BULGARIA ~ The Seven Rila Lakes - Rila National Park ~

... Spectacular views of one of the most stunning natural landmarks of Bulgaria... the seven beautiful sapphire blue Rila Lakes... each in a different step of the mountain.... the Seven Rila Lakes is one of the most popular hikes... from the lift station, trails over rocky mountain passes lead from one stunning glacial lake to the next, all dating from the Ice Age... each lake is named for its most characteristic feature, like Okoto, "The Eye" and Babreka, "The Kidney"... all the lakes are situated between 2.100m and 2.500m... the highest lake, at 2.500m is Salzata “The Tear”... from the mountain above the Tear, you get an unbelievable view of the lake valley below... it seems more like a painting than reality...  many cultural monuments of national importance are also found in the park...Thanks a lot Mariyana!ヽ(ヅ)ノ

Rila National Park is the largest national park in Bulgaria, spanning an area of 810.46 km2 located in  the central and highest regions of the Rila Mountains in the south-west of the country. It was established in 1992 to protect several ecosystems of national importance. Its altitude varies from 800 m near Blagoevgrad to 2,925 m at Musala Peak, the highest summit in the Balkan Peninsula.The name Rila is derived from the Thracian word roula, meaning ‘lots of water.’

There are 120 glacial lakes, including the prominent Seven Rila Lakes. Many rivers have their source in the national park, including the longest river entirely in the Balkans, the Maritsa, and the longest river entirely in Bulgaria, the Iskar.

The Park contains rare and endangered wildlife species and communities, self-regulating ecosystems of biological diversity, as well as historic sites of global cultural and scientific significance.

Each of the 7 lakes has a name:
Salzata (The Tear) – very clear waters that really show off the colours of the lakes
Okoto (The Eye) – this has a oval shape resembling an eye
Babreka (The Kidney) – this has a crescent shape resembling a kidney
Bliznaka (The Twins) – this is almost two lakes that are connected
Trilistnika (The Trefoil) – this looks like a three-leafed clover
Ribnoto (Fish lake) – this is the shallowest of all the lakes
Dolnoto ezero (The Lower lake) – this is the lowest of all the lakes

Stamps:

Flora - Mushrooms

(Issued 10-02-2014)

Wine Production

(Issued 15-07-2019)