
The Rhodopes (; , ; , ''Rodopi''; ) are a mountain range in
Southeastern Europe
Southeast Europe or Southeastern Europe is a geographical sub-region of Europe, consisting primarily of the region of the Balkans, as well as adjacent regions and Archipelago, archipelagos. There are overlapping and conflicting definitions of t ...
, and the largest by area in
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 ...
, with over 83% of its area in the southern part of the country and the remainder in
Greece
Greece, officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. Located on the southern tip of the Balkan peninsula, it shares land borders with Albania to the northwest, North Macedonia and Bulgaria to the north, and Turkey to th ...
.
Golyam Perelik is its highest peak at . The mountain range gives its name to the terrestrial
ecoregion
An ecoregion (ecological region) is an ecological and geographic area that exists on multiple different levels, defined by type, quality, and quantity of environmental resources. Ecoregions cover relatively large areas of land or water, and c ...
Rodope montane mixed forests that belongs in the
temperate broadleaf and mixed forests biome
A biome () is a distinct geographical region with specific climate, vegetation, and animal life. It consists of a biological community that has formed in response to its physical environment and regional climate. In 1935, Tansley added the ...
and the
Palearctic realm
The Palearctic or Palaearctic is a biogeographic realm of the Earth, the largest of eight. Confined almost entirely to the Eastern Hemisphere, it stretches across Europe and Asia, north of the foothills of the Himalayas, and North Africa.
The ...
. The region is particularly notable for its
karst
Karst () is a topography formed from the dissolution of soluble carbonate rocks such as limestone and Dolomite (rock), dolomite. It is characterized by features like poljes above and drainage systems with sinkholes and caves underground. Ther ...
areas with their deep river gorges, large caves and specific sculptured forms, such as the
Trigrad Gorge.
A significant part of Bulgaria's
hydropower
Hydropower (from Ancient Greek -, "water"), also known as water power or water energy, is the use of falling or fast-running water to Electricity generation, produce electricity or to power machines. This is achieved by energy transformation, ...
resources are located in the western areas of the range. There are a number of hydro-cascades and dams used for electricity production, irrigation, and as tourist destinations.
Name and mythology
The name of the Rhodope Mountains is of
Thracian origin. Rhod-ope (Род-oпа) is interpreted as the first name of a river, meaning "rusty/reddish river", where ''Rhod-'' has the same Indo-European root as the Bulgarian "руда" (ore, "ruda"), "ръжда" (rust, "rǎžda"), "риж" (red-haired, "riž"), Latin "rufus" (red), German "rot" (red), English "red", Greek ροδ- (rhod).
In
Greek mythology
Greek mythology is the body of myths originally told by the Ancient Greece, ancient Greeks, and a genre of ancient Greek folklore, today absorbed alongside Roman mythology into the broader designation of classical mythology. These stories conc ...
,
Queen Rhodope of
Thrace
Thrace (, ; ; ; ) is a geographical and historical region in Southeast Europe roughly corresponding to the province of Thrace in the Roman Empire. Bounded by the Balkan Mountains to the north, the Aegean Sea to the south, and the Black Se ...
, the wife of King
Haemus of Thrace, offended the gods, and was changed into a mountain by
Zeus
Zeus (, ) is the chief deity of the List of Greek deities, Greek pantheon. He is a sky father, sky and thunder god in ancient Greek religion and Greek mythology, mythology, who rules as king of the gods on Mount Olympus.
Zeus is the child ...
and
Hera
In ancient Greek religion, Hera (; ; in Ionic Greek, Ionic and Homeric Greek) is the goddess of marriage, women, and family, and the protector of women during childbirth. In Greek mythology, she is queen of the twelve Olympians and Mount Oly ...
as a punishment along with her husband.
Geography

