Ostrovets is a village in Southern Bulgaria. It is located in the municipality of Kirkovo, Kardzhali Region.

It located 10 km north-east of Kirkovo, 37 km south of Kardzhali, 22 km in the same direction of Momchilgrad and about 278 km south-east of the capital Sofia city. The village of Chorbadzhiysko is located only 5 km in the south.

It is situated in an area with hilly and foothill relief at an altitude of 265 meters. The climate is transitional-Mediterranean, winters are relatively mild and summers are long and hot. The River Varbitsa  passes near the village.

Here live about 320 people.

The village Ostrovets has a relatively good infrastructure, the streets are paved, there are electricity and water supply systems. All mobile operators have coverage. Regular bus transport connects the village with the municipal center and the neighbouring villages. Besides, the neighbouring village of Podkova /2 km in the east/ comprises the southernmost railway station in Bulgaria that services 7 villages.

Ostrovets is situated at 2 km from European road E-85, part of transeuropean transport corridor #9 - an important thoroughfare with major contribution to the economic development of the region.

There are a grocery store, a mosque,a  community center, a kindergarten and automatic telephone exchange here. The nearest secondary school is in the village of Chorbadzhiysko. Besides, you can find a bank branch and a post office there too. Medical care for the population is provided by one GP and two dentists in the village of Podkova and the nearest polyclinic is located in the village of Kirkovo. General hospital you can find in the town of Momchilgrad.

LANDMARKS AND TOURISM

In the village of Podkova you can visit the mosque of the seven virgins - one of the oldest mosques in Bulgaria. It was built without using a single nail. According to legend it was built by 7 girls whose lovers never returned from war. They sold their entire dowry in order to purchase materials and built the mosque for one night. Nobody saw them since. It is believed that this happened on 6th May, and now every year on this day people from all over the region gather in the the mosque's yard, read Mawlid, Koran and prayers, while the guests feast with pilaf.

Only 6 km in the north, in the village of Stareyshino, can be visited the Dome tomb "Punar Kaya" which means rock well in Turkish. The water that rises from the tomb is collected in two stone basin carved into the rock before it. The tomb is revered among local people as sacred, as there is a belief that the place and the water flowing from the tomb, have curative power.

In the village of Krilatitsa, 10 km in the south-west, you can visit a late ancient and medieval fortress in the Asara area, declared in 1996 to be an archaeological culture monument.

In the village of Benkovski, about 21 km in the west, there are a few interesting sites:

• the renovated mosque in the center of the village where Muslims from all over the region gather to pray;

• the venerable oak, over 200 years old, declared protected;

• a rocky area, where the elements have for centuries carved the huge stones in a variety of bizarre rock forms of animals and plants, the most interesting of which are "The Crocodile", "The Mushroom", "Lion's Head", etc.

Source:  http://www.kirkovo.bg, http://bg.guide-bulgaria.com, http://www.kirkovo.com/
Photos:  http://www.panoramio.com