Dzhanka (, "damson") is a village in
Krumovgrad municipality,
Kardzhali Province
Kardzhali Province () is a province of southern Bulgaria, neighbouring Greece with the Greek regional units of Xanthi, Rhodope, and Evros to the south and east. It is 3209.1 km2 in area. Its main city is Kardzhali. It is Bulgaria's sout ...
in the very south of
Bulgaria
Bulgaria, officially the Republic of Bulgaria, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the eastern portion of the Balkans directly south of the Danube river and west of the Black Sea. Bulgaria is bordered by Greece and Turkey t ...
, located in the
Eastern Rhodopes
The Rhodopes (; , ; , ''Rodopi''; ) are a mountain range in Southeastern Europe, and the largest by area in Bulgaria, with over 83% of its area in the southern part of the country and the remainder in Greece. Golyam Perelik is its highest peak ...
. The majority of its population consists of
ethnic Turks
Turks (), or Turkish people, are the largest Turkic ethnic group, comprising the majority of the population of Turkey and Northern Cyprus. They generally speak the various Turkish dialects. In addition, centuries-old ethnic Turkish communiti ...
.
the village's population is 118 and the mayor is Hamdi Hasan. It lies at at 298 m above sea level.
Landmarks
In the neighboring village of Kovil, about 5 km (3 miles) south of Dzhanka, an old
Thracian
The Thracians (; ; ) were an Indo-European speaking people who inhabited large parts of Southeast Europe in ancient history.. "The Thracians were an Indo-European people who occupied the area that today is shared between north-eastern Greece, ...
site from the late
Bronze
Bronze is an alloy consisting primarily of copper, commonly with about 12–12.5% tin and often with the addition of other metals (including aluminium, manganese, nickel, or zinc) and sometimes non-metals (such as phosphorus) or metalloid ...
and early
Iron Age
The Iron Age () is the final epoch of the three historical Metal Ages, after the Chalcolithic and Bronze Age. It has also been considered as the final age of the three-age division starting with prehistory (before recorded history) and progre ...
is present. This sanctuary is set among white volcanic rocks on a rocky ridge. Many of the rocks have been carved with various features used for religious activities.
Dzhanka has a historical rock tomb in its center. This tomb, cut into white volcanic rock, stands out from the surrounding land. It has a roughly shaped entrance leading to a burial chamber with a trapezoidal layout. There was once a narrow entrance connecting both parts, but only remnants remain.
In the Dzhanka area, a common tourist attraction is known simply as "The Waterfall," being a natural landmark and the tallest waterfall in the
Kardzhali
Kardzhali ( , ''Kărdžali''; ), sometimes spelt Kardžali or Kurdzhali, is List of cities and towns in Bulgaria, a town in the Eastern Rhodopes in Bulgaria, centre of Kardzhali Municipality and Kardzhali Province. The noted Kardzhali Reservoir is ...
protected region. This waterfall is 25 meters high and is a prominent feature of the Dushan Dere River.
Just outside the village, in Kalvacha area, eleven rock niches carved into the west side of a cliff can be seen. These niches are high up on the right side of a ravine and are hard to reach when the ravine has water. They are visible from the main road that runs over the village.
[{{cite web , title=The village of Dzhanka , url=https://m.mirela.bg/en/off-plan-properties/village-of-Dzhanka-zxc33q3125.html , website=USEFUL INFORMATION ABOUT ALL CITIES, VILLAGES AND RESORTS IN BULGARIA , publisher=Mirela.bg , access-date=5 August 2024]
Images
Image:Panoram-around-Dzhanka-village-05.jpg, Around Dzhanka village
Image:Panoram-around-Dzhanka-village-08.jpg, Around Dzhanka village
Image:Turkeys in Dzhanka imagesfrombulgariacom.JPG, Turkeys in Dzhanka village
References
Villages in Kardzhali Province