Bankya  - balneological and climatological rehabilitation center of Bulgaria
 

Dr. Silvia Petrova- MD
e-mail: [email protected]
 
 
 

Welcome to photo gallery of Bankya: Bankya - centrum St. Petka Paraskeva  Monastery, Klisura -Bankya Nature around  Bankya Sightseeing around the city

   Bankya is a satellite town, situated only 15 km southwest from Sofia. It is one of the most    famous climatological  and balneological centers of Bulgaria and is considered a rehabilitation center of international importance.
   Located on the banks of the river Banska, surrounded by the hills of Ljulin mountain, with a marvelous view of two other  mountains-Balkan and  Vitosha- and overlooking  Sofia valley  makes it not only sanatorial, but  a famous  tourists’ place  as well.
   The history of Bankya begins in ancient times. It was known and famous place  for Trakian, Roman and Slavic people. This is proved by many of archeological discoveries such as fundaments of buildings, saveges, ceramic and coins. At the Medieval times many monasteries were built around, some still exist.
   During the 500 years long Turkish rule one of the owner of Bankya was  an Army Mayor (Bimbashi)  Muhamed Rashid . He has been well known to the mighty families in Sofia. He obtained the property as a gift from the Sultan for his faithful service. In the middle of the ranch (called “chiflick”) there was a hot spring of mineral water running and a bath with special wooden swimming pool was built there.
   After the Liberation  (1878) a Bulgarian, Rashko Neshev, built the first new public bath with two departments for each sex and a separate department for patients with skin diseases.
   At 1910 the “Big Bath” - located at the central beautiful King’s park was finished. It was built according to the project of prof. Hocheder- an architect from Munich. With it’s remarkable architecture it is still considered a symbol of Bankya. (pict.1)
   During the last century many sanatoriums, hotels and villas were built in Bankya. Local population is around 30 000 citizens. The law forbids any industrial activity there. Good transportation set connects Bankya with Sofia.

2. Climatological and mineral water qualities.
   Bankja is unique place thanks to its specific microclimate and the mineral water.

  A. Climat:

Tabl.1. Microclimatic parameters of Bankya
 

Elavation	630 to  750 m
Mean annual temperature	9,6 C  -at January - 2,3 C  -at July - 20,4 C
Mean annual atmospheric pressure	705 mm.
Relative air humidity	74% -winter-spring - up 83% -summer - 63%
Mean  annual  rain amount per sq.m	682 ml

   One of the typical signs of Bankya are so called  “local winds “- a combination of mountain breeze, valley wind, foen and forest wind.
   The mountain breeze is generated at night when the air on the hills cool and descends into the valley. At daytime the “valley” wind is generated to the opposite direction –from the town uphill the Ljulin mountain. Additional “forest “ wind is generated from the south hills where pine trees produce huge amount of phythoncids. It was found that up to 100 m aside the pine tree forest of Bankya the air is practically free of germs. (B.P.Tokin).
   Another special feature of Bankya is the ionization of the air. The atmosphere is a colloidal system with dissolved aerocoloids - neutral and electrically charged ions. It was established that when breeze is blowing, downhills negatively charged ions prevail and the electric field changes to negative. This air-electrical complex influences the organism through the light ions, stimulate vital processes and the general energy of the body. Ionization has a catalytic effect on biochemical processes and improves the pathological processes. (Kochankov, Iliev, 1972 ). The aerosol is almost free from allergenes and that gives additional therapeutic benefits to the resort.
   During the summer weather is relatively cool with a fresh air because of the breeze. Winters are moderately cold, without strong winds and storms, for Bankya is protected by the Vitosha and Ljulin mountains.
   The transparency of the air is very high and vizability reaches tens of kilometers. Practically there is no fog in Bankya. The landscape is extremely beautiful, open and calming and acts as additional powerful therapeutic factor of the resort.
 

   B.  Mineral water.
   The first time water of Bankya was studied in 1891 by A. Najdenovich, later on – in 1906 by Kr. Rusev,    in 1939 by A. Azmanov, in 1953 and 1956 –by Kusitaseva and J. Melamed.
   Mineral water in Bankya is clear, transparent, very tasty, without smell, homothermal (36,5 C) and  alcaline (pH>9). Radioactivity is low-1,5 eman per liter, as measured by prof. Penchev in 1911.

  Tabl .2. Physico-chemical values of Bankya mineral water (as measured at 31.3.1953 –Kochankov, 1972 and  at 1983  by D. Konstantinova).