Rila Monastery Nature Park Management Plan - part - usaid

February 2004
respective regimes and norms for their use and protection, have been determined.
The security perimeter for the declared complex (group) and single monuments of
culture in the territory of Rila Monastery encompasses a strip along both banks of
the Rilska River, including the Pilgrims’ Road from Rila town to Sospa Dere
ravine, with a total area of 1,117.2 ha, of which 1,092.8 ha are forest estate, and
24.4 ha, agricultural lands. The size and boundaries of the security perimeter were
promulgated in State Gazette, # 73/08.09.1992. The eastern portion of the said
security perimeter falls entirely within the buffer zone of the Rila Monastery
Forest Reserve.
The security perimeter for monuments of culture is divided into two zones, Zone
A and Zone B, each with its specific regime. As a whole, the regimes of the two
zones coincide with the regimes of the buffer zone for the nature reseve, but are
supplemented with provisions regarding the drafting of territorial development
plans, restrictions on construction, as well as requirements about the carrying out
of archaeological excavations. The main purpose of the regimes of the security
perimeter around monuments of culture is to guide and direct activities pertinent
to the development and building up of the area of holy and cultural sites between
Rila town and Kirilova Polyana locality. The regimes imposed on the security
perimeter around monuments of culture do not conflict with the goals of the
present Management Plan.
5. In 1986, the then Higher Institute of Architecture and Civil Engineering in Sofia
developed a project entitled ‘Territorial and Landscape Plan of Rila Mountain’. In
1991, a new edition of this project was published after a major overhaul. As part
of Rila Mountain, RMNP falls entirely within the area covered by that project.
None of the zones or regimes provided under this Project have been adopted in or
applied in practice in this territory.
6. Zoning and development plan for Rila Monastery settlement unit, approved by
Decree # 4253/04.08.1976 of the then first deputy Minister of Construction and
Architecture. The Plan outlines only subdivisions, not individual plots. There has
been no follow-up or subsequent revision of the Plan by the competent
authorities, which largely explains the present somewhat random, chaotic
organization and operation of the auxiliary areas around the Monastery: parking
lots, restaurants, restrooms, gift shops, etc., which do not appear to follow any
particular patter or concept.
7. Regimes and norms regulating the security protection of sites and facilities, the
provision of water and electricity supply. Built within Rila Monastery Nature Park
are important infrastructural sites and facilities relevant to meeting the nation’s
needs for water distrubution and electricity generation. The use, protection,
conservation and management of waters and water supply installations in RMNP
are carried out subject to the Waters Act.
Parts of the water catchment, collection, deviation and delivery infrastructure
built for the Belmeken-Sestrimo water supply system also lie within the Park
perimeter. The two deviation and catchment zones operational at present bear the
names of rivers on which they are built: Manastirska and Iliyna deviations, which
Rila Monastery Nature Park
Management Plan -Draft
2004 - 2013
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