In
geomorphological
Geomorphology () is the scientific study of the origin and evolution of topography, topographic and bathymetry, bathymetric features generated by physical, chemical or biological processes operating at or near Earth#Surface, Earth's surface. Ge ...
terms, the Rhodopes are part of the
Rila
Rila (, ) is the highest mountain range of Bulgaria, the Balkans, Balkan Peninsula, and Southeast Europe. It is situated in southwestern Bulgaria and forms part of the Rila–Rhodope Mountains, Rhodope Massif. The highest summit is Musala at an e ...
-Rhodope
massif
A massif () is a principal mountain mass, such as a compact portion of a mountain range, containing one or more summits (e.g. France's Massif Central). In mountaineering literature, ''massif'' is frequently used to denote the main mass of an ...
, which is the oldest landmass on the
Balkan peninsula
The Balkans ( , ), corresponding partially with the Balkan Peninsula, is a geographical area in southeastern Europe with various geographical and historical definitions. The region takes its name from the Balkan Mountains that stretch throug ...
. The Rhodopes are spread over , of which are on Bulgarian territory. They have the greatest extent of any single mountain range in Bulgaria. The mountains are about long and about wide, with an average altitude of . To the north the mountain slopes descend steeply towards the
Upper Thracian Plain. To the west, the Rhodopes reach the Avram saddle, Yundola and the valley of the
Mesta River. To the south and east they extend to the coastal plains of
Greek Thrace. The Rhodopes are a complex system of ridges and deep river valleys.
Fifteen reserves have been established in the region, some of which are under
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO ) is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) with the aim of promoting world peace and International secur ...
protection. The mountains are famous for the largest
coniferous
Conifers () are a group of conifer cone, cone-bearing Spermatophyte, seed plants, a subset of gymnosperms. Scientifically, they make up the phylum, division Pinophyta (), also known as Coniferophyta () or Coniferae. The division contains a sin ...
woods in the Balkans, their mild relief and the lush vegetation in the western parts as well as the abundance of
birds of prey
Birds of prey or predatory birds, also known as (although not the same as) raptors, are hypercarnivorous bird species that actively predation, hunt and feed on other vertebrates (mainly mammals, reptiles and smaller birds). In addition to speed ...
in the eastern areas.
Climate

The location of the Rhodopes in the southeastern part of the
Balkan Peninsula
The Balkans ( , ), corresponding partially with the Balkan Peninsula, is a geographical area in southeastern Europe with various geographical and historical definitions. The region takes its name from the Balkan Mountains that stretch throug ...
largely determines the climate in the region. It is influenced both by the colder air coming from the north and by the warmer breeze from the
Mediterranean
The Mediterranean Sea ( ) is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the east by the Levant in West Asia, on the north by Anatolia in West Asia and Southern ...
.
The average annual temperature in the Eastern Rhodopes is , the maximum precipitation is in December, the minimum in August. In the Western Rhodopes, the temperature varies from and in the summer rainfalls prevail.
The mild climate, combined with some other factors, works in favour of the development of recreation and tourist activities. The
Pamporovo resort, where the microclimate permits a heavy snow cover to be preserved for a long time, is an excellent example.
Temperatures as low as are common in winter, and due to this the Rhodopes are the southernmost place in the Balkans where tree species such as the
Norway Spruce and the
Silver Birch can be found.
Waters

The mountains have abundant water reserves, with a dense network of mountain springs and rivers. Nearly 80% of the mountain's territory falls within the drainage of the river
Maritsa
Maritsa or Maritza ( ), also known as Evros ( ) and Meriç ( ), is a river that runs through the Balkans in Southeast Europe. With a length of , . The natural lakes are few, the most renown of these being the
Smolyan lakes situated at several kilometers from the town of the same name. Some of the largest dams in the country are located in the Rhodopes including the
Dospat Dam,
Batak Dam,
Golyam Beglik,
Kardzhali Dam,
Studen Kladenets,
Vacha Dam,
Shiroka Polyana and many others, while in Greece there are the dams of Thisavros and Platanovrysi. They are used mainly for
hydro-electric power generation and for irrigation. There are many mineral water springs, the most famous being in
Velingrad,
Narechen,
Devin,
Beden,
Mihalkovo and others. In Greece there are mineral water springs in Thermes, 40 km. north of (
Xanthi) and in Thermia, 60 km. north of
Drama
Drama is the specific Mode (literature), mode of fiction Mimesis, represented in performance: a Play (theatre), play, opera, mime, ballet, etc., performed in a theatre, or on Radio drama, radio or television.Elam (1980, 98). Considered as a g ...
, at 620 m.
Subdivision
Western Rhodopes

