MELNIKIN THE SOUTH WESTERN FLANKS OF PIRIN MOUNTAIN ISSITUATED THE SMALLEST TOWN IN BULGARIA MELNIK,WHICH IS PROCLAIMED FOR ANARCHITECTURAL HISTORICAL RESERVE AND TOWN MUSEUM.MELNIK IS A COMBINATION OF INCREDIBLY BEAUTIFULNATURE AND INCOMPARABLE ARCHITECTURE. ITS HISTORYIS RICH IN LEGENDS AND MYTHS FROM DIFFERENTCULTURES. THE BEAUTIFUL WHITE HOUSES, WHICH AREBUILT ONE ON THE TOP OF THE OTHER ON THE HILLS,ARE SURROUNDED BY ROCKS AND HAVE QUIET YARDS ANDWHITE BAY WINDOWS. THEY REALLY AROUSE ADMIRATION.TODAY THE TOWN HAS ABOUT 230 INHABITANTS.INTERESTING ARE THE RUINS FROM DIFFERENT EPOCHAND NATIONS, WHICH HAVE INHABITED THE TOWN WHENIT PROSPERED IN CULTURAL AND ECONOMIC RESPECT. ATTHAT TIME IT HAD MORE THAN 1300 HOUSES AND 25 000INHABITANTS. IN THE SAND PYRAMIDS THAT SURROUNDIT ARE HOLLOWED OUT CELLARS IN WHICH THE FAMOUSMELNIK WINE MELLOW, FULL BODIED AND HEAVYMATURES, SEASONS AND ISPRESERVED..................................104 KMROJEN MONASTERYROJENSKI MONASTERY, THE BIRTH OF THE VIRGINMARY, IS SITUATED SOUTH OF THE VILLAGE OF ROJEN,SOME KILOMETERS AWAY FROM THE PICTURESQUE TOWN OFMELNIK. THE MONASTERY COMPLEX INCLUDES THE MAINCHURCH, LIVING BUILDINGS, SHADY VERANDAH ANDFORTIFIED WALLS, COMBINED IN A BEAUTIFULARCHITECTURAL ENSEMBLE. THE CHURCH IS DECORATEDWITH FRESCOES, CANDLESTICKS, CROSSES, ANDBEAUTIFUL FRETWORKS ON THE ICONOSTASIS. SOME OFTHE ICONS ARE EXCEPTIONALLY PRECIOUS MONUMENTS OFOUR FINE ARTS. OF GREAT INTEREST ARE THE SCENESPAINTED ON THE OUTER FACADE, AND ITS WHITEBELFRY. ACCORDING TO HISTORIANS, THE MONASTERYWAS FOUNDED DURING THE TIME OF ALEXI SLAV ABULGARIAN BOYAR WHO RULED THE RHODOPEAN TERRITORYDURING THE 12 13TH CENTURY. TODAY THE MONASTERYIS RESTORED, AND OPEN FOR VISITS. YANE SANDANSKI ONE OF THE BIGGEST BULGARIAN REVOLUTIONARIES SPENT HIS LAST DAYS IN THIS MONASTERY. TODAY HISGRAVE IS UNDER THE CHURCH OF ST. KIRIL ANDMETODII, NOT FAR FROM THE ROJENSKIMONASTERY.............................1