Rudozem municipality is situated in Rila-Rhodopes massif and occupies the south-eastern parts of the Western Rhodope in the valley of the Arda River, River Elhovska and River Chepinska =. Includes area amounting to 191.3 k m 2. Borders on the municipalities of Smolyan, Madan, Zlatograd and south - with the Republic of Greece. Within the limits of the municipality of Rudozem included 22 settlements.  Rudozem town is located in a picturesque valley. His high altitude is 826 meters. The climate in the municipality of Rudozem is molid-continental. The average annual temperature is 9.4 C °, the average summer (in July) temperature is 19.4 C °, and the average winter temperature (in January) is 1.6 C °. Dominated north and northwest winds. The legend says that the first name, which is known today's town Rudozem is Vitlovo. During the Turkish yoke it was renamed Palace from 1676 to 1934 on / in 1913 on Palace has declared a centre of the municipality. In 1934 receives the name Rudozem. In ancient times here passed  the road connecting Thrace with the White sea plane.

TOURIST LANDMARKS

MEDIEVAL FORTRESS “KOZNIK”

 This interesting medieval fortress is situated on a rock above Rudozem town. It can be accessed via the "Kechi kaya - Koznik" ecopath. During the Turkish domination the fortress was referred to by the local population as “Erim papa” and by the Turks as “Kechi Kaya” (Goats’ Stone; Goats’ Rock). The fortress is an element from a whole system of fortresses in the Rodopi mountain that served for protection purposes in the past. Similar to the “Koznik” fortress are the fortresses “Beadnos” near Beden village, “Aetos” near Smolyan city, “Podvis”, “Tzepina” near Velingrad and “Assenova” near Assenovgrad. By the present moment archeological excavation works have revealed 50 m wall about 1.5-2 m thick. At certain places the thickness of the wall reaches 2 m. Many pieces of ceramics have also been found dating back to different ages, which will be studied and dated in details. An ancient Roman sanctuary has also been discovered..

ANCIENT TEMPLE BELOW “TZIGANSKO GRADISTE” PEAK

The legend about the fortress is the Rhodope version of the story about the Babylon tower. The gypsies gathered and decided to build a tower through which to reach God. They built part of the tower however some quarrel occurred and the tower collapsed. The name however remained and it is the same in all languages - “Tzigansko Gradiste” (in Bulgarian), “Chengene Hisar” (in Turkish) and “Giftokastro” (in Greek). This historical landmark may be accessed via the "Tzigansko gradiste - Sadilisteto" ecopath.

RUINS FROM ANCIENT TIMES

 About 20 historical sites have been discovered on the territory of the municipality. They date back to the pre-Roman, Roman, late-classical period and the Middle ages. These are villages, necropolis, ruins from churches, fortresses and ancient roads. The studies of the ceramic materials have proved that this area was populated still in the early iron ages (1200 – 600 B.C.). The site in the “Seliste” area is particularly interesting. It is located on the south of Poliana village. The remnants of walls are up to 70 cm high. Two types of construction have been used – dry masonry with broken and cut stones stuck with mortar. Part of the found ceramics are similar to the ceramics from the “Tzepina” fortress (near Velingrad). Oak pipeline has been found in the area dating back to ІV-ІІІ century B.C. used for irrigation. A clay pipeline dating to the same period has also been discovered. During the construction of the road in the “Rovisteto” area an early Thracian hill has been discovered. Ceramic fragments and stone hatchet dating back to the Aenolithic-Chalcolithic age which makes one think that the village existed in that period. It has been inhbited in the early period of the old-iron age (ІХ century B.C.) till the beginning of the new-iron age (VІІ-VІ century B.C.). Traces from the early-iron age have been found in “Valchan kamak” area – the highest point of the ridge. The village has been inhabited by the end of V century B.C. Plenty of various ceramic fragments made by potter’s wheel have been found on the surface. The “Cherkvisteto” area occupies a hill on the north-east of Chepintzi village.Ceramics dating back to ІІІ century B.C has been discovered on the surface of the plateau. Pieces of slag have been found in the “Enekishino”, “Levisteto” and “Polianata” areas showing that the ore extraction and metal casting have been known in this region from the ancient times and that active economic processes have also developed here.

CHURCHES AND MONASTERIES

 A number of churches and monasteries have been preserved to a certain extent – “Sveta Elena” monastery (known in the past as “Sveta Irina”) above Plovdivtsi village; the churches “Sveta Bogoroditsa” and “Sveti Todor” above Ravninata village. All of them are basilicas and date back to the late Middle Ages period.
 
THE MOSQUE AT THE ”GOLDEN KORAN” IN CHEPINTZI VILLAGE

 This mosque is the symbol of the village and is the only one in the country with two minarets each being 35 m high. The mosque possesses a very rich library with over 800 printed books in Arabic and Persian languages ranging from philosophy and astronomy to Islamic law and rhetoric. The mosque’s library also stores 350 volumes of manuscripts – Arabic calligraphy of poetry, history, ethics and music as well as the oldest Koran in Bulgaria also called “The Golden Koran”. It is over 600 years old and according to scientists from the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences it had been made for a sultan.

ECOTOURISM

The five ecopaths provide various and pleasant opportunities for tourism. They have been constructed with the financial assistance of the PHARE Cross-border Cooperation Program of the EU. All eco-paths are secured and blazed and provided with information signs and boards. The routes are also provided with places for rest, taps and toilettes. The Tourist Information Center may arrange a trained mountain guide to accompany the tourist groups. If requested in advance it is also possible to provide lunch (barbeque, grill) that can be served at the summer houses with the fireplaces after the tourists have finished their tour on the eco-paths.