wood near by. In radius up to 10 km, there is a snowboard park, the National observatory and the historical place called “Haidushki poliani”. The balneology center “Banite” is 25 km away and it is popular with its open-air hot mineral spring, with water temperature from 43^oC. This water heals wide range of articulation, nerve and interior pains.

· 3. Infrastructure of the village:

Momchilovtsi has the main infrastructure: roads - 15 km that are very well maintained in the winter. The village has central water-supply, triple automatic electricity, central sewerage, new digital grounds and roads system. The houses in the village are 550, and the families - 700. 17 % from the 1750 population are young people – age up to 18. There is a new medical center, commercial buildings, restaurants, a beautiful Municipality building (where the central post is situated), a museum with a large ethnographic exposition and an art gallery. In the center of the village you will find the ancient orthodox temple, and in the surroundings there are 24 solicitously supported chapels.

· 4. Why in Momchilovtsi …

Because here, your senses will be fed up with tints, songs, babbles of the mountain streams, clinking of the silver chanove, crystal clear water and sparkling sun.

Because here the summer is shiny and cool and the winter is soft and incredibly beautiful.

You will be fascinated by the intoxicating aroma of the flowers, by the magic of the autumn nuances and the white silence of the winter.

Here the people are proud with their village and they love it. They will offer you their home coziness and the atmosphere of the village life. They will welcome you with a fair “Welcome” – said from the heart. And may be here it will be the place of your new home, the place that you need just now, a home – full with the coziness, the comfort and the positive energy of this ancient country area.

· 5. The past

The history of the village lays down centuries ago. In its surroundings there were found many archeological valuables: tools, ornaments and other objects from the time of the Traci, the Roman and the Slavs civilizations – a proof of the continuous life in the area from the Bronze Age till now. Gorno Derekyoi was the name of the village in the 15-17 century, when the Rodopi area was under Muslim pressure. Momchilovtsi was one of the few villages in the Rodopi Mountain that had preserved the Christianity and the Bulgarian language. Momchilovtsi was named after the young man Momchil who was the defender of the local people.

Because of the lack of fat land, a lot of crafts like fishing, construction and tailor were developed. In the winter, men practiced them at the cost of and in the islands in the Aegean Sea and in the Small Asia. In the summer they came back to their families and they applied their knowledge in their agriculture work.

The history of the village was described by the late priest Konstantin Kanev in “The Histori of Momchilovtsi”, which is full with interesting facts, past stories and tales.

· 6. The nature…

You can not even imagine so much beauty in one place!

If you could just look for a second at the nature, you will never be able to forget this feeling of quietness and weakness in front of the Nature’s perfection. In the spring the flowers blossom first here, the summer is the most beautiful in this part of the mountain, the autumn is soft and incredibly beautiful, and the winter is long and white, combined with the most charming snowflakes dance. The lovers of the winter sports could feel here the full fusion with the nature, the sparkles cracking in the fireplace, the unforgettable feeling of infinity.

It is so beautiful that you want to absorb every little detail and take it everyway with you!

· 7. The power of the spirit…

Around Momchilovtsi, there are 24 well maintained chapels placed in a circle like a “fire ring”, which according to the legend protects the people from the evil and the diseases. South from the peak St. Ilia, hidden in the pine wood it’s the “Ajazmoto” – a place where many believers had received their healing. Here is one of the sories:

In 1908, on 15th of August (the day of the Mother of God) the family of Atanas and Velika Draganovi arrived in the Bachkovo Monastery to look for a cure for the sterility. The true believers stayed in the monastery for the night and after that they made a tour around the close chapels “Bachkovo ajazmo” and “Kluviata”. During this period the woman had all the pregnancy symptoms. One year passed but she still did not give a birth to a child. Then the family went to the famous clairvoyant Korteza, who is recognized by the Bulgarian Orthodox Church. She just nod with her head and said: “Woman, you are not pregnant! You are sick! Go back to your village. There is a lawn with a stone right above it. Dig there for the glory of God and healing water will spring. Drink from the holly water and let the priest bless this place. Make a small chapel that will heal every suffering man.”

The family went back and made everything as Korteza told them to do. The spring was blessed and even today it helps many believers and sick. As the old tradition prescribes, in the evening of the George’s Day – the 5th of May – many Christians visit this place. They pray, they light a candle and they wash their faces with this water. After that they take some back to their homes to bring health and happiness.

· 8. The culture…

While staying in Momchiovtsi, you will discover the mastership of the Rodopi people, the true spirit and the culture of these diligent, dedicated and strongly believing people. You will admire the skills of the amateur groups, the gift of the bagpipers and the dancers. Once you are here don’t miss the local Rodpi potatoes, the pine honey, the

wild wood strawberries and blackberries, the specialties: katmi, patatnik, klin, srmi, cheverme. All these are made with a lot of skills and love.

For the organization of the fairs and the customs the biggest