2600:1700:6180:6290:4823:B807:304:D987 at 18:38, 18 February 2025

2025-02-18T18:38:04Z

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{{Short description|Geographical and historical region of the Balkan peninsula}}
{{Other uses}}
{{Distinguish|Chechnya|Czech Republic}}
[[Image:Map of the Chech Region.png|thumb|400px|right|The Chech region in [[Bulgaria]] and [[Greece]].]]
'''Chech''' ({{langx|bg|Чеч}}) or '''Chechko''' ({{langx|bg|Чечко}}) is a Bulgarian term describing a [[geographical]] and [[Historical regions of the Balkan Peninsula|historical region of the Balkan peninsula]] in [[Balkans|southeastern Europe]] in modern-day [[Bulgaria]] and [[Greece]]. It consists of about 60 settlements and was traditionally mostly [[Pomaks|Pomak]] with [[Eastern Orthodox Church|Orthodox]] [[Greeks|Greek]] and [[Bulgarians|Bulgarian]] minorities.<ref name="srebranov">{{cite book |last = Сребранов |first = Румен |title = Чечкият говор |year = 2007 |publisher = Академично издателство „Проф. Марин Дринов“ |location = София |language = bg |isbn = 978-954-322-230-8 |oclc = 262987480 |pages = 12–16 }}</ref>

The Chech region is situated on the border of the much larger regions of [[Macedonia (region)|Macedonia]] and [[Thrace]]. It covers the western [[Rhodope Mountains]] and the northern slopes of [[Falakro]] ({{langx|bg|Боздаг}}, ''Bozdag''). It is divided in two: ''Drama Chech'' and ''Nevrokopi Chech''. The first one and partially the second one is in [[Greece]].<ref name="srebranov" />

According to [[Vasil Kanchov]] the eastern border of Chech is the [[Dospat River]] and the western one is the river of Dabnitsa.<ref>{{cite book |last = Кънчов |first = Васил |author-link = Vasil Kanchov |title = Избрани произведения. Том I. Пътуване по долините на Струма, Места и Брегалница. Битолско, Преспа и Охридско |url= http://www.promacedonia.org/vk_1/index.html |access-date = 2009-06-24 |edition= II |orig-year = First published in series from 1894 to 1896 |year = 1970 |publisher = Издателство “Наука и изкуство” |location = София |language = bg |oclc = 174235585 |page= 266 |chapter = Неврокопската каза |chapter-url = http://www.promacedonia.org/vk_1/vk1_a_19.html }}</ref> Thus the Chech comprises the municipalities: Satovcha, Dospat and the villages in the valleys of the [[Dospat River]] and Bistritsa river. The villages in the Greek Chech are part of [[Kato Nevrokopi|Kato Nevrokopi municipality]] and [[Sidironero|Sidironero community]]. The [[Pomak]] population of the Greek part of Chech was exchanged with [[Turkey]] during the [[Greek-Turkish population exchange]] in 1923 and replaced with [[Orthodoxy#Christianity|Orthodox Christians]] from Turkey.<ref name="srebranov" /> Many of the Chech villages in Greece are now abandoned.

== Settlements of Nevrokopski Chech ==

The major settlements of the northern part of Chech are enlisted by [[Vasil Kanchov]] in two of his works.<ref>{{cite book |last = Кънчов |first = Васил |author-link = Vasil Kanchov |title = Избрани произведения. Том I. Пътуване по долините на Струма, Места и Брегалница. Битолско, Преспа и Охридско |url= http://www.promacedonia.org/vk_1/index.html |access-date = 2009-06-24 |edition= II |orig-year = First published in series from 1894 to 1896 |year = 1970 |publisher = Издателство “Наука и изкуство” |location = София |language = bg |oclc = 174235585 |page= 269 |chapter = Неврокопската каза |chapter-url = http://www.promacedonia.org/vk_1/vk1_a_19.html }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last = Кънчов |first = Васил |author-link = Vasil Kanchov |title = Македония. Етнография и статистика |url = http://www.promacedonia.org/vk/index.html |access-date = 2009-06-24 |edition = II |orig-year = First published 1900 |year = 1996 |publisher = Академично издателство „Проф. Марин Дринов“ |location = София |language = bg |isbn = 954-430-424-X |oclc = 164844115 |page = 196 |chapter = Неврокопска Каза |chapter-url = http://www.promacedonia.org/vk/vk_2_21.htm }}</ref>

