Batak is a town in Pazardzhik Province, Southern Bulgaria, not far
from the town of Peshtera.
Antiquity
There are numerous archaeological monuments of most ancient times
in the region of Batak. A find of the Old Stone Age was discovered
in 1958. Tools, objects, ceramic vessels, ornaments as well as
bones of rhinoceros were found which proves that the climate was
warmer in the Quaternary. Twenty Thracian, Thraco-Roman, Byzantine
and Slavic fortresses, churches and monasteries, as well as
Thracian mounds, Roman bridges, mines, mills and other
archaeological sites were registered.
Origin of the settlement and medieval history
The exact origin of Batak is unknown, since there is a lack of
historical data. The earlier view that the settlement was founded
by Bulgarians who escaped from the forced mass conversion into
Islam in the valley of Chepino in 16th century today is rejected
because it is believed that the settlement is much older. This is
justified by an inscription on the fountain of Virgin Mary
Monastery of Krichim built by the people of Batak in 1592, a writ
of the feudal possessions of Sultan Suleiman I (1520–1566),
in which the village of Batak is also mentioned, as well as the
remnants of many churches and monasteries burnt down by the
Ottomans during the conversion into Islam in this region. The
origin of the name of Batak is not certain, too. In the old legends
it is related to the Tsepino chieftain Batoy, while the history
professors Yordan Ivanov and Vasil Mikov suppose that Batak was
Potok, a settlement of Cuman origin existing between the 11th and
the 13th century. It is, however, certain that the name of the
village is Bulgarian, not Turkish as some authors assert.
Ottoman rule
During the centuries of Ottoman rule, many hajduks in the region of
Batak took revenge from the Turks for the outrages upon Bulgarian
people – Strahil Voivoda, Deli Arshenko Payaka, Gola Voda,
Todor Banchev, Beyko, Yanko Kavlakov, Mityo Vranchev, etc. From
these times have remained the old rebel names, such as Haydushka
Skala, Haydushka Polyana, Haydushko Kladenche (spring), Sablen Vrah
("Sabre Peak"), Karvav Chuchur ("Bloody Spout"), as well as many
legends.
Woodworking, trade and innkeeping were developed in Batak during
the National Revival. The prosperity of the population was
conducive to the prosperity of education — a secular school
was opened in 1835 and the St. Nedelya Church was built in 1813 at
the Todor Balinov place (mayor of the village at the time), donated
by him specifically for the construction of the church. Built for
75 days with the work of citizens of Batak.. Batak has given many
eminent figures of the Bulgarian Revival, such as clerics like
archimandrite Yosif, Nikifor, Kiril and others, who worked in the
Rila Monastery, a centre of the Bulgarian National Revival. Famous
men of letters are Georgi Busilin and Dragan Manchov.
April Uprising and Ottoman war-crimes
Main article: Batak massacre
The population of Batak took part in the April Uprising of 1876.
The people of Batak rebelled on 22 April under the leadership of
voivoda Petar Goranov. On 30 April the village was surrounded by
Ottoman army units and irregulars called bashi-bozouk. The battles
were carried on for five days. The last stronghold of the rebels
was the St. Nedelya Church.
At the end five thousand people were killed and the village was
burned down to ashes. News of the atrocities spread around the
world, aided in large part by Januarius MacGahan's writing for the
London Daily News. The public outcry created favourable conditions
for Russia to declare war on Turkey. On 20 January 1878 the people
of Batak who had survived the uprising enthusiastically met the
advancing Russian army.
Batak today
Today Batak is a renovated modern town famous for its historical
monuments and a resort and tourist centre. A key hydro power system
— Batashki Vodnosilov Pat — with five dams and three
hydroelectric stations was constructed in the 1950s. Rest houses,
tourist complexes and villas have been built along the banks of the
Batak Dam.