Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Not always open and without many attractions, the
City Museum
( 229; admission
by donation; 9am-7pm Mon-Fri)
features local traditional costumes, ceramics and jew-
ellery, plus early 20th-century photos of Melnik.
Kordopulov House
( 265; admission 2 lv; 8am-8pm)
According to the proud caretaker, it's the Balkans'
biggest house museum; in any case, the Kordopulov House (1754), former home of one of
Melnik's foremost wine merchants, is a truly impressive structure. The sitting rooms have
been carefully restored, and boast 19th-century murals, stained-glass windows and exquis-
ite carved wooden ceilings, plus couches bedecked with colourful pillows.
Downstairs, the house's enormous wine cellar includes 180m of illuminated labyrinth-
ine passageways; look out for the wall full of glittering coins, which well-wishers have
managed to stick into the soft cave surface - a gesture of goodwill and hope that the rains
will fall and the crops will be good. If you share these sentiments, stick a stotinka of your
own into the wall. You can taste, and buy, the house wine here. The Kordopulov House is
the four-storey building on the cliff face at the street's end, south of the creek.
MUSEUM
Ruins
The 10th-century
Bolyaskata Kâshta
, one of Bulgaria's oldest homes, is ruined except
for some partially standing walls. You can peer in and enjoy great views too. Nearby is the
ruined 19th-century
Sveti Antoni Church
(also not signposted).
Of Melnik's original 70 churches only 40, mostly ruined ones, survive. A signposted
path leads to the ruined
Sveti Nikolai Church
(1756), and to the Despot Slav's ruined
Slavova Krepost Fortress
. Both are visible from the Bolyaskata Kâshta ruins, or from
near the Lumparova Kâshta Hotel. The trail veers east along the ridge about 300m to the
ruined
Sveta Zona Chapel
.
The
Turkish Baths
are difficult to recognise, standing just before the Mehana Menche-
va Kâshta tavern.
Sveti Petâr & Pavel Church
(1840) is down from the Hotel Melnik's
car park. Just below the Kordopulov House, the 15th-century
Sveta Varvara Church
has
retained its walls and floor, and displays icons where visitors light candles.The caretaker
at Sveti Nikolai Church can open the closed churches.
Festivals & Events
The
Trifon Zarezan Festival
(1 February) is dedicated to Sveti Trifon, patron saint of the
vine. Events occur during grape-picking season (first two weeks of October). There's a
folklore festival
on 1 April.
