The Aegean Pass (Bulgarian: Беломорски проход, Belomorski prohod) or Elidzhe (Елидже) is a mountain pass between the central and eastern Rhodope Mountains. It connects Smolyan Province in south central Bulgaria with Xanthi regional unit of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace in northeastern Greece. As one of three passes between the Rhodope highlands and the Aegean coast of Western Thrace, it links the upper valleys of the Chepinska reka to the north and the Kompsatos to the south. The highest point of the pass is at 1,010 m (3,310 ft) above sea level on the Bulgarian-Greek border.[1]
| Aegean Pass | |
|---|---|
| Elidzhe | |
  | |
| Elevation | 1,010 m (3,314 ft) |
| Traversed by | II-86 road (Bulgaria) |
| Location | Bulgaria, Greece |
| Range | Rhodope Mountains |
| Coordinates | 41°24′01″N 24°49′48″E / 41.4002°N 24.8299°E |
Until the end of World War II, the Aegean Pass was actively used for commerce. It was closed in 1944, as Bulgaria and Greece ended up on different sides of the Iron Curtain.[2] In the 2020s, the roads from Rudozem and Dimario on either side of the pass were rebuilt to a modern standard and a new border checkpoint was established. In December 2024, plans were announced to reopen the Aegean Pass for vehicular traffic without border controls via the Rudozem–Xanthi border crossing on 1 January 2025, coinciding with Bulgaria's full entry into the Schengen Area.[3][4] As of January 2025, construction delays on the Greek side have postponed the opening of the road for vehicular traffic, but the pass is accessible on foot like any other point on the Bulgaria–Greece open border.[5]
The opening of the pass for traffic is expected to bolster tourism in the region, providing quick access between the Pamporovo ski resort near Smolyan and the Aegean beaches of Xanthi.[6]
References
edit- ^ Мичев, Николай (1980). Географски речник на България [Geographical dictionary of Bulgaria] (in Bulgarian). София: Наука и изкуство. p. 199.
- ^ Бойчев, Николай (2020-05-18). "Възраждат Беломорския проход с КПП Рудозем-Ксанти". Meteo-Ride (in Bulgarian). Retrieved 2024-12-12.
- ^ "От 1-ви януари ще минаваме и през ГКПП Рудозем - Ксанти". bnr.bg (in Bulgarian). Retrieved 2024-12-12.
- ^ "Нов портал към Беломорието: Възстановяват връзката Рудозем - Ксанти". bnr.bg (in Bulgarian). Retrieved 2024-12-20.
- ^ "Fences at Non-operational Rudozem-Xanthi Border Crossing Removed, Access into Greece Is By Foot Only". www.bta.bg. Retrieved 2025-01-13.
- ^ "Рудозем тръпне в очакване на отварянето на новия граничен пункт към Гърция". Smolyaninfo. 2024-11-15. Retrieved 2024-12-12.