Here, insights range from early settlement on Krakra Hill to the fortress and mining, through to the Surova Festival. You can choose a focus based on your interests: archaeology and history, culture or nature.
Pernik: early settlement and fortress history
Krakra Hill was inhabited from the 5th millennium BC until the end of the 12th century. The medieval Pernik Fortress stands on a rocky plateau southwest of Pernik; archaeological finds indicate that a fortress was already there in the 6th to 5th century BC. In antiquity, the fortress was an important military, administrative and economic centre. At the beginning of the 11th century, Krakra ruled over the fortress and the settlement of Pernik.
At Krakra Fortress, visible archaeological remains are among the tangible impressions on site: you can see the foundations of three Christian churches, including a basilica with a nave and two aisles, as well as a two-storey church-tomb. Platforms on the fortress walls offer a bird’s-eye view of Pernik and the surrounding area. You can reach the fortress either by a paved lane open to vehicles or by a path with steps.
Museums spanning city history and mining
The Pernik Historical Museum has a general history focus; the Mining Museum is dedicated to the development of coal mining in Pernik. The Regional Historical Museum holds 54,918 objects in its collections. Visitors especially interested in industrial history will find a dedicated focus at the Underground Mining Museum: it is located in two preserved galleries of the so-called “Old Mines,” dating from 1891, and is unique on the Balkan Peninsula. The two galleries are about 630 metres long in total; around 30 exhibitions explore the development of mining in Bulgaria.
For groups visiting the Underground Mining Museum, the limit is 20 people, accompanied by a guide. Confirm the specific arrangements locally in advance. The Cultural and Information Centre provides information about tourist and cultural sites in Pernik and arranges visits to various locations in the city.
Surova and Thracian heritage in Pernik
Pernik hosts the International Festival of Masquerade Games Surova every year. It is associated with the Surova Folk Festival, which was included in UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2017. Its annual rhythm and connection with the folk festival give this subject a different timeframe from the archaeological evidence and museum collections.
Another site of cultural and historical interest is in the Tsarkva district: the Thracian sanctuary is dedicated to Asclepius, Hygieia and the Thracian Horseman. It dates from the 2nd to 4th centuries and has been conserved and partly restored. Finds include marble votive tablets and statuettes of the Thracian Horseman and healing deities; they are held at the Pernik Historical Museum.
Landscape and trails in the wider destination of Pernik
Pernik Municipality lies between Vitosha, Golo Bardo and Lyulin. It includes parts of Vitosha National Park and the Ostritsa Botanical Reserve. Duhlata Cave is another natural attraction in the destination: its underground galleries extend across seven main levels and reach a total length of up to 18 kilometres; six underground rivers and streams flow through the cave.
A striking natural feature is Zhivata Voda near Bosnek. Water flows from the nostrils of a crocodile’s head carved into the rock. Hiking trails lead from the spring onwards to Bosnek, Kladnitsa and Chuypetlovo. From Selimitsa Hut, a marked trail leads to Cherni Vrah and to Ostritsa and Rudnicher huts; check current trail conditions locally.
There is also a specific starting point for the route to Slavey Hut: it begins at the Pernik Prophylactorium, which is reached by bus number 2. Check the service locally before departure. When planning in the wider destination, you can choose between cultural visits and trails through the landscape without having to combine them into a single route.
Discover more destinations: Leva Reka, Zelenigrad.
View the wider travel overview: Pernik Province.