=== Settlements in Bulgaria ===

* '''[[Satovcha Municipality]]:''' [[Bogolin]], [[Dolen (Blagoevgrad District)|Dolen]], [[Fargovo]], [[Godeshevo]], [[Kochan]], [[Kribul]], [[Osina, Blagoevgrad Province|Osina]], [[Pletena]], [[Satovcha]], [[Slashten]], [[Tuhovishta]], [[Vaklinovo]], [[Valkosel]], [[Zhizhevo]]
* '''[[Dospat Municipality]]:''' [[Brashten]], [[Ljubcha]] and [[Tsrancha]]
* '''[[Garmen Municipality]]:''' [[Dolno Dryanovo]], [[Hvostiane]], [[Krushevo (Blagoevgrad District)|Krushevo]], [[Oreshe]]
* '''[[Hadzhidimovo Municipality]]:''' [[Ablanitsa, Blagoevgrad Province|Ablanitsa]], [[Beslen]], [[Blatska]], [[Teplen]]

=== Settlements in Greece ===

* '''Drama municipality:''' ''Kastanohoma (Zarnovitsa), Mirsinero (Pepelash)''
* '''Nevrokopi municipality:''' ''Agios Petros (Peruh), Agriokerasea (Izbishta), Ahladomilea (Debren), Delta (Vitovo), Diplohori (Dablen), Eklisaki (Manastir), Erimoklisia (Kolyarba), Katahloron (Rakishten), Kremasta (Lozna), Kritaristra (Kashitsa), Lakouda (Gorna Lakavitsa), [[Mavrochori, Drama|Mavrohori]] (Tisovo), Melisomandra (Maloshijtsa), Mesovuni (Siderovo), Milopetra (Mazhdel), ''[[Mikroklisura]] (Dolna Lakavitsa), [[Mikromilia]] (Ustitsa), [[Perasma, Drama|Perasma]] (Stranen)'', Pochan, Poliliton (Sarchan, Staredzik), ''[[Potami, Drama|Potami]] (Borovo),'' Psihron (Kosten), Shurdilovo, Virsan (Vrashten), Vrahohori (Boren)''
* '''Sidironero community:''' ''Dobryadzil, Evrenes (Pulovo), Kainchen (Antilalos), ''[[Kalikarpo]] (Lovchishta)'', Kesariano (Ruskovo), Klista (Kolyush), Kokino (Barhovo), Limon (Rashovo), Magnisio (Grazhdel), ''[[Oropedio]] (Vladikovo), [[Papades]] (Popovo selo),'' Plakostroto (Glum), ''[[Sidironero]], (Osenitsa), [[Skaloti]] (Liban),'' Stavrodromi (Orhovo), Voskotopi (Verdzhenitsa, Drazhenitsa), Vounohori (Pribojna), Vrahotopos (Kalchovo)''

<small>''Italics'' indicates not inhabited settlement at the 2001 census.</small>

== See also ==

* [[Veda Slovena]]

== Notes ==

{{Reflist}}

{{commons}}

{{coord missing|Bulgaria|Greece}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Chech| ]]
[[Category:Drama (regional unit)]]
[[Category:Historical regions in Bulgaria]]
[[Category:Historical regions in Greece]]

Chech - Revision history

2600:1700:6180:6290:4823:B807:304:D987 at 18:38, 18 February 2025