Information about Kresna

Kresna municipality is located in southwestern Bulgaria and is one of the municipalities of Blagoevgrad district. The municipality has seven places from which one town (Kresna) and six villages: Vlahi,Gorna Breznitsa, Dolna Gradeshnitsa, Slivnitza, Stara Kresna and Oshtava. The total population is 6062 inhabitants. Kresna municipality (344 sq km) is located in southwestern Bulgaria and has an important transportation and geographical position. Here lies the shortest route from the capital to neighboring Greece - international highway E -79 railway line Sofia-Kulata- Athens. Kresna town (3879 population) is the main administrative center of the municipality and is located 144 km south of Sofia.

Valley of Struma river divides the municipality into two parts - Pirin and Maleshevska. Municipality of Kresna is one very interesting mosaic of different types of terrain – valley, low, medium and high, covering parts of Srednostrumska valley with picturesque Kresna Gorge, Maleshevska mountain with the highest Iliov peak (1803 m) and Northern Pirin with the highest peak Vihren (on the border with the municipality of Bansko) . Remarkable forms of relief are picturesque Kresna Gorge of the Struma , the sandy hills Mello, mysterious stone forest near Vlahi, sculptured rock complex Orlite, the marble alpine ridge Koncheto - the pride of Pirin, Sinanitsa, Georgiiski, Vlahinski, Nevarzumskiya circuses. From natural reservoirs exceptional tourist attraction are the Sinevrashki, Georgiiski, Vlahinski lakes, known as "crystal eyes of Pirin".

Along the Struma River, which borders the municipality of Kresna covers the valley of the Struma and Kresna field as part of Sandanski- Petrich valley is characterized by a typical transitional Mediterranean climate. Here throughout the year is strongly felt the warm Aegean influence, which intrudes on the Struma till Kresna Gorge. Soft winter comes late and snowless (average January temperature is 2.4 C); Spring starts from the beginning of March; summer is dry and hot (average temperature 24.7 C) in July and August maximum temperatures reach 40-42 C, autumn is long and warm. The average solar radiation is about 2436 hours/year- one of the highest rates in the country and is close to some famous resorts on the Dalmatian coast (Makarska Riviera - 2450 hours). Rainfall averaged 700 mm/year and are mainly of rain mainly in November-December. Winds that usually come from the river valley to the south (warm) and north (colder), and prevailing are the southerly component. Refreshing effect during the warm half of the year has the mountain-valley wind. With an altitude increase in Maleshevska especially in Pirin Mediterranean influence gradually weakens in the higher areas show the typical features of the mountain climate: short and cool summer, long and cold winter, low temperatures and large showers, heavy snowfall, strong winds and intense sunshine during clear days. In the zone above 2000 m asl Pirin average annual temperature is 3.4 C with minimum temperatures reaching -25 C, rainfall is about 1150 mm/yr; snow during the winter months is up to 3 m in height and lasts about 7-8 months/year; Mists are frequent, strong, violent storms danger of avalanches. Mountain climatic resort of local importance is the area Varbite (Sinanitsa) in the Pirin Mountain (18 km east/southeast of Kresna). There are tourist homes "Sinanitsa", forest home, school camp, several departmental holiday homes and many private villas; starting point for a blue peak with Sinanishko lakes and area The Cave, where hiking trails lead around the park "Pirin".

The main artery is the Struma River, which forms the beautiful gorge north of Kresna, named after the city. It has three left tributaries coming from Pirin mountain - River Oshtavska, Vlahinska and Gradeshka and five right, collecting water from Maleshevska mountain - Divilska river, Breznishka , Moravska, Ganiytsa and Slivnishka. On the territory of the municipality were constructed 18 dam lakes with average volume of 5000-25000 cubic meters of water, of which only 4 are stocked. From the natural reservoirs amazing attractions are Sinevrashkite, Georgiiski, Vlahinski lakes.

Natural wealth are the discovered mineral springs, located in four major fields - between Kresna and Dolna Gradeshnitsa, between the villages of Stara Kresna and Oshtava, near villages Gorna Breznitsa and Vlahi, the most developed so far are Gradeshki springs.

Gradeshki mineral springs

The spa resort of local importance; five mineral springs with water temperature of 20 to 68 degrees; water is clear, odorless and pleasant to drink; physical and chemical composition: hyper thermal, hydrocarbon, sodium sulphate, silicon and fluorine. It is suitable for treatment of the musculoskeletal system, respiratory system, nervous system, gastrointestinal tract, and others.

Oshtavski spa

Spa resort of local importance; Five mineral springs with water temperature of 38 C to 65 C water is clear, odorless and pleasant to drink; physical and chemical composition: hyper thermal, hydro- sodium, silicon and fluorine, slightly radioactive. They are suitable for the treatment of diseases of the musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, inflammatory gynecological and skin diseases. By the cool spring there is a bathroom with two covered mud treatment rooms.

Vlahinski spa (Vlaska fountain)

Cold mineral spring (3 km west of village of Vlahi); water is low mineralized; legend says that Gradeshki spas were gushing here, but have been desecrated by the Turks and dry.

Breznishki spas

Two mineral springs with water temperature of 36 C- 38 C and a flow rate of 2,6 l/s; There is a drinking fountain in the center of the village. Suitable for the treatment of lung, bone and joint diseases and skin diseases; in the yard of the monastery "St. Prophet Ilia" is an old Roman drinking fountain with healing water, attesting to the use of mineral waters in Gorna Breznitsa since ancient times.

Ancient city near Kresna

It extends to the right bank of the Struma of flattened area close to the houses of the neighborhood Moravska. Its traces are found in the length of about 2 km. In the north-south direction along the Struma and about 300 meters east- west shore of the Struma River to the eastern foot of the mountain Maleshevska. This is a flattened terrace cut by narrow valleys of Moravska and Mostetska. The ancient settlement reminds of itself with remains found in the form of old walls, building materials, vessels, coins and other monuments, some of which come under tillage, and others - on the very surface. Their variety confirms the former flourishing of settlement that led to the material and spiritual affluence.

Reported by locals lands here were treated during slavery, and then have as property belonging to the Christian - Turkish village Breznitsa. There was a study that described here were found several votive tablets of the goddess. In the making of roads, military fortifications, construction, and various tillage over the cultural layer, which is found in places up to 1 m depth are caused destruction. Most of the stones of the old buildings were used secondarily in new home construction or building fences of property, or simply stacked so as not to interfere with work. Many places are open single and group graves, all facing east. They usually are filled with remnants of bones and almost no physical materials funeral. In one tomb, located on the slope near the road on the left bank of the Moravska were found charred ring (small, probably a girl`s) and spacers, with which was nailed the coffin. In the grave there were coals and ashes which proves a fire. In the western part of the village, at the foot of the hill Liuti vrah were found 5 graves near each other. They are covered with plain stone without side reinforcement. Besides the remains of bones, nothing else was found. All these graves are probably from the time of early Christianity, rooted in Middle Struma regions looking back in I century AD. In making the military trenches in 1950 in the surrounding hills in the northwestern part of the town, soldiers dug a big treasure, but what it was and what is its fate it is unknown. It was discovered a stone slate too. South of the gold deposit were found two walls of the structure built from rough stone with mortar, the uncovered part of the walls had a width of 70 cm.