Bulgarian Association of Travel Agencies
The town of Zemen (known as Belovo until 1925) is located in Western Bulgaria, in Pernik Province, and serves as the administrative center of Zemen Municipality.
It lies in a picturesque mountainous region about 70 km from Sofia, almost halfway between the towns of Radomir and Kyustendil. Zemen stretches along both banks of the Struma River, nestled in a small valley that forms the natural entrance to the impressive Zemen Gorge, and is situated close to the Pchelina Reservoir.
The original name of the settlement was Belovo. The name Zemen was first given to the railway station built within the village’s territory. In 1925, the settlement itself adopted the name Zemen. The change was proposed with the intention of reviving the memory of the medieval fortress Zemlengrad, which once stood not far from the present-day town, within the Struma Gorge.
In 1974, Zemen was officially declared a town and became the territorial and administrative center of the municipality.
The Zemen region has been inhabited since deep antiquity. In the second half of the 2nd millennium BC, Thracian tribes such as the Paionians, Agrianians, and Dentheletae settled in the area. The Lei tribe also established themselves here, founding the city of Aelea (Ælea), which existed until the Roman conquest.
Archaeological discoveries testify to the rich Thracian heritage of the region, including:
coins and jewelry
votive tablets depicting Thracian horsemen
marble funerary steles, including one belonging to the daughter of the military leader Mukatralis
a votive relief of the goddess Bendida
an ancient statue of the deity Mithras
Until 45 AD, the lands of present-day Zemen were part of the Thracian settlement system Dentelatica. After the Roman conquest, they became part of the territory of the major urban center Pautalia (modern Kyustendil).
Between the 2nd and 4th centuries, the Romans developed a network of settlements in the region, connected to agriculture, viticulture, and gold extraction. Archaeological finds include:
remains of Roman fortresses built in hard-to-reach locations
large storage vessels, aqueducts, and coins (including those of Emperor Justinian)
votive plaques dedicated to Roman deities
In later centuries, Slavic tribes—specifically the Strimonci—settled in the area. Medieval maps of the Velbazhd region mark a settlement named Belovon at the location of present-day Zemen.
During the Middle Ages, in the Struma Gorge at the foot of Mount Velbazhd, stood the impressive fortress of Zemlengrad. It was first described by the historian Konstantin Jireček in his work Travels in Bulgaria, where he vividly portrays the beauty of the Zemen Gorge and mentions the stone foundations of the ancient stronghold perched on an inaccessible rock above the Struma River. “…About 100 meters above the surface of the Struma, the stone foundations of a spacious fortress gleam on a barely accessible peak. The locals call it the Zemen Kale…” Jireček notes.
Zemlengrad appears in South Slavic sources from the 12th–14th centuries and is listed among the important fortresses of Western Bulgaria, alongside Pernik, Velbazhd, and Sredets.
In the second half of the 10th century, Bulgaria faced constant threats from Byzantium. Central authority weakened, and local rulers were forced to defend their own territories. During this period, around 35 fortresses were built in Southwestern Bulgaria, including Zemlengrad.
Local voivodes—similar to Krakra of Pernik, Ivats, and Dragota—maintained their own armies, recruited from the local population. Although no records survive about the ruler of Zemlengrad, the fortress’s remote and difficult-to-access location suggests its strong defensive purpose.
Zemlengrad endured some of the most turbulent military events in Bulgarian history:
991–995 – Emperor Basil II launches a major offensive against Bulgaria, destroying many fortresses, but Zemlengrad and Pernik withstand the attacks.
1004 – The Byzantines besiege Zemlengrad again, but fail to capture it.
1018 – After fierce fighting, the fortress is destroyed due to its prolonged resistance. Survivors flee into the surrounding mountains.
The fortress was known for its wealth—locals extracted gold from the sands of the Struma and Dragovishtitsa rivers.
After a temporary weakening of Byzantine control in the 12th century, the local population likely restored parts of the fortifications. During this time, the Zemen region attracted the attention of the crusaders of Emperor Frederick I Barbarossa during the Third Crusade (1187).
Later, after the formation of the Serbian state, the forces of Stefan Nemanja destroyed several fortresses, including Zemlengrad, though they did not remain in them.
Following Bulgaria’s liberation from Byzantine rule, Zemlengrad experienced nearly a century of prosperity. At the end of the 13th century, after King Milutin conquered the Velbazhd region, the fortress became a border stronghold between Bulgaria and Serbia.
The Zemen Monastery Church, the only preserved monument from this period, testifies to the Bulgarian character of the region. The ktetors Dejan and Doya, as well as the painter, were local Bulgarians, and among the frescoes is the image of St. John of Rila.
In 1330, Tsar Michael Shishman marched to defend Zemlengrad and the Velbazhd region, but was killed following the Battle of Velbazhd.
