Belmeken (peak)

Belmeken (Bulgarian: Белмекен) is a summit in the northeastern part of the Rila Mountain in southwestern Bulgaria with a height of 2,626 m. It is built up of granite.

[1] Its northern slopes are steep and rise over the Kutlinite cirque.

[2] Close to the summit is the Belmeken High Mountain Sports Complex at an altitude of 2,050 m, used for training, medical and biological research by athletes.

[3] The main starting points for climbing are the villages of Yundola and Sestrimo.

Belmeken is inhabited by the highest-altitude colony of European ground squirrel in the Balkans, as well as by many species of birds, including peregrine falcon, common raven and Eurasian crag martin.