LEGENDS ABOUT DEVIL`S TOWN
Strangely formed, and even more strangely organized earthen figures, the wilderness of the erosive formation, the water of strange smell and taste, mystic and mysterious atmosphere created by the acoustic effects of the wind, have influenced the locals to name the site “Devil’s Town” and explain all these odd natural occurrences by the legends that have been created throughout centuries. There are many legends about “Devil’s Town”, and the most common are mentioned below.
According to the first legend, long time ago, this area was inhabited by humble, calm and religious people. This annoyed the devil so he made “Devil’s Water” to make them forget their lineage. As the inhabitants drank the water, they arranged a marriage between a brother and a sister. The devil’s plan was interrupted by the fairy who, according to the legend, still keeps this area under her protection. The fairy could not reason with them, so the bride and the groom were on their way to church. At that moment, the fairy started praying to somehow end the incest. God heard her prayer and joined the earth with the sky, then the cold wind blew and God turned the wedding guests into stone.
According to the second legend, earthen figures represent stone devils. These evil devils have been carried by people on their backs for a long time, suffering misfortunes. The people managed to get rid of them after spending a night in the vicinity of St. Petka Church, which is situated near the earthen figures .
One of two springs with mineral water
There are 202 stone formations created by erosion, between two and 15 meters in height and the middle diameter of under 1 m, topped by stone blocks weighing as much as 100 kg, appearing unreal and yet lasting for centuries.
Another natural rarity in “Devil’s Town” are two springs of extraordinary properties. “Devil’s Water” (“Djavolja voda”), which is located in vicinity of these earthen figures, is a cold and extremely acid spring (pH 1.5) of high mineral concentration (15 g/l of water), springing out in “Devil’s Gully”. In comparison to drinking water, it is 10 to 1000 times richer in minerals (aluminum, iron, potassium, copper, nickel, sulfur, and alaun). “Red Well” (“Crveno vrelo”) is another spring located downstream, in the alluvial plain, 400 m away from the first spring. Its water (pH 3.5) is less acid and has a lower general mineral concentration (4.372 mg/l of water). Because of the flat terrain, its water overflows in a very thin layer and runs into a bed of the nearby yellow stream. Due to the oxidation of iron, which is contained in water in large amounts, an attractive red terrace in the form of a fan is created.
Such waters are very rarely found in the world. They are similar only to two waters in Italy (Levico and Roncello), and three in Russia (Zubinskije, Bljavinskije, Karabasskije).