In 1385, Zemlengrad was completely destroyed by the Ottoman army. Only one small hamlet in the gorge—today’s Zemen—survived through the centuries of Ottoman rule. The modern town of Zemen is considered the successor of this medieval center.
The village of Belovo (modern Zemen) appears in numerous documents from the 14th–17th centuries. Its inhabitants were known as skilled stonemasons, lime burners, and livestock breeders. The settlement took part in the April Uprising and sent volunteers to the Russo-Turkish Liberation War.
The Zemen Gorge held enormous strategic importance. Armies frequently passed through it, and over the centuries various fortifications were built to reinforce the natural defensive cliffs. The most significant fortresses include:
Piriya – at the confluence of the Blateshnitsa River and the Struma
Orlite – at the entrance of the gorge
Zemen Kale – the best‑known fortress, whose remains are still visible today
These fortifications formed part of a comprehensive defensive system that existed until the fall of Bulgaria under Ottoman rule.
With the establishment of Ottoman rule—and especially after the spread of firearms—the strategic importance of the Struma Gorge between Zemen and Razhdavitsa gradually diminished. Nevertheless, its good passability remained, and it continued to serve as an important route for the movement of people and goods in this part of the Ottoman Empire. The inhabitants of Belovo were obliged to assist the guard posts stationed throughout the gorge.
The abandonment of the medieval church and the old cemetery around it suggests that at some point—due to reasons still unknown—the village may have been temporarily depopulated. Later, new settlers gradually revived life in the area.
For many years, haiduk bands operated in the mountains around Belovo, led by well‑known local voivodes. Some of their names have survived through time, while many others have been forgotten. In the final years before the Liberation, an attempt was made to rise against Ottoman rule, but it failed due to betrayal.
The Liberation of Bulgaria brought rapid and dramatic changes to the Kyustendil region. The Turkish population—officials, soldiers, merchants, and policemen—left the area. Bulgarians were no longer required to supply goods to Ottoman estates, and trade routes shifted. A newly built and more convenient road from Kyustendil to Radomir, passing through the Konyavska Mountain, replaced the old route through the gorge, which gradually lost its significance.
As a result, for nearly three decades Belovo fell into isolation. Nestled among the surrounding mountains, cut off from busy roads and divided by the swift waters of the Struma, the village continued its quiet, almost idyllic existence. Active economic connections with nearby and more distant settlements were minimal.
The first population census in 1888 shows that Belovo (today’s Zemen) had 681 inhabitants, ranking it 13th among the 70 villages in the Radomir district. By 1905, the population had grown to 908. In 1882, following a territorial‑administrative reform, Belovo was officially designated as a municipal center for the first time.
At the beginning of the 20th century, more favorable conditions for economic development began to emerge. Construction started on the road to Radomir and on the Sofia–Gyueshevo railway line.
In 1904, a Bulgarian‑Ottoman agreement was signed, obliging Bulgaria to build the railway to Gyueshevo by 1910, while the Ottoman Empire was to complete the section from Gyueshevo to Kumanovo by 1912. Shortly afterward, the Bulgarian Parliament approved a loan of 100 million leva, part of which was allocated for the construction of the Radomir–Zemen–Kyustendil line.
In 1905, a tender was held for the construction of the Radomir–Gyueshevo railway (89 km). After the contract was signed, intensive construction began, involving local workers and foreign specialists. Technical supervision and the more complex engineering work were entrusted mainly to Italian companies.
The head of construction in the Zemen section was the Italian engineer Klinka—a young, energetic man who quickly became beloved by the local people. He learned Bulgarian, took part in local festivities, sang folk songs, and even learned to dance the traditional ruchenitsa.
Under his leadership, nine tunnels were carved through the rocky massifs of the Zemen Gorge. The railway followed an old Ottoman route, passing by natural landmarks such as the Polsko‑Skakavishki Waterfall—the third highest in Bulgaria—and the remains of medieval fortresses.
During construction, several Italian workers were killed in an accident, including engineer Klinka himself. In his honor, the central square of Zemen today bears his name.
The decision to build a railway station in the middle of Belovo’s territory proved to be transformative. It marked the beginning of the settlement’s development into a regional transport and economic hub.
Initially, the station buildings stood alone in the fields—there were no houses nearby. A small stream once flowed across what is now the town square and the station platform, but it was later diverted. With the arrival of engineers, technicians, entrepreneurs, merchants, and railway workers, the local population was exposed to new skills, knowledge, and cultural influences. Trade expanded, employment increased, and economic life became more dynamic.
On 9 August, the railway section was officially inaugurated by Prime Minister Aleksandar Malinov, accompanied by ministers, engineers, journalists, and local residents. Since then, this date has been celebrated with a traditional fair—a custom preserved to this day.
In 1974, Zemen was officially declared a town and became the administrative center of Zemen Municipality, which includes 18 other settlements. Today, Zemen is an important location in Pernik Province, known for its rich history, unique natural surroundings, and significant cultural heritage.