The Western Rhodopes are the largest (66% of the area of the Rhodopes in Bulgaria), higher, most infrastructurally developed, and most visited part of the mountains. The highest and best known peaks are located in the region (more than 10 are over high) including the highest one, ''Golyam Perelik'' (). Among the other popular peaks are ''Shirokolashki Snezhnik'' (), ''Golyam Persenk'' (), ''Batashki Snezhnik'' (), ''Turla'' ().
Some of the deepest river gorges in the Rhodopes are located in the western parts, as well as the rock phenomenon
Wonderful Bridges. Significant bodies of water include the Chaira lakes and the
Dospat,
Batak,
Shiroka Polyana,
Golyam Beglik and
Tsigov Chark dams.
The town of
Batak is also located in this part of the mountains, as well as the popular tourist centres
Smolyan,
Velingrad,
Devin,
Chepelare, the winter resort
Pamporovo, the
Eastern Orthodox
Eastern Orthodoxy, otherwise known as Eastern Orthodox Christianity or Byzantine Christianity, is one of the three main Branches of Christianity, branches of Chalcedonian Christianity, alongside Catholic Church, Catholicism and Protestantism ...
Bachkovo Monastery, the ruins of the
Asen dynasty's fortress, and the Devil's Throat, Yagodinska, and Uhlovitsa caves. The highest village in Bulgaria, Manastir (over ), is crouched in the northern foot of Prespa Peak. A number of architectural reserves, such as Shiroka Laka, Kovachevitsa, Momchilovtsi,
Kosovo
Kosovo, officially the Republic of Kosovo, is a landlocked country in Southeast Europe with International recognition of Kosovo, partial diplomatic recognition. It is bordered by Albania to the southwest, Montenegro to the west, Serbia to the ...
, are also located in the area.
Eastern Rhodopes
The Eastern Rhodopes are spread over a territory of about 34% of the mountains' area in Bulgaria, constituting a much lower part.
The large artificial dams
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 ...
and
Studen Kladenets are located in this part of the mountains. The region is rich in thermal mineral springs. The waters around
Dzhebel have national reputation for healing various diseases.
Belite Brezi is an important healing centre for respiratory and other ailments.
Major cities in the area are
Haskovo and
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 ...
, as well as the smaller
Momchilgrad
Momchilgrad ( , , Turkish language, Turkish: Mestanlı) is a town in the very south of Bulgaria, part of Kardzhali Province in the southern part of the Eastern Rhodopes. According to the 2011 census, Momchilgrad is the largest Bulgarian settlemen ...
,
Krumovgrad,
Zlatograd and
Kirkovo. The Eastern Rhodopes, being significantly lower, are also more populated than the western part.
Almost every species of the
Europe
Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and Asia to the east ...
an
birds of prey
Birds of prey or predatory birds, also known as (although not the same as) raptors, are hypercarnivorous bird species that actively predation, hunt and feed on other vertebrates (mainly mammals, reptiles and smaller birds). In addition to speed ...
nest in the rocks and forests of the Eastern Rhodopes including the rare
black vulture and
Egyptian vulture.
Southern (Greek) Rhodopes

The Southern Rhodopes are the part of the mountain range that is located in
Greece
Greece, officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. Located on the southern tip of the Balkan peninsula, it shares land borders with Albania to the northwest, North Macedonia and Bulgaria to the north, and Turkey to th ...
. The
Rhodope regional unit in the northern part of the country is named after the region. This area includes the
Rodopi Mountain Range National Park.

The Southern Rhodopes are characterized by numerous peaks of relatively low altitude. Their highest peak is Delimposka (1,953m) in the mountain of Frakto, near the Greek-Bulgarian border. Nowadays the Southern Rhodopes is an area almost deserted. After
World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
and the
Greek Civil War
The Greek Civil War () took place from 1946 to 1949. The conflict, which erupted shortly after the end of World War II, consisted of a Communism, Communist-led uprising against the established government of the Kingdom of Greece. The rebels decl ...
most villages depopulated permanently and their inhabitants never returned. Even the
Sarakatsani
The Sarakatsani (), also called Karakachani (), are an ethnic Greeks, Greek population subgroup who were traditionally Transhumance, transhumant shepherds, native to Greece, with a smaller presence in neighbouring Bulgaria, southern Albania, an ...
stockbreeders abandoned the difficult life of the Rhodopes. The depopulation of the region, that has not been grazed for more than 50 years, combined with high rainfall and its geographical location, has contributed to the creation and maintenance of a biological paradise. There grow coniferous trees, such as the
Norway Spruce and the
Silver Birch, that cannot be found elsewhere in Greece.
In the forest of Frakto there are 300-year-old trees, more than 50 metres high, and the endangered
wild goat.
In the eastern part of the region there is the well known nature reserve of
Dadia Forest, an ideal habitat for
birds of prey
Birds of prey or predatory birds, also known as (although not the same as) raptors, are hypercarnivorous bird species that actively predation, hunt and feed on other vertebrates (mainly mammals, reptiles and smaller birds). In addition to speed ...
, with 36 of the 38 species of birds of prey of Europe, like the rare
Eastern imperial eagle and
Lesser spotted eagle.
History

