Two of the reserves of the Central Balkan National Park celebrate today
11 July 2025
On today’s date, July 11, 46 years ago, two of the reserves located within the borders of the Central Balkan National Park were declared. These are Peeshti skali and Sokolna – both impressive with their characteristic and unforgettable relief forms and landscapes.
The Peeshti skali (Singing Rocks) reserve got its name from the rock phenomenon of the same name in the area. The bizarre shapes of its rocks refract the winds blowing from the south and create melodies and songs that every lover of the Balkans should hear at least once in their life. Peeshti skali is located in the northeastern part of the National Park and covers an area of nearly 1,500 hectares. It was declared with the aim of protecting the high-mountainous treeless habitats, natural beech forests and the characteristic fauna in the watershed of the Rositsa River. Despite its compact shape and small area, the difference in altitude from its lowest to its highest point is nearly 1,400 m, and its relief is intersected by numerous elevations and depressions.
The beech forests within its borders impress with their age of over 170 years. Pure or interspersed with firs, sycamores, ash trees or other deciduous representatives, they remain in the mind of everyone who has touched them. The forests provide peace and home to many animal species - it is preferred by both the red deer and the bear, as well as by many of the birds found in the Park.
More about the "Peeshti skali" reserve HERE.
The Sokolna reserve is located in the southeastern parts of the Park. It was created to preserve the characteristic habitats and habitats of rare and endangered species in the region of the Triglav massif in the Stara Planina region. Today, the Reserve covers an area of 1,250 hectares, which are characterized by impressive karst formations such as karsts, grooves and ridges, whirlpools, rock crowns, niches, caves, ravines and karst springs.
It is they, combined with the peculiar climatic features in this part of the Balkans, that have created conditions for the development of incredible plant biodiversity. Within the boundaries of Sokolna, the forests are a corner, but extremely interesting in composition and distribution. Here you can find natural plantations of lilac and black pine, as well as deposits of yew and Cossack juniper. For botanists, the Reserve is a paradise and it is not by chance that it is called a natural botanical garden. A garden filled with very rare and endangered plant species and in which one can admire the wild edelweiss at an extremely low altitude for the species.
The animal diversity within the boundaries of Sokolna is in no way inferior to the plant diversity. A number of mammals and predators roam the ravines and ravines of the protected area and find ideal conditions for life. The reserve with its alpine habitats plays a key role in the conservation of the populations of the golden eagle and the peregrine falcon, as well as other birds of prey.
More about the reserve Sokolna HERE.
The Peeshti skali (Singing Rocks) reserve got its name from the rock phenomenon of the same name in the area. The bizarre shapes of its rocks refract the winds blowing from the south and create melodies and songs that every lover of the Balkans should hear at least once in their life. Peeshti skali is located in the northeastern part of the National Park and covers an area of nearly 1,500 hectares. It was declared with the aim of protecting the high-mountainous treeless habitats, natural beech forests and the characteristic fauna in the watershed of the Rositsa River. Despite its compact shape and small area, the difference in altitude from its lowest to its highest point is nearly 1,400 m, and its relief is intersected by numerous elevations and depressions.
The beech forests within its borders impress with their age of over 170 years. Pure or interspersed with firs, sycamores, ash trees or other deciduous representatives, they remain in the mind of everyone who has touched them. The forests provide peace and home to many animal species - it is preferred by both the red deer and the bear, as well as by many of the birds found in the Park.
More about the "Peeshti skali" reserve HERE.
The Sokolna reserve is located in the southeastern parts of the Park. It was created to preserve the characteristic habitats and habitats of rare and endangered species in the region of the Triglav massif in the Stara Planina region. Today, the Reserve covers an area of 1,250 hectares, which are characterized by impressive karst formations such as karsts, grooves and ridges, whirlpools, rock crowns, niches, caves, ravines and karst springs.
It is they, combined with the peculiar climatic features in this part of the Balkans, that have created conditions for the development of incredible plant biodiversity. Within the boundaries of Sokolna, the forests are a corner, but extremely interesting in composition and distribution. Here you can find natural plantations of lilac and black pine, as well as deposits of yew and Cossack juniper. For botanists, the Reserve is a paradise and it is not by chance that it is called a natural botanical garden. A garden filled with very rare and endangered plant species and in which one can admire the wild edelweiss at an extremely low altitude for the species.
The animal diversity within the boundaries of Sokolna is in no way inferior to the plant diversity. A number of mammals and predators roam the ravines and ravines of the protected area and find ideal conditions for life. The reserve with its alpine habitats plays a key role in the conservation of the populations of the golden eagle and the peregrine falcon, as well as other birds of prey.
More about the reserve Sokolna HERE.
