site.btaFebruary 24, 1992: Rila National Park Established

The Rila National Park, located in southwestern Bulgaria, was established on February 24, 1992, by order of the Environment Ministry to protect its unique ecosystems, biodiversity, and historically and culturally significant sites. It is the largest national park in this country and one of the biggest in Europe.

Initially covering 107,923.7 hectares, the park's area was reduced to 81,046 hectares on October 15, 1999, following a reclassification by the Ministry. The remaining 27,370.7 hectares, including forested areas and high mountain pastures in the Rila Municipality (Kyustendil Region), became the Rila Monastery Nature Park in 2000.

The Rila National Park includes four reserves, which account for 20% of its total area: Skakavitsa, Parangalitsa (one of the oldest reserves in Bulgaria), Ibar, and the largest reserve in this country, the Central Rila Reserve.

The national park is home to 172 vertebrate species and some 3,000 invertebrates. It currently hosts 60 brown bears, a protected species in Bulgaria. The Rila National Park serves as a breeding ground for many globally threatened species, including 24 vertebrates, 13 invertebrates, and 10 plant species, according to the Ministry of Environment and Water’s website.

The park is the source of three of the longest rivers in the Balkan Peninsula: the Iskar, Maritsa, and Mesta. Over 100 peaks with an altitude of over 2,000 metres are situated within the park, including Musala (2,925 m), which is the highest peak on the Balkan Peninsula. The park also boasts notable natural attractions, such as the Skakavitsa Waterfall, the tallest waterfall in the Rila Mountains, a centuries-old spruce tree in Samokov Municipality, and the Urdini Lakes, which form a unique mineralogical complex, among others.