The village of Banya
The village of Banya is located in a mountainous region 801 m above sea level in the centre of the Razlog valley among three mountains - Pirin, Rila and Rodopi. It is near Bansko, Razlog and Yakoruda.
The village of Banya is the oldest village in the Razlog valley. Its first founders and settlers were the Tracians. Till the present day you could see remains from Tracian settlements in the village and its surroundings. While piping some of the mineral srings some coins with Filip and Alexander Makedonski's images were found.
The village of Banya has has its trade mark of mineral water since Roman times. This is the old bath built in typical Roman style - one line of stones, three-four lines of bricks, with small arch openings, a separate toilet and a lamp with a chimney above the canopy.
During the period of the Second Bulgarian kingdom the village of Banya is ruled first by the Rodopi feudals and then by the Macedonian feudals. The village of Banya and the Razlog region lived in Turkish occupation around 530 years. During the Balkan war in 1912 the region became independent.
Cultural and natural sites
There are Roman and Medieval remains in the village and in the region. At the moment there are two old baths in the village. The remains of a bath, which was used by the Turkish people in the period of the Osmanli sway, are situated near the new public bath. The second bath, which was announced archaic, is situated in the old part of the village. This is a Bulgarian bath, used by the Christian people of the village. There are inscriptions at the entrance in Bulgarian and Turkish, which dated from 1736,
The village is famous for its mineral springs - 72 - for treating chronic gynaecological diseases, osseous and neurological diseases. The River Glazne flows through Banya; it springs from the circuses of Pirin mountain. At the moment there is a ‘Green corridor' in the village, which was created with the help of ‘EcoCommunity' and American and German funds. The corridor is a tourist site in the region. It is 7 km long and it ends at the beginning of the village of Dobrinishte.
Every year in the first Sunday of July there is a traditional fair "a holiday in my village'. There come people, born in the village, who live and work in different regions in Bulgaria.
The Predela region is situated nearby. The Predela hotel is situated in the Predela area, between the Rila and Pirin mountains. The guests of the hotel could enjoy their summer or winter holidays in the mountains among peace and quitness. The century-old tree is situated in the yard of the Predela hotel; the beech gives positive energy to whomever toughes it. The hotel has suites and rooms which could accommodate from 50 to 55 people.
Predela Hotel
Predela hotel is situated in the Predela area in the Predela col on the north slope of the Rila mountain.