Stone mushrooms

Girls are turned into stone mushrooms near the village of Beli Plast. At least the legend of the unusual rock formations said so. They are located about a kilometer away from the village on the road between Haskovo and Kardzhali. The mushroom stone formations are 2.5 meters high. Their pink-green shades are due to the mineral composition.

According to the legend, the petrified mushrooms are actually the daughters of a local man called Raduil. He lived with his four daughters in the fortress of Perperikon. The Ottoman Turks, however, attacked the fort and captured part of its inhabitants. Among them were the girls who were not afraid of the Turks. The daughters of Raduil frightened the horse of the Ottoman leader and he fell to the ground. The girls killed him with stones and trees. Then fled.

The best friend of the slain robber caught them up and with one stroke of his scimitar snapped the head of the first girl. She instantly turned into stone. This happened with the two other girls and the fourth became a rock even before being touched by the weapon. The Ottoman turned into a  black rock. It still stands today near the stone mushrooms and is called Karatepe.

The stone mushrooms are actually volcanic formations that were formed about 20 million years ago. At that time the place was a bottom of a sea. After it withdrew the mushrooms were shaped by the wind and the sun. The stone figures and the rocks around contain the mineral zeolite. According to the beliefs, it has the ability to purify water.