Home » Tourism » Chukata na Gidika (the Rocky Passage)

A strange name for a Thracian sanctuary. It is not very well known, in fact not at all. It is located above Dyavolski Most (the Devil’s Bridge) by Ardino, but much closer to Galabovo village, Banite Municipality. From the Devil’s Bridge-Galabovo track you need to turn off to a steep path, going down. There are steep slopes on both sides of the path. Probably this is where the name comes from – "Rocky Passage".

This is what you see on both sides: after you reach the sign reading ’10 minutes from the road fork’ (in Bulgarian it reads: ‘10 ìèí îò ðàçêëîíà’) there is a steep climbing-up (about 200 m), leading to the sanctuary on the top of the hill, which is located in the middle of a river meander. The river flows about 300 m below your feet and the view is incredible.

I realize now why the Thracians chose this place to perform their homage.

The oldest artefacts found here date from the bronze and the early iron age, 1500 years BC. During X-XI c a chapel or most likely a small monastery was built here. These were the lands of the Bessi tribe, which strongly resisted accepting Christianity.
A treasure of coins was discovered in the region. It includes 74 silver Venetian coins and 5 gold hyperperons (a Byzantine coin in use in the latter Middle Ages).
Archaeological excavations are taking place, but they are still in their initial stage.
There is a panoramic picture of the area so you can see where the next Thracian sanctuary - Karaburun is situated.
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