Rhodope Mountains

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The Rhodope Mountains in Bulgaria and partly in Greece

The Rhodopes ( Bulgarian Родопи, Greek Ροδόπη, from the Thracian for " area of the red-brown river " ) is a wooded mountain hull, which is 83% in southern Bulgaria and 17% in northern Greece. The highest peak is 2191m with the Goljam Perelik, other peaks are Goliama Sjutkja ( 2186 m), Goljam Persenik ( 2091 m), Batashki Snezhnik ( 2082 m), Malka Sjutkja ( 2079 m) and Prespa (2000 m). The highest peak in Bulgaria, as well as on the Balkan Peninsula is the Musala ( 2925 m) in the Rila Mountains.

In the Eastern Rhodopes beech and oak forests, coniferous forests predominate in the higher Western Rhodope Mountains on the other hand ( here there are also the highest peak ). In the northwest, the significantly higher Rila Mountain closes in the southwest which is also higher Pirin Mountains on. To the east is the beach Saddle Mountains. Larger cities are Velingrad, Smolyan, Peschtera, Kardzhali and Batak. There are mineral deposits of lead, copper and zinc and mineral springs in Velingrad and Narechen.

Karst landscapes dominate the area with numerous caves, deep canyons and striking rock formations, such as the trigrad Gorge, the caves Devil's Throat ( Дяволското гърло ) Uhloviza, Jagodinska and the rock formations Wonderful bridges.

The Western Rhodope Mountains are home to the Pomaks live in the Eastern Rhodopes members of the Turkish minority.