Ardino (, formerly ) is a town in southern Bulgaria, in the Rhodope Mountains. It is located in Kardzhali Province and it is also close to Smolyan.

thumb|left|Main square in Ardino seen from the bridge.

thumb|[[Dyavolski most (bridge)|Devil's bridge near Ardino.]]

It is famous for its textile industry. It has a machine-building factory and a tobacco manufacturing industry. Tourist attractions include the Belite Brezi, the Eagle rocks, and the Dyavolski most (Devil's bridge).

History

Under Ottoman rule, Ardino, then known in Turkish as Eğridere, was a kaza centre in the Sanjak of Gümülcine in the Adrianople Vilayet before the Balkan Wars. Ardino received its name in 1934 and was declared as a town in 1960. Ardino is the birthplace of Sabahattin Ali, Turkish novelist, poet and journalist.

Villages

  • Avramovo
  • Ahryansko
  • Bashevo
  • Bistrogled
  • Bogatino
  • Borovitsa
  • Brezen
  • Byal izvor
  • Chervena skala
  • Chernigovo
  • Chubrika
  • Glavnik
  • Golobrad
  • Gorno Prahovo
  • Gurbishte
  • Dedino
  • Doyrantsi
  • Dolno Prahovo
  • Dyadovtsi
  • Enyovche
  • Hromitsa
  • Iskra
  • Kitnitsa
  • Kroyachevo
  • Latinka
  • Levtsi
  • Lenishte
  • Lyubino
  • Mak
  • Mlechino
  • Musevo
  • Padina
  • Paspal
  • Pesnopoy
  • Pravdolyub
  • Ribartsi
  • Rodopsko
  • Rusalsko
  • Svetulka
  • Sedlartsi
  • Sinchets
  • Spoluka
  • Srunsko
  • Star chitak
  • Stoyanovo
  • Suhovo
  • Temenuga
  • Turna
  • Turnoslivka
  • Yabulkovets
  • Zhaltusha

Notable natives

  • Sabahattin Ali (1907–1948), Turkish novelist, short-story writer, poet, and journalist

References