Belasica

Belasica
Belasica
	Kalabak (Radomir) – the highest summit in Belasitsa mountain.
Highest point
Peak	Radomir
Elevation	2,029 m (6,657 ft)
Naming
Native name	Κερκίνη(Greek); Μπέλλες(Greek); Беласица(Macedonian); Беласица(Bulgarian);
Geography
	Location of Belasica (circled in red)
Countries	Greece, North Macedonia and Bulgaria
Range coordinates	41°20′19″N22°55′39″E/ 41.33861°N 22.92750°E

Belasica(MacedonianandBulgarian:Беласица^ⓘ,also translit.BelasitsaorBelasitza,Ottoman Turkish:^[1]بلشTurkish:Beleş),Belles(Greek:Μπέλλες,Bélles) orKerkini(Greek:Κερκίνη,Kerkíni;), is amountain rangein theregion of MacedoniainSoutheastern Europe,shared by northeasternGreece(about 45%), southeasternNorth Macedonia(35%) and southwesternBulgaria(20%).

Geography[edit]

The mountain range isfault-block mountainabout 60 km (37.28 mi) long and 7 to 9 km (4.35 to 5.59mi) wide and is situated just northeast ofDojran Lake.The highest point isRadomir(Kalabaka) at 2,031 m, with elevation otherwise ranging between 300 and 1900 m above sea level. The borders of all three countries meet atTumba Peak.The climate in the area shows strongMediterraneaninfluence.

The area of Belasica became aeuroregionin 2003. Two football teams are named after the mountain range,PFC Belasitsafrom the nearby Bulgarian town ofPetrichandFC BelasicafromStrumicain North Macedonia.

History[edit]

Since ancient times Greeks refer to the range as Ὄρβηλος (Modern Greek:ˈor.vi.los,Ancient Greek:ˈor.bɛː.los).^[2]^[3]According to the ancient authors it was a mountain range in the border area between Thrace and Macedonia.^[4]It is generally equated today with the modern Belasica.^[5]The nameÓrbēlosis probably derived from the ancient Thracian/Paionian toponym of the mountain, which means "shining mountain", frombelos– "blazing" or "shining", andor– "mountain".^[6]It was known for itsDionysoscult. ^[7]

The area is also particularly famous for theBattle of Kleidionof 1014, which proved crucial for the fall of theFirst Bulgarian Empire.

Honour[edit]

Kongur GlacieronSmith Island,South Shetland Islandsis named after the peak andnature reserveofKonguron Belasitsa Mountain.

Photo gallery[edit]

Looking along the main ridge
One of many ruined watchtowers on the Bulgarian side of the ridge
Smolare Fallson Belasica inNorth Macedonia
View of Belasica mountain range fromLake Kerkini
View of Belasica from the Greek side during the winter

References[edit]

Belasitsa. Tourist map, Sofia, 2006.
Благоевъ, Т. А. Бѣласица. София, 1925.
Динчев, Евг., Атанасов, П. Високите планини на Република Македония. Пътеводител, София, 1998, стр. 214–224.
"Енциклопедия Пирински край". Том 1, Благоевград, 1995, стр. 78.

References[edit]

^Rumeli-i Şahane Haritası,Harvard Map Collection, Ottoman Empire Series, Index Map, 1:210,000 Scale, c. 1901/1902,http://iiif.lib.harvard.edu/manifests/view/drs:4952983$17i Archived3 August 2017 at theWayback MachineRetrieved 17.05.2016
^The Cambridge Ancient History: The Assyrian and Babylonian Empires and Other States of the Near East, from the Eighth to the Sixth Centuries B.C., Nicholas Geoffrey, Lemprière Hammond, Cambridge University Press, 1995,ISBN 0521227178,p. 594.
^[1]Archived2017-04-24 at theWayback MachineD. C. Samsaris, Historical Geography of Eastern Macedonia during the Antiquity (in Greek), Thessaloniki 1976 (Society for Macedonian Studies), p. 13.ISBN 960-7265-16-5.
^(Hdt. 5,16; Str. 7a,1,36; Arr. Anab. 1,1,5)
^Brill Online Reference Works – Orbelus von Bredow, Iris (Bietigheim-Bissingen).
^Beiträge zur Namenforschung, C. Winter., 1995, S. 241–242.
^T. Spiridonov, Istoričeskata geografija na trakijskite plemena, 1983, 24 f., 118.

External links[edit]

Belasitsa (regional portal)
Image Gallery From Belasica Archived5 January 2015 at theWayback Machine

[1] Rumeli-i Şahane Haritası,Harvard Map Collection, Ottoman Empire Series, Index Map, 1:210,000 Scale, c. 1901/1902,http://iiif.lib.harvard.edu/manifests/view/drs:4952983$17i Archived3 August 2017 at theWayback MachineRetrieved 17.05.2016

[2] The Cambridge Ancient History: The Assyrian and Babylonian Empires and Other States of the Near East, from the Eighth to the Sixth Centuries B.C., Nicholas Geoffrey, Lemprière Hammond, Cambridge University Press, 1995,ISBN 0521227178,p. 594.

[3] [1]Archived2017-04-24 at theWayback MachineD. C. Samsaris, Historical Geography of Eastern Macedonia during the Antiquity (in Greek), Thessaloniki 1976 (Society for Macedonian Studies), p. 13.ISBN 960-7265-16-5.

[4] (Hdt. 5,16; Str. 7a,1,36; Arr. Anab. 1,1,5)

[5] Brill Online Reference Works – Orbelus von Bredow, Iris (Bietigheim-Bissingen).

[6] Beiträge zur Namenforschung, C. Winter., 1995, S. 241–242.

[7] T. Spiridonov, Istoričeskata geografija na trakijskite plemena, 1983, 24 f., 118.

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Geography[edit]

History[edit]

Honour[edit]

Photo gallery[edit]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

References[edit]

External links[edit]