Manastir Village
The village Manastir is located in the Municipality of Lucky – 21 km. from the municipal center and 74 km. from the town of Plovdiv. The center of Manastir village is at 1465 meters above sea level, making it the highest settlement in Bulgaria and the Balkan Peninsula. The winter is long and mild and summer is short and cool. Manastir is situated on the northern slopes of the Chil hill (now Mount. Prespa) near the Manastirska river. The village was founded in 1890 by seven families who fled from Davidkovo village (located in Turkey at the time) and settled here.
The first name of the Manastir village was Manastirishte. Because of the votive tablet with the image of a Thracian horseman, which was found there, it is assumed that at the same place there was an old Thracian settlement with a monastery.
The Eni han peak (now Mount Freedom) is connected with the name of the cruel Turkish commander Eni Khan Baba, conqueror of the Rhodopes. He ordered his men to destroy all settlements from Edirne to Karakulas, but was killed under Mount Momchil and buried there. They named the peak after him, declared him a saint and obliged the Muslim population to come for worship.
At the foot of the hill Chill (Prespa peak) goes an old Roman road from which there are traces today. Near it there is the famous Karadjova water, which was the gathering place of haidouks of the detachment of Karadza voivoda. Near the Manastir village there is located the Imaret Dere (now Haidushki meadows). The name itself is Turkish and means “inn, a public building, where passengers are accommodated for free.” It is assumed that the site was inhabited before the arrival of the Turks. There are foundations of a Christian church. Perhaps there was a monastery from the Second Bulgarian State.
1 km. southwest of the village there is a protected site “Waterfall” – in the “St. Spirit” location, which is visited by all the guests and friends of the Manastir village.
The school in the village was opened in 1893 and closed in 2003.
Yugovo Village
Yugovo village is a small Rhodope village, an integral part of the Luki municipality, located 23 km. south of Asenovgrad, with an average altitude of 700 meters. The settlement dates back to 1700. The village is located on the southern slope of the hill next to Radyuva Mountain, from where it most probably takes its name.
The Roman road that connects Thrace with the Rhodopes goes through the village. The two Roman bridges prove the longevity of the village. Today, some of the most famous routes that go Rhodope Mountains, Bachkovo, m. “Pashaliytsa” and m. “Martsiganitsa.” pass through the Yugovo village. Cars with pilgrims, going to the Orthodox Church “Sv. Trinity”- in the Krastova forest, are driving on the asphalt roads.
Every year on July 27 there is organized a march to Mount St. Pantaley about 2.5 hours away from the village. This tradition dates back many years, but in modern times it was revived by the patriotic people of Yugovo, with the support of the members of the Association “Ongal”, back in 2000 and so on for 10 years.
The Village of Yugovo is the successor of the ancient settlement Yongo. The main occupation of its inhabitants in the past was agriculture and stockbreeding. The Yugovo builders are known building houses and bridges. They were the creators and bearers of the so-called. “Meshtrenski speech” – builders’ secret language though which they stored their professional secrets and skills.
Tough was the livelihood for the people of Yugovo, difficult were the conditions of life here. That is why a large part of its population became famous masters masons. They built throughout Thrace, the Rhodope Mountains, Aegean Macedonia and beyond Stara Planina Mountain. In the middle of the XIX century, in Yugovo there were born the masters Usta Vasil and Usta Stoyu, who built many churches, bridges, public and private buildings in the typical Rhodope rupchensko-rhodope style. The monastery “St. Nedelya” near Zlatovrah is the work of the grand master Stoyu and his “gang” /1856/. In 1863 the beautiful bridge, opposite of Bachkovo / destroyed by flooding in 1908. / was built by the illiterate architect Vasil Yugovetsa. The church “St. Dimitar” / the first Bulgarian church in Asenovgrad /was also built by Yugovo masters in 1866.
Once the residents of the village reached by 1200, today there are 54 in the summer and less than 30 in the winter.
Dryanovo Village
Dryanovo village is located 10 km. southwest of the City Center of the town of Laki, with a population of about 300 inhabitants. The houses (old and new) are built in the typical Rhodope style.
According to a folk legend, at the lower end of the village there was a great cornel wood, from which comes the name of the village. In a Turkish document from 1576 it is mentioned with the name of Direnuva.
In 1576 the village was developing stockbreeding. It is known that until the Balkan War, in Drianovo there were over 10,000 sheep and 3,000 goats. Around the village were discovered ruins of an ancient Thracian sanctuary, and several caves that are not yet explored. The accessible peak “Mound” which has a magnificent view is nearby.
Drianovo village has a beautiful nature and clean air and is the starting point for several eco-routes in the Rhodopes. Its Geographical location and varied topography create opportunities for rural tourism. It is situated on the eastern slope of one of the hills of Radyuva Mountain at the foot of the peaks Drandevitsa (1646 meters) Pandurova chuka (1599 meters) and Small solishte (1750 meters). In the valley below the village runs the River Dryanovska.
Dzhurkovo Village
What was the fate of Dzhurkovo in the past, we can’t tell for sure. The discovered archaeological findings suggest that the village existed in ancient times. There are coins from the time of Constantine the Great /306-336/ and many more items. It is believed that there was an old Roman settlement.
Dzhurkovo, the modern village was founded in 1903 by Kostadin Kalaidjiev and Deli Panaiot. In 1967 – 1968 it has increased to 1,200 inhabitants. Today there are just 120 inhabitants living in three neighborhoods.
Among the pure nature and numerous panoramic views there are the chapels of St. George St. Spirit and St. Elias. Here is the Orthodox Church “Assumption”, which has a 96 years history.
From “Big Meadows” you can see the Chukata area, the “Krastova Forest” and Manastir village. Through the area of ”Luka”, you can go to the village of Zdravets and from there to “Haidushki meadows” and from “Varnitsite” and “Kenan Dere” – to Manastir Village.
An old Roman road that leads from Momchilovtsi for Yugovo passes near the village. There were old mine galleries developed in the antiquity. They found old items in the galleries – hammers, ladders, etc. By tradition it is known that 2 km from the village there was a monastery. What was its destiny, however, we do not known. Now there are still visible foundations of buildings and the area is called Manastiryat.