Ardino

Ardino (Bulgarian: Ардино, formerly Turkish: Eğridere) is a town in southern Bulgaria, in the Rhodope Mountains. It is located in Kardzhali Province and it is also close to Smolyan.

Ardino Ардино
Distant view of Ardino
Flag
Ardino Location of Ardino
Coordinates: 41°35′N 25°08′E
Country	Bulgaria
Province (Oblast)	Kurdzhali
Government
• Mayor	Izzet Shaban
Elevation	684 m (2,244 ft)
Population  (15.12.2010)
• Total	4,185
Time zone	UTC+2 (EET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+3 (EEST)
Postal Code	6750
Area code	03651

Main square in Ardino seen from the bridge.

Devil's bridge near Ardino.

It is famous for its textile industry. It has a machine-building factory and a tobacco manufacturing industry. Tourist attractions include the Belite Brezi, the Eagle rocks, and the Dyavolski most (Devil's bridge).

History

Under Ottoman rule, Ardino, then known in Turkish as Eğridere, was a kaza centre in the Sanjak of Gümülcine in the Adrianople Vilayet before the Balkan Wars.^[1] Ardino received its name in 1934^[2] and was declared as a town in 1960.^[3] Ardino is the birthplace of Sabahattin Ali, Turkish novelist, poet and journalist.

Further information on the Ardino historic site: Orlovi Skali

Villages

• Avramovo
• Ahryansko
• Bashevo
• Bistrogled
• Bogatino
• Borovitsa
• Brezen
• Byal izvor
• Chervena skala
• Chernigovo
• Chubrika
• Glavnik
• Golobrad
• Gorno Prahovo
• Gurbishte
• Dedino
• Doyrantsi
• Dolno Prahovo
• Dyadovtsi
• Enyovche
• Hromitsa
• Iskra
• Kitnitsa
• Kroyachevo
• Latinka
• Levtsi
• Lenishte
• Lyubino
• Mak
• Mlechino
• Musevo
• Padina
• Paspal
• Pesnopoy
• Pravdolyub
• Ribartsi
• Rodopsko
• Rusalsko
• Svetulka
• Sedlartsi
• Sinchets
• Spoluka
• Srunsko
• Star chitak
• Stoyanovo
• Suhovo
• Temenuga
• Turna
• Turnoslivka
• Yabulkovets
• Zhaltusha

Notable natives

• Sabahattin Ali (1907–1948), Turkish novelist, short-story writer, poet, and journalist