ARCHITECTURAL RESERVATION – VILLAGE OF DOLEN

The village of Dolen is a typical high mountain village (1020 m above sea level), situated on the southwestern part of the Dabrashki part of the Western Rhodopes, 26 km away from the town of Gotse Delchev.

Created by settlers fleeing from forced conversion to Islam in the sixteenth century., It is mentioned in Turkish records as early as 1671.  The Renaissance architectural bloom, preserved till nowadays through the 70 houses of cultural monuments, made it to be announced in 1977  “Historical and architectural reserve “Dolen”. The main sights are:

The church “St. Nikola “, built in 1834 in a complex with a cell school. On the iconostasis of this church were painted icons by Georgi Filipov, a painter from Debarsko, who later moved and lived in Gabrovo. The bells are blown 7 times until the perfect sound is reached. The bell is heard at 8 km.

GPS 41°37’35.7″N 23°55’48.1″E

The most interesting as Renaissance typical street ensembles are the “Kavalite” junction, “Nikolovska fountain” and the Charshish alley. The village is known in the past with its well-developed goldsmiths and carrier of goods against payment. Population 477 inhabitants. The village also offers accommodation in old authentic houses. The narrow cobblestone streets and its characteristic old houses built in Renaissance style are extremely interesting. The houses are built with a typical oriel bidding on the second and third floors and with an internal device approaching in this way the Renaissance architectures of the houses in other villages of the country. Some of the ceilings are decorated with carvings. Interesting is the church built in 1837 with its marvelous carving, the work of self-taught masters.

Everywhere you are surrounded by incredible silence, the rumble of the river, the gentle song of the birds, and the silent humming of the flies. You feel the clean mountain air and wonder what a place is this where time has stopped a century back. The mountain takes your gaze with its green colors in spring and summer, the amazing whiteness of the winter, or its incredible colors in the autumn. Here every season draws its unique picture. The history of the village of Dolen will conquer you both with facts and with still unsolved mysteries. The emotion in the village is unique, and here they say that all desires come true….