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Photo: Камен Ханджиев, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Bulgaria's most spectacular rock formations covering an area of 90 km². Some of the best views of the rocks are from the main square, the top of the fortress, the town park or along one of the many hiking trails. Belogradchik Rocks is a nominee for the New7Wonders of Nature [1]
The Belogradchik Rocks are a group of strangely shaped sandstone and conglomerate rock formations located on the western slopes of the Balkan Mountains near the town of Belogradchik in northwest Bulgaria. The rocks vary in color from primarily red to yellow; some of the rocks reach up to 200 m in height. Many rocks have fantastic shapes and are associated with interesting legends. They are often named after people or objects they are thought to resemble. The Belogradchik Rocks have been declared a Natural Landmark by the Bulgarian government and are a major tourist attraction in the region. They are the only habitat of the critically endangered Bulgarian endemic plant Hieracium belogradcense.
© OpenStreetMap contributors
There is an abandoned Ottoman Mosque, nearby to and easily visible from the fortress. It is said to have been built in 1751. The building itself is not very remarkable, but the minaret and Arabic artwork above the door are beautiful and worth taking a moment to admire.
Built into the towering rocks on the hilltop overlooking the town. The fortress, also called Kaleto, was begun by the Romans in the 1st-3rd centuries, continued by the Bulgarians and later completed by the Turks in the 19th century. From the top of the fortress, there are spectacular views of the surrounding hills and rock formations.
A small museum featuring wildlife native to the region.
One of the most important European painted caves with some 750 paintings, which date back to the Neolithic of 8000-10,000 years ago. The cave is 2.5 km long, with multiple galleries.