Melnik - the smallest town in Bulgaria has had an eventful and turbulent history. Archaeologists claim that the Thracians were the first to settle in these lands. Later came the Romans and left a unique trace: the ancient Roman Bridge. It is the Slavs, who are supposed to have first given the town its present name, after the sand pyramids (the ancient Slavonic word “mel” means clay, chalk) that surround the town.

Melnik became a part of the Bulgarian State in 845 and within a few centuries flourished greatly. In the 13th century it turned into a centre of arts and crafts, of building and trade, of icon painting, goldsmiths’ products, filigree works, and masonry. But it is mostly the dark red wine upon which the town has built its reputation. Millions of liters were exported in camel caravans to Venice, Vienna and Budapest.

During the prosperous 17th-18th centuries, residents went all out constructing houses, some of which were set on foundations of ruined medieval buildings. Nowadays some of them have been restored and turned into museums while others serve as guest houses, restaurants and taverns where guests can sample dishes of the Bulgarian national cuisine and the famous Melnik wines.

The town is an architectural preserve. 96 buildings are cultural monuments. The specific terrain made people fight for each square foot of land. That is why the Melnik houses seem perched one above the other, so close as though they are whispering something to each other. Again, to cope with the slope, people built the basement of stone at several levels where the full-bodied wine matures. The white facades are framed with dark boards and the windows are grouped several together in an elegant fashion. The interiors usually exhibit ceilings of carved wood, chimneys, decorative cupboards, murals and even stained glass. But apart from the generally typical features, every house here has individuality and its own history and life.

The Kordopulov House is named after the wine merchant Manolis Kordopulov to whom it once belonged, is a veritable gem of Bulgarian architecture of the National Revival, remarkably planned and executed. Its basement contains one of the largest wine cellars in the town equipped with special canals and ventilation. The house is also famous for its decorative murals and stained Venetian glass, exquisite carved ceilings and sumptuous Baroque decoration. It is a museum - open daily 8.00 am - 8.00 pm.

The architecture of the Rozhen Monastery (just 6 kilometers away from Melnik) is very impressive. The church in its yard, built in 1600, was renewed and painted in the 18th century. It contains a wealth of splendid stained glass, woodcarvings and old icons. Parts of them, together with the wood-carvings from the icon stand were exhibited in the Charpentier gallery, Paris and in the Huegel Villa in the town of Essen.

The Famous Melnik Wine
Melnik, southwestern Bulgaria, is a region famed for the excellent quality wine produced there. Winston Churchill, a longtime fan of this wine, for years on end used to order from this robust, deep-flavoured �?southern’ wine, produced from a unique local brand of vine.