The Rhodopes have been inhabited since the
Prehistoric
Prehistory, also called pre-literary history, is the period of human history between the first known use of stone tools by hominins million years ago and the beginning of recorded history with the invention of writing systems. The use o ...
age. There have been many
archaeological
Archaeology or archeology is the study of human activity through the recovery and analysis of material culture. The archaeological record consists of Artifact (archaeology), artifacts, architecture, biofact (archaeology), biofacts or ecofacts, ...
finds of ancient tools in some of the caves.
The first known human inhabitants in the mountains were the
Thracians
The Thracians (; ; ) were an Indo-European languages, 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 betwee ...
. They built many temples, cities and fortresses, including the sacred city of
Perperikon located 15 km northeast of
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 ...
. T Thracian temples was
Tatul near the village of the same name. Additionally, there are archeological sites throughout the region related to the cult of
Dionysus
In ancient Greek religion and Greek mythology, myth, Dionysus (; ) is the god of wine-making, orchards and fruit, vegetation, fertility, festivity, insanity, ritual madness, religious ecstasy, and theatre. He was also known as Bacchus ( or ; ...
, such as the ancient Thracian city of
Perperikon.

The frequent mention of the Rhodope in Ancient Greek and Latin sources indicates that the mountain had played an important role in the political and religious life of the Thracian tribes that lived on it. On the tops of the mountain there was an oracle, consulted by
Alexander the Great
Alexander III of Macedon (; 20/21 July 356 BC – 10/11 June 323 BC), most commonly known as Alexander the Great, was a king of the Ancient Greece, ancient Greek kingdom of Macedonia (ancient kingdom), Macedon. He succeeded his father Philip ...
and later by the father of
Octavian Augustus. On the mountain were also sanctuaries of other deities, including
Apollo
Apollo is one of the Twelve Olympians, Olympian deities in Ancient Greek religion, ancient Greek and Ancient Roman religion, Roman religion and Greek mythology, Greek and Roman mythology. Apollo has been recognized as a god of archery, mu ...
,
Zeus
Zeus (, ) is the chief deity of the List of Greek deities, Greek pantheon. He is a sky father, sky and thunder god in ancient Greek religion and Greek mythology, mythology, who rules as king of the gods on Mount Olympus.
Zeus is the child ...
, and
Mithras. Rhodope was the Thracians' last refuge of resistance against the Romans, so that Thrace became a Roman province about 200 years after Macedonia.
In 2005 German scholars from the University of Heidelberg confirmed that the two rather small fragments discovered by archaeologist
Nikolay Ovcharov in the Eastern Rhodopes mountains are written in the Minoan
Linear A script from about 15th century BC.
In the
Middle Ages
In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire and ...
the mountain was part of the Bulgarian and
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire, also known as the Eastern Roman Empire, was the continuation of the Roman Empire centred on Constantinople during late antiquity and the Middle Ages. Having survived History of the Roman Empire, the events that caused the ...
s and often changed hands between the two countries. There was a dense network of castles which guarded the trade routes and the strategic heights. The largest and most important castles include
Lyutitsa,
Ustra,
Tsepina,
Mezek,
Asenova krepost and many others. Between 1371 and 1375 the Rhodopes fell under
Ottoman occupation in the course of the
Bulgarian–Ottoman wars.
During the 16th and 17th centuries the Ottoman authorities began a process of Islamisation of the region.
The towns and the villages in the Western Rhodopes took active part in the
April Uprising in 1876. When the uprising was crushed the Ottomans slaughtered around 5,000 people
in Batak alone. Thousands more died in Bratsigovo, Perushtitsa and other rebel villages which were also burnt and looted by the Ottomans.
The northern Rhodopes were ceded in 1878 to an autonomous province of
Eastern Rumelia until its unification with the
Principality of Bulgaria. The other part of the Rhodopes was annexed as a result of the
First Balkan War
The First Balkan War lasted from October 1912 to May 1913 and involved actions of the Balkan League (the Kingdoms of Kingdom of Bulgaria, Bulgaria, Kingdom of Serbia, Serbia, Kingdom of Greece, Greece and Kingdom of Montenegro, Montenegro) agai ...
(1912–1913) but after the
Second Balkan War (1913) and the
First World War
World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
(1914–1918) the southern slopes of the mountain was occupied by Greece and the Bulgarian population of the area was forced to flee to Bulgaria.
People

