HISTORY OF PAMPOROVO

By Aleksandra Tsankova

Name
The name Pamporovo comes from Raycho Pampora, whose real name was Raycho Hadzhibelev. A legendary 19th-century merchant, he once managed to obtain a permit to build a church in Smolyan in just three days instead of the usual four. He earned his nickname thanks to the caravan of mules he used to transport his goods. He personally led the caravan, riding a horse with a constantly smoking pipe in his mouth. A local, impressed by his speed, compared him to a pampor (an old word for a steam train), and the name stuck. His sons were called the Pamporovi, and today his great-great-grandchildren still bear that surname.

Raycho bought the land beneath Mount Snezhanka (then called Karamandzha) as grazing grounds for his mules. This plot was later purchased by Ivan Chichovski, whose son Nikola laid the foundations for the Pamporovo resort.

Visionary
The creation of the Pamporovo resort is linked to the visionary Nikola Chichovski, a bank employee and chairman of the forest landowners’ cooperative “Pamporovo.” In 1925, he decided to turn the Rhodope Mountains into a place for rest and recovery. In his reports to the cooperative in the village of Chepelare, Chichovski emphasized that the goal should not be limited to exploiting resources like timber and pastureland, but also to fully harness the clean air and natural beauty of the region through the construction of suitable holiday buildings.

His idea was rejected by the General Assembly. In 1931, shortly after a new leadership took over the cooperative, Nikola Chichovski left Chepelare and settled in Sofia. However, he did not abandon his original vision for a resort in his native region. In August 1933, he opened the “Villa-Guesthouse Nikola I. Chichovski,” which had 27 rooms. Less than two months later, the number of visitors exceeded 280, prompting him to add a third floor to accommodate more guests. Inspired by his success, others also began building guesthouses.

In 1945, already an elderly man, Chichovski sold the guesthouse to the Chamber of National Culture, satisfied that he had fulfilled his dream and hopeful that his vision would live on.

Communism – Balkantourist – Pamporovo
With the arrival of communism, all guesthouses in Pamporovo were nationalized, and during the 1950s, the resort was renamed Vasil Kolarov. In 1961, the first modern hotel, Snezhanka, was built. The founding of Balkantourist in 1967, headquartered in Pamporovo, marked a new stage in the resort’s development. The first ski lift, Studenets–Snezhanka, was constructed, and new hotels began to rise, including Orpheus, Panorama, Murgavets, and Perelik.

The Snezhanka television tower was opened to visitors, featuring a panoramic café. During this period, the first ski school, ski rental service, shops, and a Corecom store (where goods could be purchased with foreign currency) were also established. In 1990, the state-owned company PAMPOROVO was founded, which, after privatization, became the joint-stock company PAMPOROVO AD.

Today, Pamporovo is one of the most developed and popular ski resorts in Bulgaria. The resort is known for its mild winters and high number of sunny days, making it an ideal destination for winter sports. Pamporovo offers 37 km of ski runs suitable for both beginners and advanced skiers. Modern ski lifts are strategically placed and converge at a single point, creating optimal conditions for large tourist flow and future development potential.

In summer, the area remains cool and offers scenic hiking and biking trails, children’s activities such as an adventure park and rope garden, as well as numerous cultural and historical landmarks.

Conclusion
Nearly a century later, it is clear that Nikola Chichovski’s idea has stood the test of time. The far-sighted Rhodope native once wondered: “Is it madness or a bold feat to invest so much in Pamporovo, 75 kilometers away from the nearest railway?”
Today, the answer is unmistakable.
“The hidden future will tell. And even if I don’t personally see my good work completed, someone will finish it.” — Chichovski.