Bansko
Encyclopedia
Bansko is a town and a popular ski resort
in southwestern Bulgaria
, located at the foot of the Pirin Mountains
at an elevation
of 925 m above sea level.
Bansko is the birthplace of 20th-century Bulgarian poet Nikola Vaptsarov
and Bulgarian enlighteners Paisiy Hilendarski and Neofit Rilski
.
, a village in Rila
, itself according to a legend founded by the blinded army of Tsar Samuil
. Another legend claims that Bansko was founded by an Italian
painter by the name of Ciociolino, hence the existence of the name Chucholin in Bansko.
Still according to another version it was a Slavic tribe called the Peruns, who lived in Pirin and worshiped Perun
, that founded the village later to become a town. There are a number of ethnographic texts, legends, prayers and oratories, which lend credence to this legend.
in general date to the early periods of the Roman Empire
. There are several housing structures at the outskirts of the town, which date to 100 BC. However, there is no consensus nor credible theory on who these people were.
The Bulgarian Evangelical
Church Community, the first Protestant
church in Bulgaria, was founded in Bansko on 6 August 1868.
Until October 5, 1912, Baniçka (Bansko's former name) was a part of the Ottoman Empire
, but enjoyed a quasi self-rule autonomy granted by the sultan. The town was ruled by an assembly of the elders, while justice was administered by the Ottoman judge in Razlog
. It was incorporated in Bulgaria in 1912 as a result of the First Balkan War
.
Improvements to the infrastructure and organisation of the ski area on Todorka
have been made annually to accommodate the rising number of tourists. A gondola lift
was built from town in 2003, replacing the minibus ride to the primary base area of Banderishka Poliana. , the ski area has 75 km (46.6 mi) of ski runs
, 27 lifts and drags
, serving up to 24,500 persons per hour. The lift
-served summit rises to an elevation
of 2600m above sea level. The vertical drop is nearly 1000m to the base area at Banderishka Poliana, and over 1600m with the ski runs to town
The nearby village of Banya
, located only 5 km (3 mi) from the town, is known for its 27 thermal mineral springs
.
from Septemvri
to Dobrinishte
. Regular bus connections are available to Sofia
, Plovdiv, Blagoevgrad, Gotse Delchev, Razlog, among others.
races: the women raced in 2009
in two downhills and a super G
. The men's circuit made its first stop at Bansko in 2011
with a super combined
and a slalom
. It will also host in February 2012 the FIS World Cup ladies' downhill and super G. and men's giant slalom
and slalom.
Alpine and biathlon competitions take place regularly. It is expected that the summer biathlon world cup will also take place in the resort of Bansko.
In 2010 the resort recovered from the crisis and has seen record profits.
The ski area is very tightly controlled by some of the most restrictive development laws in Europe. As a norm 12/5% of European national parks can be set aside for tourist services whilst in Bansko only 3.3% is set aside. With new development of lifts and pistes the town bed capacity will balance out.
on Livingston Island in the South Shetland Islands
, Antarctica is named after the town of Bansko.
Ski resort
A ski resort is a resort developed for skiing and other winter sports. In Europe a ski resort is a town or village in a ski area - a mountainous area, where there are ski trails and supporting services such as hotels and other accommodation, restaurants, equipment rental and a ski lift system...
in southwestern Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
, located at the foot of the Pirin Mountains
Pirin
The Pirin Mountains are a mountain range in southwestern Bulgaria, with Vihren the highest peak, situated at . The range extends about 40 km northwest-southeast, and about 25 km wide. Most of the range is protected in the Pirin National Park...
at an elevation
Elevation
The elevation of a geographic location is its height above a fixed reference point, most commonly a reference geoid, a mathematical model of the Earth's sea level as an equipotential gravitational surface ....
of 925 m above sea level.
Bansko is the birthplace of 20th-century Bulgarian poet Nikola Vaptsarov
Nikola Vaptsarov
Nikola Yonkov Vaptsarov was a Bulgarian poet, communist and revolutionary. Working most of his life as a machinist, he only wrote in his spare time. Despite the fact that he ever published only one poetry book, he is considered one of the most important Bulgarian poets...
and Bulgarian enlighteners Paisiy Hilendarski and Neofit Rilski
Neofit Rilski
Neofit Rilski or Neophyte of Rila , born Nikola Poppetrov Benin was a 19th-century Bulgarian monk, teacher and artist, and an important figure of the Bulgarian National Revival....
.
Legends
There are several legends about who founded Bansko. According to one of them, Bansko was founded by people who lived in DobarskoDobarsko
Dobarsko is a village in southwestern Bulgaria, part of Razlog municipality, Blagoevgrad Province. It is set at 1,070 m above sea level on the southern slopes of Rila with the westernmost Rhodope Mountains to the east and Pirin to the south near the valley of the Mesta River. Dobarsko is...
, a village in Rila
Rila
Rila is a mountain range in southwestern Bulgaria and the highest mountain range of Bulgaria and the Balkans, with its highest peak being Musala at 2,925 m...
