About Bansko
17The town of Bansko (10 127 inhabitants) is the main administrative, cultural and economic centre of the Municipality of Bansko. It is located at a distance of 161 km South of Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria, and 59 km South-East from Blagoevgrad, being well-connected with them through a system of regular transportation. Famous as the entrance to the magnificent mountain of Pirin, Bansko is one of the fastest growing Bulgarian winter ski resorts with an increasing role in the summer tourism industry as well. The average number of tourists exceeds 130 000 per year including a lot of foreigners such as Britons, Dutchmen, Russians, Americans and others. Bansko is the favourite place for weekend outings and recreation of people coming from the large towns and cities.
The specific Renaissance atmosphere, the rich historical and cultural heritage, the well-preserved folklore and crafts, the original cuisine, the numerous cosy and neat private hotels and mekhanas in their traditional style - all that along with the marvellous natural beauty of the Pirin Mountain and the warm mineral waters in the neighbouring Dobrinishte village make Bansko a unique tourist centre with an ever growing number of visitors. The town has the status of a Unique Town with an International Significance in the Tourism Industry (since 1979). In Bansko there are around 150 monuments. Five of them are of national significanse, namely the Sveta Troitza (Holly Trinity) church with its clock tower; "Velyanova kashta (Velyan's House)" with its beautiful artistic frescoes by Master Velyan Ognev, one of the most renown members of the Bansko Art School; the Neofit Rilsky Museum - Benina Kashta; the Nikola Vaptzarov Museum; and the Uspenie Bogoroditchno church.
The museum estate is one of the best in the country and includes "Velyanova kashta", the museum of "Neofit Rilsky", and the museum of Nikola Vaptsarov as well as the Centre for arts and poetry where one can see a year-round ethnographic exhibition-emporium; the icon exhibition of the Banska zhivopisna shkola (the Bansko Painting School). The architecture of Bansko is unique, featuring typically strong bracing stonewalls that can be seen in a number of town streets such as Yane Sandansky, Velyan Ognev, Neofit Rilsky" etc.
Bansko is the birthplace of many great Bulgarians such as Paisyi Hilendarsky, a monk worshipped by the Bulgarians because of his enormous contribution to the Bulgarian enlightenment and culture; Nikola Vaptsarov, a world-wide known poet and anti-fascist who is the only Bulgarian to have received an international award for Peace; Neofit Rilsky, another prominent figure in the Bulgarian education and culture; Toma Vishanov - Molera, the founder of Bansko Art School.
Bansko is more than just a small pretty town to visit. It differs from the other towns that you have ever been in or might go to. Nowhere else can one see such doors and stone walls, such folk costumes and trimmings. Nowhere else can one hear such unusual songs and such a melodious dialect, and taste more delicious meals than the local ones. There is little need to comment on the red wine - the one produced in Bansko is a genuine elixir for the soul!