In many places in the Eastern Rhodopes, you can see trapezoidal niches carved into the rocks. Yet no one has given irrefutable hypothesis what was the purpose of the grooves in the rock, which even today’s climbers could hardly cut down without encountering a bunch of difficulties. How they were made thousands of years ago and for what purpose we still do not know for sure. But will tell you the different hypotheses later. First, you have to meet one of the unique rock sanctuaries in Bulgaria – Chit Kaya. It consists of 50 rock niches in the cliffs above the village of Lisicite. In the area, there are also whimsical rocks which resemble aliens, skulls, faces and other figures.
To get to the Lisicite you need to go through the longest cable-stayed bridge in Bulgaria – with a length of 261 meters. Walking on the boards and logs, that replaced the rotten places is a challenge. Not only because of the constant sway that can bring you seasick, but also because of the fact that you expect the boards to give in at any moment under your feet. It is advisable to navigate the thread at a distance from one another. But the local cross the bridge every day as it actually it is their only link with the rest of the world. The village is situated about 15 km from Kardzhali.
To reach Chit Kaya rock or “masonry” as the name is translated you have to walk about an hour in the direction of the village. The locals will guide you, but generally, any path will get you to the place. Most prefer to take on one that departs from the general store in the village or at least what’s left of the building. There is marking which starts at the fountain next to the bridge. The beginning of the trail offers a magnificent view of the dam “Studen kladenec”
On the way to Chit Kaya you will pass by a group of stones that you can safely liken alien, rock skull, face and other whimsical rocks. At the foot of Chit Kaya you will clearly see the profile of a man. Most figures can be found easily even without much of imagination. The rock niches of Chit Kaya however, will surely make your brain racing wildly in search of the answers whom it was necessary to cut the holes in this inaccessible place. And if you can turn your eyes away from the rock and look in the opposite direction again, you will enjoy the dam from above.
Hypotheses about the rock niches in the Eastern Rhodopes are few, but each raises more questions. One of them states that the niches were funeral facilities, wherein the ashes after burning the deceased. However, there is not a single evidence for that. According to another theory, the niches are related to the beliefs of the Thracians, who supposedly are the authors of the rock holes. Third states that the making of such niche in inaccessible place served as an initiation for young people. According to another hypothesis the rock niches actually represent a map of the gold deposits in the Rhodope Mountains. Whatever the truth, the place is mystical and definitely worth a visit.