The sparsely populated area of the Rhodopes has been a place of ethnic and religious diversity for hundreds of years. Apart from the
Eastern Orthodox
Eastern Orthodoxy, otherwise known as Eastern Orthodox Christianity or Byzantine Christianity, is one of the three main Branches of Christianity, branches of Chalcedonian Christianity, alongside Catholic Church, Catholicism and Protestantism ...
Bulgarians
Bulgarians (, ) are a nation and South Slavs, South Slavic ethnic group native to Bulgaria and its neighbouring region, who share a common Bulgarian ancestry, culture, history and language. They form the majority of the population in Bulgaria, ...
and
Greeks
Greeks or Hellenes (; , ) are an ethnic group and nation native to Greece, Greek Cypriots, Cyprus, Greeks in Albania, southern Albania, Greeks in Turkey#History, Anatolia, parts of Greeks in Italy, Italy and Egyptian Greeks, Egypt, and to a l ...
, the mountains are also home to a number of
Muslim
Muslims () are people who adhere to Islam, a Monotheism, monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God ...
communities, including the
Pomaks, that predominate in the western parts and a large concentration of
Bulgarian Turks and
Greek Turks, particularly in the Eastern Rhodopes. The mountains are also one of the regions associated with the
Sarakatsani
The Sarakatsani (), also called Karakachani (), are an ethnic Greeks, Greek population subgroup who were traditionally Transhumance, transhumant shepherds, native to Greece, with a smaller presence in neighbouring Bulgaria, southern Albania, an ...
, a nomadic Greek people who traditionally roamed between
Northern Thrace and the
Aegean coast.
Aromanians
The Aromanians () are an Ethnic groups in Europe, ethnic group native to the southern Balkans who speak Aromanian language, Aromanian, an Eastern Romance language. They traditionally live in central and southern Albania, south-western Bulgari ...
, a
Romance-speaking ethnic group, also live in the Rhodopes. and Agupti who are a blend of Turks, Roma and Pomaks and don’t associate themselves with other Roma groups.
See also
*
Geography of Bulgaria
*
List of mountains in Bulgaria
*
List of mountains of the Balkans
*
List of mountain ranges
This is a list of mountain ranges on Earth and a few other astronomical object, astronomical bodies. First, the highest and longest mountain ranges on Earth are listed, followed by more comprehensive alphabetical lists organized by continent. Rang ...
*
Mantaritza Biosphere Reserve
*
Rila
Rila (, ) is the highest mountain range of Bulgaria, the Balkans, Balkan Peninsula, and Southeast Europe. It is situated in southwestern Bulgaria and forms part of the Rila–Rhodope Mountains, Rhodope Massif. The highest summit is Musala at an e ...
*
Pirin
*
Balkan Mountains
The Balkan mountain range is located in the eastern part of the Balkan peninsula in Southeast Europe, Southeastern Europe. It is conventionally taken to begin at the peak of Vrashka Chuka on the border between Bulgaria and Serbia. It then runs f ...
*
Vitosha
Vitosha ( ), the ancient ''Scomius'' or ''Scombrus'', is a mountain massif, on the outskirts of Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria. Vitosha is one of the symbols of Sofia and the closest site for hiking, alpinism and skiing. Convenient bus lines and ...
References
* Asdracha, Catherine, ''La région des Rhodopes aux XIIIe et XIVe siècles'': étude de géographie historique, Athen: Verlag der ''Byzantinisch-Neugriechischen Jahrbücher'', 1976, p. 294.
* Evangelos A. Papathanassiou. "The Armenian Presence in and around the Rhodope Mountain in 11th C.: Rethinking over some new archaeological Finds", Περὶ Θράκης 7 (2010–2015), 59–97.In: auth.academia.edu/EvangelosPapathanassiou
External links
The ancient city of PerperikonHiking in Rhodope Mountainsat
Mindat.org
{{Authority control
Mountain ranges of Bulgaria
Mountain ranges of Greece
Geography of Europe
International mountains of Europe
Bulgaria–Greece border
Landforms of Smolyan Province
Landforms of Pazardzhik Province
Landforms of Kardzhali Province
Landforms of Haskovo Province
Landforms of Blagoevgrad Province
Landforms of Rhodope (regional unit)
Landforms of Xanthi (regional unit)