Founded in 1962, the Pirin National Park has seen its land increase several times, finally reaching the current surface area of 40,332 hectares. The goal of the park is to protect the exceptional beauty of the site and safeguard the rare Alpine, Sub-alpine and forest ecosystems. The park includes 70 lakes, waterfalls, caves, a vast centuries-old pine forest which is one of the oldest in Bulgaria and the pine tree “Baykoushevata Mura”, which is more than 1,300 years old. On the peaks of Pirin, (of which the highest, Vihren, reaches 2,914 metres), you can find the vulnerable edelweiss flower, which is included in the Red Book of Bulgaria as an endangered species. Picking this flower is prohibited. The edelweiss is also the symbol of the Bulgarian Tourist Union.
The varied and unique landscapes of the park received international recognition in 1983 when it was added to the list of natural sites protected by UNESCO.