Rupite is a protected area, which is located about 10 km from Petrich and 2 km from the town of Rupite, at the eastern foot of the volcanic hill Kozhuh (281 m). His name comes from the fact that he looks like a sned-in fur coat. In 1962 part of the area Kozhuh – 0.4 hectares, was declared a natural landmark.
The protected area Rupite is famous for its healing mineral springs with a temperature of 74°C and a flow rate of up to 35 l/s.
On the southern slopes and at the foot of the volcanic elevation Kozhuh are the remains of an ancient city that existed in the period from the 4th century BC. until the 6th century AD. According to the researchers, this is the main city of the Thracian tribe of Sinti – Heraclea Sintica.
In the area of Rupite is located the temple-monument “St. Petka Of Bulgaria”, built in 1994. Vangeliya Gushterova (1911 – 1996), as the full name of the prophet, is known all over the world for the many predictions she has uttered.
According to one account, Vanga lost her sight in infancy in a storm, but in the incident, she received a vision that launched her unique abilities. In the last years of her life, Vanga lived in a small house in Rupite. According to her relatives, she considered the area an energy source and drew strength from it. The church was built with funds provided by Vanga and is interesting because of its frescoes. They are the work of the famous Bulgarian artist Svetlin Rusev and are quite realistic, deviating from the Orthodox canon. Although the temple was not built according to the rules of the Orthodox Church, it attracted thousands of pilgrims and tourists because of its relationship with Baba Vanga.
