My dear friends, welcome to Panagyurski kolonii!
The village of Panagyurski kolonii is located in the middle of the inspiringly beautiful Sashtinska Sredna Gora at an altitude of 1050 meters on a pass east of Bratia peak, 1519 meters high.
It is surrounded on all sides by dense beech forests, which in spring, summer, autumn and winter are magically charming and enchant every traveler who decides to walk around.
The story of the settlement of this lovely place takes us back over 100 years to the beginning of the twentieth century, when Dr. Nikola Nemski laid the foundations of the village.
The initiative for the construction of a summer resort for children was raised by local teachers in 1905 and was entirely supported by the municipality of Panagyurishte.
Dr. Nemski proposes to the Panagyurishte city administration that the place for the construction of a summer children's colony should be the area of Chitashki Gyol.
Mr. Georgi Dedyov - Mayor of the town of Panagyurishte at the time, assigned an area of 1,200 acres in the area of Chitashki Gyol in order to realize the idea.
In 1907 the charity society "Panagyurishte summer children's colonies" was established. The noble cause is extremely widely supported by the Panagyurishte community.
Doctors from the city, as well as the women's society, express special sympathy.
The first summer children's colony gave the name of the village, which in the following years began to develop as a resort, gaining more and more popularity and gaining national importance.
Already later - in the 20s of the XX century a building of the Men's Plovdiv High School was built here, used as a summer camp and for ten years a number of villas were built around, mainly inhabited during the summer season, characterized by the fact that they are located at relatively large distances from each other and most do not have fences.
The villa resort is gradually growing and is slowly becoming one of the largest in Bulgaria.
In the 30s the resort village was electrified, a water supply network was built and a regular bus line Sofia - Zlatitsa - Panagyurishte colonies - Panagyurishte was put into operation. Buses used to pass through the Medet Pass on the ancient stone bridge known as the New Kemer.
After the events that took place around September 9, 1944, many villas were nationalized or forcibly taken for use by the state because their owners were from politically persecuted families.
CPP "Medet"
In the 1960s, a copper mine called the Medet CPP began to be developed north of the village along the Medet River.
In the following years, miners from all over Bulgaria came and lived in the expropriated villas.
The settlement is gradually growing.
Several blocks of flats are being built in a typical industrial style, which is in stark contrast to the alpine look of the villas.
A huge cultural house rises, which houses a cinema, a theater and a library.
A school and a kindergarten are being built.
And from that moment Panagyurishte colonies is already a mining village, inhabited all year round.
However, it never loses its resort look and essence.
In 1986, by a decree of the State Council of the People's Republic of Bulgaria, the resort of Panagyurishte colonies was declared a village. Until now, the colonies are a district of Panagyurishte with a mayor's deputy appointed by the municipality.
The 1990s came and the Medet mine was closed due to depletion. Today you can see the unearthly open eye - alien turquoise.
The nationalized villas are being restituted.
The permanent population of Panagyurishte colonies gradually began to decrease.
All children's camps are abandoned, except for the Panagyurishte student camp.
Various events are organized on the huge green meadow in the center by the road and by the lake.
An artificial lake has been built in the center of the Panagyurishte colonies, where many fishermen are currently coming to try their luck.
Dozens of pink, white and yellow water lilies bloom in the middle of the lake during the summer months, and the long summer evenings here are extremely cool and magical.
The lake is wonderfully beautiful even when it is frozen in winter.
A children's playground for the kids has been built next to it, and mother Bear with two teddy bears, a gray wolf and a boar will keep you pleasant.
How to get here?
I wish you an exceptional, relaxing, green, fresh and impressive walk!