Mandritsa

Mandritsa (Bulgarian: Мандрица, "small dairy"; Albanian: Mandrica or Mandricë; Greek: Μανδρίτσα) is a village in southernmost Bulgaria, part of Ivaylovgrad municipality, Haskovo Province. It is known as the only Albanian village in Bulgaria. As of 14 December 2006, Mandritsa has a population of 75. It lies at 41°23′N 26°8′E / 41.383°N 26.133°E / 41.383; 26.133, 93 m above sea level. Mandritsa is located on the right bank of the Byala reka in the easternmost Rhodope Mountains, 15 km south of Ivaylovgrad and 2 km west of the Luda reka, which forms the border with Greece. The village was founded in 1636 by Eastern Orthodox Albanian dairymen who supplied the Ottoman Army. They were allowed to pick a tract of land and were freed from...