Babyak
Encyclopedia
Babyak is a village in the Belitsa Municipality
in Blagoevgrad Province
, Bulgaria
, situated 15 km southwest of Belitsa
in the footills of the Rhodope Mountains
and dispersed in several neighborhoods. As of 2010 it had a population of 781 people.
from the Iron age
in a site, called "Mitesh" and an ancient village at the site "Pshenitseninata" are the oldest traces of live near the village. A Thracian marble plates representing Bendida, Zeus
and Hera
were found at an altar used till V th century. A medieval necropolis
and more than 1000 coper and silver Byzantine coins have been unearthed at a site named "Gogovo". Ruins from a medieval monastery "St Ekaterina" have been found at "Babyaska chuka". The village was mentioned in an Ottoman
register from 1576 year.
wrote about a "village with more than 3600 people of pomak origin". In 1916 D. Gadzhanov noted about 4780 pomak people, living in Babyak. Since 1954 - 1955 some neighborhoods of the village have been separated from the village and the population decreased.
of Pomak origin. In 1972 started a renaming process of the people of non-Bulgarian (Islamic) names and more than 400 men formed resistance groups,who tried to reach Sofia and to protest against the renaming, but they were stopped and arrested. One old man died after the incident.There is a very old mosque from XVII th century.
and Kraishte
. There are roads to the neighboring villages: Kuzyovo
, Chereshovo
and Ortsevo
. The road between Babyak and Lyutovo is in excellent condition, but the other roads need improvement. The roads are mountainous, narrow and steep and very difficult in the winter. There are no other types of transportation.
Electricity is provided to all the neighborhoods of the village by aerial wires. Home and mobile phones are provided. There is a central sewerage and local water supply. A post office and a grocery work daily. The police station is in the village hall.
Belitsa Municipality
Belitsa Municipality is located in the southwestern part of Bulgaria in the northeastern part of the Blagoevgrad Province. The adminastrative center is the town of Belitsa and there are yet 11 villages and the ski resort Semkovo.- Geography :...
in Blagoevgrad Province
Blagoevgrad Province
Blagoevgrad Province , also known as Pirin Macedonia , is a province of southwestern Bulgaria. It borders four other Bulgarian provinces to the north and east, Greece to the south, and the Republic of Macedonia to the west. The province has 14 municipalities with 12 towns...
, Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
, situated 15 km southwest of Belitsa
Belitsa
Belitsa is a town in southwestern Bulgaria, located in the Belitsa Municipality of the Blagoevgrad oblast .-External links:* *...
in the footills of the Rhodope Mountains
Rhodope Mountains
The Rhodopes are a mountain range in Southeastern Europe, with over 83% of its area in southern Bulgaria and the remainder in Greece. Its highest peak, Golyam Perelik , is the seventh highest Bulgarian mountain...
and dispersed in several neighborhoods. As of 2010 it had a population of 781 people.
History
A sanctuarySanctuary
A sanctuary is any place of safety. They may be categorized into human and non-human .- Religious sanctuary :A religious sanctuary can be a sacred place , or a consecrated area of a church or temple around its tabernacle or altar.- Sanctuary as a sacred place :#Sanctuary as a sacred place:#:In...
from the Iron age
Iron Age
The Iron Age is the archaeological period generally occurring after the Bronze Age, marked by the prevalent use of iron. The early period of the age is characterized by the widespread use of iron or steel. The adoption of such material coincided with other changes in society, including differing...
in a site, called "Mitesh" and an ancient village at the site "Pshenitseninata" are the oldest traces of live near the village. A Thracian marble plates representing Bendida, Zeus
Zeus
In the ancient Greek religion, Zeus was the "Father of Gods and men" who ruled the Olympians of Mount Olympus as a father ruled the family. He was the god of sky and thunder in Greek mythology. His Roman counterpart is Jupiter and his Etruscan counterpart is Tinia.Zeus was the child of Cronus...
