Devin, a small yet historically rich town, is nestled in the captivating Western Rhodope Mountains, more precisely in the Devin Mountain range. The border with Greece lies just 20 kilometers away, as the crow flies. Winding through the town, the Devin River flows gracefully, eventually merging with the Vacha River downstream. Surrounded by dense, ancient pine and spruce forests, Devin was once quite isolated, its inaccessibility only overcome with the construction of a road in the mid-20th century.
Layers of Time: Devin’s Rich History
The story of the city reaches far back into the mists of time. This region of the Rhodope Mountains was home to the Thracian tribe known as the Dii. Over the centuries, it passed under the control of various empires and kingdoms. From the Odrysian Kingdom to ancient Macedonia, the Roman Empire, Byzantium, the First Bulgarian Empire, the Latin Empire, the Empire of Nicaea, the Second Bulgarian Empire, the feudal lordship of Alexius Slav, the Ottoman Empire, and finally, modern Bulgaria—all left their marks on Devin’s cultural legacy.
The earliest traces of life near Devin date back to the Bronze Age. In the “Potreba” area, ruins of a Thracian settlement and a sacred sanctuary still stand as silent witnesses to a forgotten era. There was also a Thraco-Roman settlement near the city in the 4th century, while another village with two necropolises from the 11th and 14th centuries has been explored in the area.
Fortress of Resistance: The Ottoman Conquest
When the Ottomans invaded in the 14th century, the fortress at “Kavurskoto Kale”—also known as “Sayata” or “Babina Grad”—located just five kilometers west of Devin, was captured by Ibrahim Pasha in 1372. Under Ottoman rule, Devin (then called Dyovlen) became part of the Rupchos Nahiyah within the Ahachelebi district, which belonged to the Philioppopolis Sanjak in the Edirne Vilayet. Later, Devin rose in prominence, becoming the center of the “Dyovlen Kaza,” comprising 26 villages with a population of 26,810 by 1912.
An Ottoman register from November 8, 1635, lists the non-Muslim families in Plovdiv and Pazardzhik regions, revealing that Devin’s district of Nastan (then a separate village) and the nearby village of Lyaskovo had a total of 17 non-Muslim families, who were taxed under the jizya system.
Demographic Shifts and Cultural Tensions
By 1850, as recorded by Stefan Zahariev, the city (referred to as Delen) had 60 Pomak houses with a total of 200 Pomak residents. Census data through the years shows how the town evolved. In 1926, Devin had 1,461 residents; in 1934, the number rose to 1,803; by 1946, it reached 2,695; and in 1965, it swelled to 4,475. By 1978, Devin had 7,341 inhabitants.
Devin’s history is filled with both conflict and resilience. During 1859–1860, locals rose in rebellion against oppressive taxation, expelling the Ottoman authorities. They later rebelled again, this time against Eastern Rumelia, joining the so-called Tamrash Republic. However, Devin endured its share of tragedies. In 1913, following an uprising inspired by the short-lived Gumuljina Republic, Devin was torched by Bulgarian army units. Out of 250 houses, only 30 survived the blaze. The town had been burnt down twice before, in 1905 and again in 1912, with just seven houses spared.
Population Growth and Political Shifts
In 1872, Devin had 350 houses, and Nastan had 60. By 1920, the population of Devin had dropped to 1,085 people, with 695 in Nastan. By 1946, Devin’s population had grown to 2,695, while Nastan housed 1,111 people. By 1965, Devin counted 4,475 inhabitants, while Nastan had 1,375.
After the Balkan Wars, Bulgarian Christians began to settle in Devin, primarily from Shiroka Laka, Stoikite, and Solishta, among other villages. By 1939, the population of the Devin region reached 21,770, comprising 6,146 Christians, 13,000 Muslims, 2,431 Turks, and 193 others. A document from the Chief Mufti’s Office in Istanbul, detailing the vakufs (religious endowments) in the Principality of Bulgaria from the 16th century until 1920, lists Devin (then Dövlen) as a vakuf village.
The Changing Face of Devin
On May 5, 1971, the State Council of the People’s Republic of Bulgaria decreed, through Decree 757, the dissolution of the village of Nastan, merging it into the town of Devin. However, on August 12, 1991, under the Law on Administrative and Territorial Changes, Nastan was separated once more, becoming an independent settlement. Then, on March 25, 1998, with Decision 115 of the Council of Ministers, Nastan was once again rejoined to Devin as a district. Similarly, the hamlet of Katrantsi was annexed to Devin by State Council Decree 970, dated March 26, 1986.
