About Bankya

The town of Bankya is located 17 km west of the city of Sofia, at the foot of Lyulin mountain, at an average altitude of about 700 m. The serenity of the mountain, the pure air and the healing water are the reasons why Bankya acquired the fame of a resort preferred for relaxation and balneotherapy.

The region of Bankya has been inhabited for millennia. Archaeological excavations in "Verdical" district revealed remains of Roman buildings, walls, system of sewers, as well as bronze ornaments.

From the middle of the 19th century until the Liberation from Ottoman yoke in 1878, Bankya was the homestead of an Ottoman military leader. In the middle of the homestead gushed a strong spring, which filled a small pool in the bey's bathroom. The Bulgarians were not allowed to bathe in the water, they were only allowed to soak in the healing mud of the nearby swamp only once a year. This happened on the temple holiday of the church "St. Martyrs Cyricus and Julitta", which is now celebrated on July 15. Hence the tradition of celebrating Bankya's traditional holidays "Goreshlyatsi" on July 15, 16, 17.

 

Баня Банкя
In 1906, the building of the first public bath in the city, called "Little Bath", was built. In 1910, according to a project by the Munich architect Karl Hocheder, one of the most famous European specialists in balneological facilities, the "Big Bath" was completed. With its stateliness and functionality, it is one of the most famous symbols of Bankya.

Lendmarks

  • The Mineral bath building - built in 1907.
  • "Vazov dub" (Vazov`s oak tree) - the favorite resting place of the writer Ivan Vazov
  • The church "Martyrs Cyricus and Julitta" - built in 1932. Consecrated by Metropolitan Stefan of Sofia.
  • "Father Paisiy" community center - founded in 1928 with the first donor being the teacher Vladimir Markov. Today, the community center has over 20,000 volumes of belles-lettres, scientific and technical literature. The oldest cultural institute in the city. A youth dance ensemble, a children's and youth dance group, a choir for old urban and folk songs, a sports dance school, a rock group, a youth sports club are actively developing their activities.
  • Dimitar Blagoev House-Museum.
  • Divotinsky Monastery "Holy Trinity"
  • Klisura Monastery "Sveta Petka"
Кула Банкя
Банкя

Climate

The climate is temperate continental with warm summer, moderately cold winter, autumn is warmer than spring. It is characterized by an average temperature in January ranging between -2⁰С and + 4⁰С. The average temperature in July is +15⁰С and +27⁰С. The average rainfall in January is 33 mm and 47 mm in July. The most pronounced precipitation is in May - 87 mm.