All big cities grew out of small settlements founded by the first settlers. Their rapid growth and development led to the acquisition of new, larger territories, so the first residential quarters gradually became the historic centers of modern asphalt jungles.

The heart of the Bulgarian town of Blagoevgrad is an ancient quarter with the sonorous name "Varosha", which means "old town". Every tourist in the town goes to this place first. After all, it is not for nothing that the oldest quarter is included in the list of one hundred national tourist sites of the country.

Clean stone-paved streets, white-stone houses... Everything here is made in the Renaissance and is filled with a charming vibe of the past. The Bulgarian Varosha is first mentioned in an ancient Ottoman document of 1502. Then its streets and squares resembled Turkish sanjaks. But already in the 18th century, it was the only Christian quarter in the town.

Today, the Varosha quarter remains Christian, as well as preserves buildings dating back to the 19th-20th centuries. Its old streets are adorned with magnificent architectural monuments, artistically decorated buildings. For example, the Orthodox Church of the Presentation of the Mother of God. The interior of this Bulgarian church deserves special attention: it is richly decorated with wood carvings and original frescoes by the famous artist Bozhin Stamenitov.

Another notable attraction of Varosha is the "Moshtan house", built in 1888. It is a two-story stone mansion, decorated with floral patterns. Inside, it boasts traditional interiors, framed with wooden carvings. The houses of Staikov and Izmirliev, dating from the 19th century, are also worth noticing, as they stand out from other buildings in the quarter. The house of Georgi Izmirliev was opened to the public in 1976 and became a museum. Today, it features the original carved ceiling, antique furniture items, and urban costumes of his family members. In summer, there is an art gallery with works by local artists in the courtyard.