and Hera
Hera
Hera was the wife and one of three sisters of Zeus in the Olympian pantheon of Greek mythology and religion. Her chief function was as the goddess of women and marriage. Her counterpart in the religion of ancient Rome was Juno. The cow and the peacock were sacred to her...
were found at an altar used till V th century. A medieval necropolis
Necropolis
A necropolis is a large cemetery or burial ground, usually including structural tombs. The word comes from the Greek νεκρόπολις - nekropolis, literally meaning "city of the dead"...
and more than 1000 coper and silver Byzantine coins have been unearthed at a site named "Gogovo". Ruins from a medieval monastery "St Ekaterina" have been found at "Babyaska chuka". The village was mentioned in an Ottoman
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
register from 1576 year.
Population and ethnicity
In the book Ethnographie des Vilayets d'Andrinople, de Monastir et de Salonique in French the village was described as "village with 892 households and more than 2100 male inhabitants of pomak origin" as in 1873. In 1900 Vasil KanchovVasil Kanchov
Vasil Kanchov was a Bulgarian geographer, ethnographer and politician.- Biography :Vasil Kanchov was born in Vratsa. Upon graduating from High school in Lom, Bulgaria, he entered the University of Harkov, then in Russia. During the Serbo-Bulgarian War 1885 he suspended his education and took part...
wrote about a "village with more than 3600 people of pomak origin". In 1916 D. Gadzhanov noted about 4780 pomak people, living in Babyak. Since 1954 - 1955 some neighborhoods of the village have been separated from the village and the population decreased.
Religion
The population is MuslimMuslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
of Pomak origin. In 1972 started a renaming process of the people of non-Bulgarian (Islamic) names and more than 400 men formed resistance groups,who tried to reach Sofia and to protest against the renaming, but they were stopped and arrested. One old man died after the incident.There is a very old mosque from XVII th century.
Education and culture
There is one primary school "Stt Cyril and Methodius", a kindergarten, a nursery and a cultural center with library.Transportation and utilities
The village is connected with the national road system by a fourth class municipal road through the villages LyutovoLyutovo
Lyutovo is a village in the municipality of Belitsa, in Blagoevgrad Province, Bulgaria. It is located approximately 15 km east of Belitsa and 85.5 kilometres southeast from Sofia. As of 2010 it had a population of 242 people. The population is Muslim of pomak origin....
and Kraishte
Kraishte, Blagoevgrad Province
Kraishte is a village in the municipality of Belitsa, in Blagoevgrad Province, Bulgaria. It is located approximately 4 kilometers south from Belitsa and 88 kilometers southeast from Sofia. As of 2010 it had a population of 2375 people. The population is Muslim of pomak origin...
. There are roads to the neighboring villages: Kuzyovo
Kuzyovo
Kuzyovo is a village in the municipality of Belitsa, in Blagoevgrad Province, Bulgaria. It is located approximately 22 kilometers southeast from Belitsa and 85-90 kilometers southeast from Sofia. As of 2010 it had a population of 272 people. The population is Muslim of pomak origin. A fourth...
, Chereshovo
Chereshovo, Blagoevgrad Province
Chereshovo is a village in the municipality of Belitsa, in Blagoevgrad Province, Bulgaria. It is located approximately 27 km west of Belitsa and 88 kilometers southeast from Sofia. A fourth class municipal road connects the village with the secondary national road Razlog - Velingrad via the...
and Ortsevo
Ortsevo
Ortsevo is a remote village in the municipality of Belitsa, in Blagoevgrad Province, Bulgaria. It is located approximately 23 kilometers east of Belitsa and 87 kilometers southeast from Sofia. As of 2010 it had a population of 213 people. The population is Muslim of pomak origin....
. The road between Babyak and Lyutovo is in excellent condition, but the other roads need improvement. The roads are mountainous, narrow and steep and very difficult in the winter. There are no other types of transportation.
Electricity is provided to all the neighborhoods of the village by aerial wires. Home and mobile phones are provided. There is a central sewerage and local water supply. A post office and a grocery work daily. The police station is in the village hall.