The quaint medieval town of Zemen in western Bulgaria takes you on a time travel

By Neeta Lal

As we drive 70 km southwest of the Bulgarian capital city of Sofia towards Pernik province, the urban Legoland paves way for a Van Gogh-esque setting.

Blooming flowers, emeraldgreen fields, towering pine and oak trees fill our car’s glass windows like vibrant watercolours.


The mocha-coloured Vitosha Mountains loom in the distance, fronted by the mercurial River Struma.

Our destination? The quaint medieval town of Zemen that skirts the Konyavska mountain.

The plan? A deep immersion in the Bulgarian countryside, a tryst with nature and a taste of farm-fresh food. We begin with a quick tour of Zemen that acquaints us with its myriad charms — plunging valleys, precipitous gorges, scenic villages and waterfalls. Earlier called Belovo, the town hosts about 3,500 residents now, mostly Bulgarian Orthodox, who subsist on farming, cattle breeding or dairy production.

Zemen offers spectacular, 360-degree views of the entire Pernik Valley as well as the Struma gorge. As I peer gingerly into the valley’s depths, lush foliage can be seen carpeting it interspersed with rooftops in the hues of sherbet. The Struma Canyon, where the River Struma has carved unique shapes and forms, glints further afield.

The 415 km Struma — named after the mythical Thracian king Strymon who drowned in it — flows not only through Bulgaria but also Greece and Macedonia. Now diminished, it is still a popular haunt for visitors to Zemen who throng its southern banks for quiet, contemplative walks or fishing. As the tour progresses, we are joined by Zemen’s affable mayor Dimitar Sotirov who is focusing on making the town more attractive for visitors.

We drive down to the foothills of Risha Mountain, 2 km from Zemen, where lies the town’s architectural gem — the Zemen Monastery. Regarded as one of the most valuable monuments of medieval Europe, the 11th century shrine brims with Biblical frescoes and mosaics.

According to one legend, Bogomil, a 10th century Bulgarian priest buried a holy relic to save the world from destruction.

The beautiful monastery now stands restored and converted into a museum. Declared a national cultural monument under Unesco, it has two interconnected buildings, a small bell tower and a church in the middle of a grassy, expansive courtyard.

“The church is the oldest building in the complex and is one of the few surviving examples of Bulgarian Middle Age architecture,” a local guide explains as I perambulate the complex, a cubic building resting on four enormous pillars. Its dome made of stone has a central cupola. Next to the monastery spurts the crystal waters of a spring.

The most striking feature about Zemen Monastery are its frescoes. “These unique artworks adhere to the laws of iconography and ecclesiastical norms of painting a Christian temple in fresco. Even the colours used by the local church artists of the time were organic. No chemicals were employed,” the guide elaborates as we admire the frayed murals that hint at former glory.

One of the church’s frescoes is the Communion of the Apostles. “Typically,” the guide elaborates, “in such frescoes, Jesus is shown giving wine with one hand and bread with the other to his apostles. However, in this fresco, the artist has painted two figures of Christ. One is distributing wine and the other bread. This is quite unusual.”

Imbued with spiritual significance, the Zemen Monastery has become an important Bulgarian national symbol. Every year on May 20, thousands gather here to pray, sing and dance and celebrate the monument.

As the tour ends, we proceed for lunch at a local farmhouse overlooking the valley and the Vitosha mountains.

In the distance, Bulgaria’s border with Serbia can also be seen. The tables — set under a cloudless, cerulean sky — are loaded with goodies. There’s banitsa, a Bulgarian staple (filo pastry layered with Bulgarian white cheese and eggs), kyufte and kebapche (grilled meatballs), grilled meats, shopska salata (fresh cucumber and tomato salad with white cheese) and the creamy Bulgarian yoghurt. Laughter resonates in the air as we raise a toast with rakija (fruit brandy) and savour the true taste of Bulgaria.

*The writer is a Delhi-based journalist.