, itself according to a legend founded by the blinded army of Tsar Samuil
Samuil of Bulgaria
Samuel was the Emperor of the First Bulgarian Empire from 997 to 6 October 1014. From 980 to 997, he was a general under Roman I of Bulgaria, the second surviving son of Emperor Peter I of Bulgaria, and co-ruled with him, as Roman bestowed upon him the command of the army and the effective royal...
. Another legend claims that Bansko was founded by an Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
painter by the name of Ciociolino, hence the existence of the name Chucholin in Bansko.
Still according to another version it was a Slavic tribe called the Peruns, who lived in Pirin and worshiped Perun
Perun
In Slavic mythology, Perun is the highest god of the pantheon and the god of thunder and lightning. His other attributes were the fire, mountains, the oak, iris, eagle, firmament , horses and carts, weapons and war...
, that founded the village later to become a town. There are a number of ethnographic texts, legends, prayers and oratories, which lend credence to this legend.
History
The archeological traces of the inhabitants of Bansko and the Razlog ValleyRazlog Valley
The Razlog Valley is a valley in southwestern Bulgaria located between the high Rila , Pirin and Rhodope Mountains . The nature of the valley was influenced by both the Alpine character of Rila and Pirin and the Mediterranean climate of the Aegean Sea from the south.The valley is located at 865 m...
in general date to the early periods of the Roman Empire
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
. There are several housing structures at the outskirts of the town, which date to 100 BC. However, there is no consensus nor credible theory on who these people were.
The Bulgarian Evangelical
Evangelicalism
Evangelicalism is a Protestant Christian movement which began in Great Britain in the 1730s and gained popularity in the United States during the series of Great Awakenings of the 18th and 19th century.Its key commitments are:...
Church Community, the first Protestant
Protestantism
Protestantism is one of the three major groupings within Christianity. It is a movement that began in Germany in the early 16th century as a reaction against medieval Roman Catholic doctrines and practices, especially in regards to salvation, justification, and ecclesiology.The doctrines of the...
church in Bulgaria, was founded in Bansko on 6 August 1868.
Until October 5, 1912, Baniçka (Bansko's former name) was a part of the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
, but enjoyed a quasi self-rule autonomy granted by the sultan. The town was ruled by an assembly of the elders, while justice was administered by the Ottoman judge in Razlog
Razlog
Razlog is a town and ski resort in Razlog Municipality, Blagoevgrad Province in southwestern Bulgaria. It is situated in the Razlog Valley and was first mentioned during the reign of Byzantine emperor Basil II....
. It was incorporated in Bulgaria in 1912 as a result of the First Balkan War
First Balkan War
The First Balkan War, which lasted from October 1912 to May 1913, pitted the Balkan League against the Ottoman Empire. The combined armies of the Balkan states overcame the numerically inferior and strategically disadvantaged Ottoman armies and achieved rapid success...
.
Tourism
Bansko, once mainly a stockbreeding and travelling merchant community, has become an international centre for winter and summer tourism. The mountain peaks near the town, the numerous lakes and the old pine woods make it a popular site for recreation.Improvements to the infrastructure and organisation of the ski area on Todorka
Todorka
Todorka is a massive peak in the Pirin Mountains of south-western Bulgaria. It is the only peak of the Todorka side ridge and has a summit elevation of 2746 m above sea level. Todorka is the 11th highest peak in Pirin and is made of granite, and although not rocky, it is steep...
have been made annually to accommodate the rising number of tourists. A gondola lift
Gondola lift
A gondola lift is a type of aerial lift, normally called a cable car, which is supported and propelled by cables from above. It consists of a loop of steel cable that is strung between two stations, sometimes over intermediate supporting towers. The cable is driven by a bullwheel in a terminal,...
was built from town in 2003, replacing the minibus ride to the primary base area of Banderishka Poliana. , the ski area has 75 km (46.6 mi) of ski runs
Piste
A piste is a marked ski run or path down a mountain for snow skiing, snowboarding, or other mountain sports. The term is European, from the French for trail or track, synonymous with trail, slope, or groomed run in North America....
, 27 lifts and drags
Ski lift
The term ski lift generally refers to any transport device that carries skiers up a hill. A ski lift may fall into one of the following three main classes:-Lift systems and networks:...
, serving up to 24,500 persons per hour. The lift
Ski lift
The term ski lift generally refers to any transport device that carries skiers up a hill. A ski lift may fall into one of the following three main classes:-Lift systems and networks:...
-served summit rises to an elevation
Elevation
The elevation of a geographic location is its height above a fixed reference point, most commonly a reference geoid, a mathematical model of the Earth's sea level as an equipotential gravitational surface ....
of 2600m above sea level. The vertical drop is nearly 1000m to the base area at Banderishka Poliana, and over 1600m with the ski runs to town
The nearby village of Banya
Banya
Banya may refer to:* Banya , a traditional Russian steam bath* BanYa, a South Korean musical group* Banya: The Explosive Delivery Man, a comic by Kim Young-ohIn places:* Banya, Plovdiv Province, a town in southern Bulgaria...
