Blagoevgrad is famous for its beautiful and functional center, all laid out of marble. This is one of the landmarks of the town. Very interesting and attractive for the guests of Blagoevgrad is the old quarter, Varosha. You can walk through its streets and enjoy the beauty and harmony of old revival houses and their unique architecture. Varosha has become a center of arts and eternal Bulgarian crafts. Of particular interest for connoisseurs of old and unique architecture is the church , Vavedenie Bogorodichno. It was built in 1844 and impresses not only with its appearance but also with the magnificent wood-carved iconostasis. Many are the monuments in Blagoevgrad that are built by grateful Bulgarians. Here you can see the monuments of Illyo Voivoda, Gotse Delchev, Kiril and Methodius, P. K. Javorov, those who perished in the Balkan War and others.

Quick facts about Town of Blagoevgrad
In Bulgarian Alphabets: Благоевград
Location: South-West Bulgaria
Distance to capital city: 76.169 km from Sofia
Latitude: 42.017N
Longitude: 23.1E
Altitude: 300 - 499m above sea level
Province: Blagoevgrad District
Municipality: Blagoevgrad Municipality
Area size of Town of Blagoevgrad: 28.909km²
Population: 69976 inhabitants (to 01/01/2007)
Post code (ZIP): 2700
Phone code of : 073 from Bulgaria, 0035973 from outside.

History
The town originated at the place of the ancient Thracian settlement Skaptopara, evidence of which we find  in the notorious Skaptoparski inscription from 238. As the town of Gorna Dzhoumaya it was mentioned for the first time in 1502, and with the name Banya - in 1576. In the past the town was an important roadside fortress. In 17th century monks from the Rila Monastery opened a monastery school. During the second half of 18th and the beginning of the 19th century the town developed as a big centre of craftsmanship and commerce. After the Berlin Treaty, Gorna Dzhoumaya (until 1950 the town had this name) remained within the borders of Turkey and for this reason it turned into the cradle of resistance andpeople's unity. The population activvely took part in the uprisings that followed. The town was liberated on 5th October 1912 (the Balkan War) and then had only 7000 inhabitants.

Landmarks
The Museum of History in Varosha Quarter, the house-museum of Georgi Izmirliev-Makedoncheto, Stoyan Sotirov Art Gallery, Stanislav Art Gallery, Petit Bizhou Art Gallery, Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Church (Vuvedenie Bogorodichno), as well as the Revival houses in Varosha Quarter. There are monuments ti Ilyo Voivoda, Gotse Delchev, P.K. Yavorov, Cyril and Methodius and to the Macedonian-Odrin volunteers, to those who were killed in the Balkan war (1912-1913). As a cultural centre Blagoevgrad has several theatres - Theatre of Drama, Puppet Theatre, Chamber Opera House.
The town is a university centre - American University, Neofit Rilski Southwestern University. Blagoevgrad is famous with its beautiful and functional town centre, all laid out in marble.

Surrounding areas
At 3.5 km  to the north-east, in the valley of Blagoevgradska Bistritsa River is located the Bachinovo Park, where, annualy, in June, a town festival is held. In the same valley, 30 km away from the town, in Northwestern Rila the Bodrost Resort is situated, with many recreation houses, bungalows, and villas. At 5 km distance from the resort is the oldest reserve park for coniferous species of trees in Bulgaria - Parangalitsa. There is the highest tree in our country - a 60-metre spurce. From Bodrost Resort, marked trails set out to various destinations in Rila - Macedonia Chalet (3-4 hours), Chakalitsa Chalet (2-3 hours), Tsarev Vruh (2 hours). In the summer regular bus line is maintained between the town and the resort. Town bus line No. 4 can be taken opposite the railway station to the village of Hursovo, from where on foot, along a marked trail the Chakalitsa Chalet can be reached for about 5-6 hours. 16 km north of Blagoevgrad and several km before the town of Rila is situated the village of Stob with the famous nearby pyramids of Stob - exceptionally beautiful and elegant earthen pyramids, finished with rounded rocky blocks. They are moulded in up to 40 metres thick reddish drifts. They are called in different ways - Samodivski komini (Nymph's Chimneys), Kouklite (the Dolls), Zuberite (the Pinnacles), Choukite (Rocky Peaks), Bratyata (The Brothers), Svatovete (In-laws), etc. Several regular bus lines pass through the village of Stob on their way to the  town of Rila and the Rila Monastery.
Other interesting sights around Blagoevgrad: The antique fortress by the village of Klissoura; an ancient settlement, a necropolis and a late antique fortress - close ti the Bodrost Resort; another late antique fortress - at about several kilometres from the village Selishte. There are remains of antique fortress near the village of Gabrovo. There is a medieval fortress between the town and the village of Tserovo. The Ascension of Christ Church near the village of Pokrovnik, the St. Archangel Mihail Church and remains from a late antique fortress the village of Leshko, the St. Ivan the Precursor Church and St. Georgi Church (built in 1861, presently a monument of culture) in the village of Bistritsa. The rock Markov Kamuk to the south of Mt. Tsarev Vruh. Chernata Skala (The Black rock) - over the right bank of Blagoevgradska Bistritsa River nearby Macedonia chalet.