Kazanlak the Valley of Roses

There is something in Kazanlak, which is not only the beautiful nature and the fascinating women. There is something which is in the air, something which is soaked in the soil… Something that explains the specific atmosphere and flavour Kazanlak has. Atmosphere of a place where time stands still but life doesn’t; where one can feel peaceful, calm and safe. And the flavour of the rose, the unique rose.

The Valley of Roses and the Valley of the Thracian Kings both symbolize Kazanlak, which is located at the foot of Stara Planina Mountain (Old Mountain), in central Bulgaria. A small, picturesque town of around 70 000 people. It is 194 km away from Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria. A place, good enough to be the start of your holidays to Bulgaria.

Visit Bulgaria and the Valley of Roses

Visit Bulgaria and Kazanlak. Learn about the most beautiful among women, the rose and how it found its place here in that valley.

The Valley of Roses – because of the Rosa Damascena which finds the conditions in Kazanlak (like high humidity, suitable temperature and sandy soil) to be more favourable for the cultivation of the rose than the ones in its own country of origin, Tunisia. The legend has it that the rose was brought to Thrace from the region of the town Kashan in Persia through Syria and Damascus. Bulgarian scientists presume that the cultivation of the roses was introduced to the region round Kazanlak by a Turkish judge, who had beautiful vast gardens planted with fragrant roses. Whatever the truth is, the fact is that the Bulgarian rose oil soon made a name for its superior quality. The greatest treasure of the region of Kazanlak – the rose became one of the nation’s symbols. That is why at the beginning of the 19th century this rose was named the Kazanlak Damask rose and the valley to the south of the Central Balkans came to be known as the Valley of the Roses. Along with the production of rose oil, a leading role in the economic development of the region was commerce related to the roses. In 1740 Bulgaria for the first time exports rose oil for France. The first official records of rose oil exports refer to trade with Germany and Austro-Hungary beginning in 1771.

Reference: http://www.enmarbg.com/kazanlak-valley-of-roses-holidays-to-bulgaria/

Rose Festival Bulgaria

The Rose Festival is a lovely annual festival celebrated in the Rose Valley, near the town of Kazanlak (at the foot of the Balkan Range). The festival is a pageant of beauty in the unique Rose Valley. Since 1903, in this Valley, people have been celebrating the flowers and especially the main and most beautiful flower – the rose. First, the Festival of the Rose was celebrated as the Festival of the Flowers but until the present day it has been celebrated by all Kazanlak people and its thousands of guests, as the Festival of the Unique Rose. Among Bulgaria tourist attractions and places to visit in Bulgaria, Kazanlak is a unique place because there is beauty and life there.

The Festival is the most remarkable event in Bulgaria and it takes place on the first weekend of June. This is the season when the gentle oleaginous Kazanlak rose comes to bloom, filling the air with its scent. The blossoms are picked in May and June, when high humidity is very important. So is the cinnamon-forest soil in the area and, last but not least, the remarkable skills of the Bulgarian rose-oil producers.

Reference: http://www.enmarbg.com/kazanlak-rose-festival-bulgaria-tourist-attractions/