The town of Kalofer is situated along both banks of the river Tundja, between the Balkan and the Sredna Gora mountain ranges. Above it stands the highest peak in the Balkan Range – Botev peak. The town is located 17 km east of Karlovo, 158 km east of the capital city - Sofia, 38 km west of Kazanluk, 75 km north of Plovdiv. It is the birthplace of the great Bulgarian poet and revolutionary Hristo Botev.

On this place there were once thick, impassable woods. To the west, in the valley of Byala Reka River, was the old town Zvanigrad, from which there is not a trace left today. Due to the strong resistance, the Turks wiped out the town, but the proud and sturdy defenders remained unconquered. A group of 40 heroes, led by Kalifer Voivoda, roamed for long throughout the area, defending their fellow Bulgarians and arousing terror in the Ottomans. The Turks were powerless to deal with the detachment and so the Sultan gave the voivoda permission to settle in the woods along with his men, giving them privileges to establish a settlement with the statute of derventdzhii (special guards of the roads and passes in the mountains, appointed by the Turks). The haidouti (armed revolutionaries, volunteers, members of a detachment) kidnapped maids from Sopot, which was famous for its beauties, and that is how the town of Kalofer originated.

History
The history of the town during the long Turkish yoke is full of names of famous revolutionaries, haidouts and rebels. Twice the Turkish brigands ruined the town - in 1799 and 1804, but it quickly recovered and grew wealthy. During the first half of the 19th century Kalofer, like all towns south of the Balkan Range, reached its zenith. The craftsmen and merchants of Kalofer traded with Constantinople, Vienna, Odessa, Braila. In 1845 a big new school was built, and in 1871 a school for girls was built, too. All kinds of educational societies were formed. A lot of renowned writers and public figures are natives of Kalofer - Ekzarh Yossif I, Dimitur Mutev, Elena Muteva (the first Bulgarian poetess), Hristo Tupchileshtov, Ivan Shopov and others. Many people of Kalofer enrolled in the detachments of Panayot Hitov, Phillip Totyo, Hadgi Dimitur and Stefan Karadzha, Bacho Kiro. At the end of the Turkish rule there were as much as 15 haidout detachments roaming in Kalofer’s vicinity. During the War of Liberation (1877 - 1878) Kalofer shared Karlovo and Sopot’s fate - it was plundered and set on fire by the bashibozouks. Almost nothing is left of the pre-liberation Kalofer.

Landmarks
The Hristo Botev House-Museum is one of the landmarks in Kalofer. It is not the native house of the poet, which burned to ashes when the town was ruined, but the the restored in 1942 house of Hristo Botev’s father - the teacher Botyo Petkov. A new museum building in folk-style was added in the yard too. There is also a marble bust of the poet and a sculpture of his mother. In the upper part of the center, the restored building of the school of the teacher Botyo Petkov can be found. On its lower floor, an art gallery has been arranged, featuring pictures, dedicated to Kalofer and Hristo Botev, and the second floor hosts a museum of education. Further in this direction is the old revival Holy Virgin Church. In its yard was the simple church cell that gave shelter to Botyo Petkov, when he came to teach in the little town. Hristo Botev was born in it. Monumental stairs lead from downtown to the Memorial Complex, in the center of which stands a granite statue of the Bulgarian genius, who has outspoken the prophetic words “One, who falls fighting for Freedom, doesn’t die” and confirmed them himself.
In the north-west end of Kalofer stands a glorious monument of Kalifer Voivoda.

Surrounding areas
The Panitsite Resort is situated at 6 km north of Kalofer, along both banks of Tundga River. It has a lot of recreational facilities, mostly for children. During the summer, twice daily, there is a bus from the town. The Kalofer Maiden Monastery can be found on the right bank of Byala Reka River at about 6 km north-west of the town. Founded in 1640, it was set on fire twice (in 1799 and 1804) by the Turkinsh brigands, rebuilt in 1819, with a big monastery church. During the War of Liberation it was again plundered and burnt to ashes. Today’s church was built in 1880 on the foundations of the old one.

The upper part of Byala Reka has cut through the Balkan the fantastic South Dzhendem Canyon, declared a Nature Reserve. It is accessible only with mountaineer equipment. Near the Alpine Rai Chalet is the highest waterfall in Bulgaria - Raiskoto Praskalo - 124 m, whose waters fall down the stony walls of Mt. Botev - 2376 m - the highest peak in the Balkan Range. One can get to this true paradise only on foot - about 4 hours from the Panitsite