Pirin National Park, located in the Pirin Mountains of southwest Bulgaria, is a protected area designated as a UNESCO Heritage Site since 1983. The park encompasses seven municipalities in the district of Blagoevgrad, including Bansko, Gotse Delchev, Razlog, Sandanski, Strumyani, Kresna, and Simitli, and covers 4000 hectares. The park was first established in 1962 as the Vihren Nature Reserve, which covered 6,212 decares and comprised the highest points of the Demyanishka and Vihren regions.
What is a UNESCO World Heritage Site?
The park is known for its diverse plant and animal life, including 182 species of medicinal plants, 1,315 other plant species, 320 types of moss and lichen, and 165 varieties of algae. It is also home to over 2,000 invertebrate species and over 200 vertebrate species, many of which are endangered species, such as the European tree frog and the Eastern Hermann’s tortoise. Additionally, the park is home to roughly 40% of all bird species in Bulgaria, with 159 species recorded.
Pirin National Park is divided into several regions, including Sinanitsa, Bayuvki Dupki, Vihren, Bezbog, and Kamenitsa, which includes the Three Rivers region. These regions offer a variety of activities for visitors, including hiking on trails. Visiting the Prin National Park information center for more information on the area’s history, geology, flora, and fauna. The park also features several notable landmarks, such as the Bayuvi Dupki – Dzhindzhiritsa reserve, one of the oldest reserves in Bulgaria, and the Vihren Peak, the highest point in the Pirin Mountains.
