Vihren
| Vihren | |
|---|---|
| Вихрен | |
Vihren with Kutelo peak on the background. | |
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 2,914 m (9,560 ft) |
| Prominence | 1,783 m (5,850 ft) |
| Listing | Ultra |
| Coordinates | 41°46′04″N 23°24′03″E / 41.76778°N 23.40083°E |
| Geography | |
| Location | Blagoevgrad Province, Bulgaria |
| Parent range | Pirin Mountains |
| Climbing | |
| Easiest route | Hike/scramble from Vihren refuge |
Vihren (Bulgarian: Вихрен [ˈvixrɛn]) is the highest peak of Bulgaria's Pirin Mountains. Reaching 2,914 metres (9,560 ft), it is Bulgaria's second and the Balkans' third highest, after Musala and Mount Olympus. Although Vihren is deprived of lakes and streams due to the karst topography, a number of Pirin's lakes are located around the peak, as is Europe's southernmost glacial mass, the Snezhnika glacieret. Until 1942 Vihren was known as Eltepe (peak of storms); it was also called Buren (stormy) and Malnienosets (lightning-bringer). The UNESCO World Heritage Site Pirin National Park was originally known as the Vihren National Park. Vihren is included in the 100 Tourist Sites of Bulgaria under No. 2.