Patalenitsa
Encyclopedia
Patalenitsa is a village in southwestern Bulgaria
, administratively part of Pazardzhik Municipality
within Pazardzhik Province
. It lies 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) southwest of Pazardzhik
, at the northern foot of the Karkaria ridge of the western Rhodope Mountains
, some 370 metres (1,213.9 ft) above sea level. In 1955, the nearby village of Batkun was merged to Patalenitsa.
There are several ancient and medieval sights in and around Patalenitsa. These include the 11th–14th century crossed-dome Church of St Demetrius
with its preserved frescoes, the Batkun Monastery, originally founded in the Middle Ages and last reestablished in the 19th century, the ruins of the medieval Batkun Fortress (Batkounion), and the ruins of an ancient sanctuary of Asclepius
dating to the 1st–4th century. Besides the medieval but inactive St Demetrius, there are two other Bulgarian Orthodox
churches in Patalenitsa. The Church of the Dormition of the Mother of God was built in 1708, while the Church of the Holy Mother of God in the Batkun neighbourhood is newer and dates to 1892. In addition, there is a new chapel
dedicated to Saint George, which was constructed in 2002 at the place of an older one.
There are several theories explaining the etymology
of the village's name. According to one theory, it is tied to the name of Saint Pantaleon
, a church dedicated to whom occupied the present site of the village's Church of St Demetrius. A second explanation derives the name from the village of Patele in Aegean Macedonia
(today Agios Panteleimonas, Florina Prefecture
, Greece
), from which people settled in Patalenitsa in the 18th century. Another possibility is a link to the Bulgarian word pat (път, "road"), due to Patalenitsa's position on a crossroad.
The village has its own village hall, the present building of which dates to 1970, a cultural centre (chitalishte
) established in 1909, and a monument to the locals who perished as Bulgarian Army soldiers in the Balkan Wars
and World War I
. The earliest school in Patalenitsa was founded in 1865, though the current edifice of the village school was constructed in 1923.
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
, administratively part of Pazardzhik Municipality
Pazardzhik municipality
Pazardzhik municipality is the second largest municipality in Pazardzhik Province, after Velingrad. It occupies 640 km² or 14,3% of the province. Its territory encompasses the western-most parts of the Upper Thracian Plain and is famous for its fertility...
within Pazardzhik Province
Pazardzhik Province
Pazardzhik Province is a province in Southern Bulgaria, named after its administrative and industrial centre - the town of Pazardzhik. It embraces a territory of 4,456.9 km² that is divided into 11 municipalities with a total population of 290,614 inhabitants, as of December 2009.-History:The...
. It lies 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) southwest of Pazardzhik
Pazardzhik
Pazardzhik is a city situated along the banks of the Maritsa river, Southern Bulgaria. It is the capital of Pazardzhik Province and centre for the homonymous Pazardzhik Municipality...
, at the northern foot of the Karkaria ridge of the western Rhodope Mountains
Rhodope Mountains
The Rhodopes are a mountain range in Southeastern Europe, with over 83% of its area in southern Bulgaria and the remainder in Greece. Its highest peak, Golyam Perelik , is the seventh highest Bulgarian mountain...
, some 370 metres (1,213.9 ft) above sea level. In 1955, the nearby village of Batkun was merged to Patalenitsa.
There are several ancient and medieval sights in and around Patalenitsa. These include the 11th–14th century crossed-dome Church of St Demetrius
Church of St Demetrius, Patalenitsa
The Church of St Demetrius is a medieval Eastern Orthodox church in southwestern Bulgaria. It lies in the village of Patalenitsa, administratively part of Pazardzhik Municipality within Pazardzhik Province. The church was built in the 11th–14th century, with a possible dating to 1091 based on a...
with its preserved frescoes, the Batkun Monastery, originally founded in the Middle Ages and last reestablished in the 19th century, the ruins of the medieval Batkun Fortress (Batkounion), and the ruins of an ancient sanctuary of Asclepius
Asclepius
Asclepius is the God of Medicine and Healing in ancient Greek religion. Asclepius represents the healing aspect of the medical arts; his daughters are Hygieia , Iaso , Aceso , Aglæa/Ægle , and Panacea...
dating to the 1st–4th century. Besides the medieval but inactive St Demetrius, there are two other Bulgarian Orthodox
Bulgarian Orthodox Church
The Bulgarian Orthodox Church - Bulgarian Patriarchate is an autocephalous Eastern Orthodox Church with some 6.5 million members in the Republic of Bulgaria and between 1.5 and 2.0 million members in a number of European countries, the Americas and Australia...
churches in Patalenitsa. The Church of the Dormition of the Mother of God was built in 1708, while the Church of the Holy Mother of God in the Batkun neighbourhood is newer and dates to 1892. In addition, there is a new chapel
Chapel
A chapel is a building used by Christians as a place of fellowship and worship. It may be part of a larger structure or complex, such as a church, college, hospital, palace, prison or funeral home, located on board a military or commercial ship, or it may be an entirely free-standing building,...
dedicated to Saint George, which was constructed in 2002 at the place of an older one.
There are several theories explaining the etymology
Etymology
Etymology is the study of the history of words, their origins, and how their form and meaning have changed over time.For languages with a long written history, etymologists make use of texts in these languages and texts about the languages to gather knowledge about how words were used during...
of the village's name. According to one theory, it is tied to the name of Saint Pantaleon
Saint Pantaleon
Saint Pantaleon , counted in the West among the late-medieval Fourteen Holy Helpers and in the East as one of the Holy Unmercenary Healers, was a martyr of Nicomedia in Bithynia during the Diocletian persecution of 303 AD...
, a church dedicated to whom occupied the present site of the village's Church of St Demetrius. A second explanation derives the name from the village of Patele in Aegean Macedonia
Macedonia (Greece)
Macedonia is a geographical and historical region of Greece in Southern Europe. Macedonia is the largest and second most populous Greek region...
(today Agios Panteleimonas, Florina Prefecture
Florina Prefecture
Florina is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the region of West Macedonia. Its capital is the town of Florina.-Geography:Florina borders the regional units of Pella to the east, Kozani to the south and Kastoriá to the southwest...
, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
), from which people settled in Patalenitsa in the 18th century. Another possibility is a link to the Bulgarian word pat (път, "road"), due to Patalenitsa's position on a crossroad.
The village has its own village hall, the present building of which dates to 1970, a cultural centre (chitalishte
Chitalishte
A chitalishte is a typical Bulgarian public institution and building which fulfils several functions at once, such as a community centre, library and a theatre. It is also used as an educational institution, where people of all ages can enroll in foreign language, dance, music and other courses....
) established in 1909, and a monument to the locals who perished as Bulgarian Army soldiers in the Balkan Wars
Balkan Wars
The Balkan Wars were two conflicts that took place in the Balkans in south-eastern Europe in 1912 and 1913.By the early 20th century, Montenegro, Bulgaria, Greece and Serbia, the countries of the Balkan League, had achieved their independence from the Ottoman Empire, but large parts of their ethnic...
and World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. The earliest school in Patalenitsa was founded in 1865, though the current edifice of the village school was constructed in 1923.