Demir Baba Teke

This ancient place is near the town of Isperih in North-East Bulgaria, close to the Danube river. It is part of the Sboryanovo Archaeological Reserve that groups several important sites in the region, one of which is the famous Sveshtari Thracian Tomb -- an UNESCO protected monument (one of the nine in Bulgaria). The present day Muslim shrine was built in the XVI c. on the site of a Thracian sanctuary. It is actually a tomb of a giant with immense force (his sarcophagus is 4m long!). His name was Hassan Demir Baba Pehlivan. ("Baba" not only means "father" in Turkish but also means "father/old man/clan leader" in old Bulgarian.)

I personally don't know of other such sites in Bulgaria, therefore because of its uniqueness this place deserves a place on my site. A Christian church built on top of a pagan sanctuary one can find left and right in Bulgaria but a Muslim temple -- that's a worth-noting exception.

The Teke (Islamic monastery) of Demir Baba (Hassan Demir Baba Pehlivan) was founded in the Bulgarian lands in the mid-16 c. during the time of the Ottoman Empire. The monastery was active till the end of 19 c. following an interruption caused by a decree issued by Sultan Mahmud II (1808-1839) in 1826, for the disbandment of the janissary corps and the closure of the old sanctuaries believed to be sectarian.
The cult buildings were three  – a to 18 c. and an asylum built most probably at the end of 19 c. About the history of the tomb the renowned Hungarian explorer of the Bulgarian heritage Felix Kanitz wrote to a local sheikh the following: “The Teke had been damaged during the rule of godless reformer Mahmud; it was deserted and fell in oblivion under Sultan Abdul-Medjid (1823-1861), and the sources about it dried up. Drought went on for thirty years. But once the pious Abdul Aziz (1861-1876) re-established the ancient rights of this holy place, waters gushed out again and flowed to the Danube”.

Today the Demir Baba tomb alone survives. The 4-meter long tomb of the saint is evidence of the impressive height of the buried person, and this was established after an examination of the skeleton at Sofia University. The tomb was build over an old Thracian sanctuary. There is a spring in the yard with curative waters according to the legend. For many years this place has been a holy stopover for both Muslims and Christians. The pagan element offers a strong presence too, and shows in the performance of various health promotion rites.

The place itself has had an aura of holiness since very ancient times. Different religions leaving stratum after stratum there have given rise to an eclectic cult. The Teke itself has acquired the status of a ritual place. In popular belief people suffering from headache hope to relieve their pain by lying for a while on the rock that was part of the ancient sanctuary, and later of the Teke. For best results the ritual should be performed about noon, when the sun is still to the East. One important reason is the belief in the life-giving and curative power of the sun. The rock near the northeastern rock has also been turned into a ritual place. Some of the younger visitors climb to the window of the wall along steps cut into the rock. On the iron bars of the window they tie threads and ribbons for the sake of sound health and in the hope to find a cure.

There are two holes in one of the stone blocks of the sanctuary’s outer wall. These are known as the Devil’s Eyes. Visitors are advised to put their fingers with closed eyes in the holes – into the eyes of Satan. The ones who succeed are believed to be pious, regardless of their religion. Both Christians and Muslims leave a token for health – an old pagan tradition. Orthodox Muslims pray to the saints and light candles in the vault and everybody hopes that the holy water in the spring will be beneficial for their health.
The tomb of Demir Baba is one of the numerous examples across Bulgaria of tolerance and co-existence of different religions and beliefs. It mirrors a long tradition of understanding and dialogue among the people in our lands.