, located only 5 km (3 mi) from the town, is known for its 27 thermal mineral springs
Hot spring
A hot spring is a spring that is produced by the emergence of geothermally heated groundwater from the Earth's crust. There are geothermal hot springs in many locations all over the crust of the earth.-Definitions:...
.
Transport
The town is served by the scenic narrow gauge lineSeptemvri-Dobrinishte narrow gauge line
The Septemvri–Dobrinishte narrow gauge line is the only operating narrow gauge line in Bulgaria. It is operated by the Bulgarian State Railways . The line is actively used with nine trains runnng per day. The journey takes over four hours...
from Septemvri
Septemvri
Septemvri is a town in Pazardzhik Province, Southern Bulgaria, located at the western end of the Upper Thracian Lowland, away to the west from the city of Pazardzhik. It is the administrative centre of homonymous Septemvri Municipality...
to Dobrinishte
Dobrinishte
Dobrinishte is a small town and ski resort in the Blagoevgrad Province, Bansko Municipality, southwestern Bulgaria. it has 2973 inhabitants. It is located 6 km east of Bansko, a famous winter resort. It has an altitude of 850 m and is surrounded by the Rila, Pirin, and Rhodope mountains...
. Regular bus connections are available to Sofia
Sofia
Sofia is the capital and largest city of Bulgaria and the 12th largest city in the European Union with a population of 1.27 million people. It is located in western Bulgaria, at the foot of Mount Vitosha and approximately at the centre of the Balkan Peninsula.Prehistoric settlements were excavated...
, Plovdiv, Blagoevgrad, Gotse Delchev, Razlog, among others.
Sport
Bansko has recently hosted FIS World Cup alpine skiAlpine skiing
Alpine skiing is the sport of sliding down snow-covered hills on skis with fixed-heel bindings. Alpine skiing can be contrasted with skiing using free-heel bindings: Ski mountaineering and nordic skiing – such as cross-country; ski jumping; and Telemark. In competitive alpine skiing races four...
races: the women raced in 2009
2009 Alpine Skiing World Cup
The 43rd World Cup season began in late October 2008 in Sölden, Austria, and concluded in mid-March 2009, at the World Cup finals in Åre, Sweden.Aksel Lund Svindal of Norway won the overall title by two points over Benjamin Raich of Austria. Svindal returned from a season-ending injury in December...
in two downhills and a super G
Super Giant Slalom skiing
The Super Giant Slalom is an Alpine skiing discipline. It is usually referred to as Super G and is a "speed" event, along with the faster Downhill event; the Giant Slalom and Slalom events are known as the "technical" disciplines.-History:...
. The men's circuit made its first stop at Bansko in 2011
2011 Alpine Skiing World Cup
The 45th FIS Alpine Ski World Cup season began on 23 October 2010, in Sölden, Austria, and concluded on 20 March 2011, at the World Cup finals in Lenzerheide, Switzerland.Being an odd-numbered year, the biennial World Championships took place in February...
with a super combined
Alpine skiing combined
Combined is an alpine skiing event. Although not technically a discipline of its own, it is sometimes referred to as a fifth alpine discipline, along with downhill, super G, giant slalom, and slalom.-Traditional & Super-Combined:...
and a slalom
Slalom skiing
Slalom is an alpine skiing discipline, involving skiing between poles spaced much closer together than in Giant Slalom, Super-G or Downhill, thereby causing quicker and shorter turns.- Origins :...
. It will also host in February 2012 the FIS World Cup ladies' downhill and super G. and men's giant slalom
Giant Slalom skiing
Giant slalom is an alpine skiing discipline. It involves skiing between sets of poles spaced at a greater distance to each other than in slalom but less than in super G....
and slalom.
Alpine and biathlon competitions take place regularly. It is expected that the summer biathlon world cup will also take place in the resort of Bansko.
Events
In recent years, the town has gained international popularity as a pop and jazz scene after the start of the annual Bansko Jazz Festival and consequently the annual Bansko pop-star concert featuring top pop stars.Development
Many of the road problems have been given attention to since 2009. The small portion of unfinished apartments are now being given attention to. Due to the global recovery from the financial crisis and the more realistic pricing, apartments are attracting more buyers from across Europe.In 2010 the resort recovered from the crisis and has seen record profits.
The ski area is very tightly controlled by some of the most restrictive development laws in Europe. As a norm 12/5% of European national parks can be set aside for tourist services whilst in Bansko only 3.3% is set aside. With new development of lifts and pistes the town bed capacity will balance out.
Honour
Bansko PeakBansko Peak
Bansko Peak is a 280m rocky peak in the eastern extremity of the Delchev Ridge in the Tangra Mountains of Livingston Island. The peak was named after the town of Bansko in Southwestern Bulgaria.-Location:...
on Livingston Island in the South Shetland Islands
South Shetland Islands
The South Shetland Islands are a group of Antarctic islands, lying about north of the Antarctic Peninsula, with a total area of . By the Antarctic Treaty of 1959, the Islands' sovereignty is neither recognized nor disputed by the signatories and they are free for use by any signatory for...
, Antarctica is named after the town of Bansko.