Musala

Musala
Мусала
Musala seen from the south
Highest point
Elevation	2,925.4 m (9,598 ft)
Prominence	2,473 m (8,114 ft)
Isolation	881 kilometres (547 mi)
Listing	Country high point Ultra
Coordinates	42°10′47″N 23°35′12″E / 42.17972°N 23.58667°E / 42.17972; 23.58667Coordinates: 42°10′47″N 23°35′12″E / 42.17972°N 23.58667°E / 42.17972; 23.58667
Geography
Musala Musala in Bulgaria
Location	Sofia Region, Bulgaria
Parent range	Rila
Climbing
Easiest route	Gondola lift from Borovets, then hike

Musala (Bulgarian: Мусала; from Arabic through Ottoman Turkish: Musalla, "near God" or "place for prayer" is the highest peak in the entire Balkan Peninsula, standing at 2,925 m (9,596 ft). The summit of the Rila mountain range in southwestern Bulgaria, Musala is the highest peak between the Alps and the Caucasus and the highest in Eastern Europe bar the Caucasus. With a prominence of 2473 m, Musala is the 7th most prominent mountain peak in Europe.

Musala is situated within the Rila National Park, which is noted for its rich flora, including species such as Macedonian Pine and Bulgarian Fir in the forests on its middle slopes, and fauna; it is one of the easiest places in Europe to see the wallcreeper. All major mountain ranges of Bulgaria can be seen from the top; these include Vitosha to the northwest, Sredna Gora towards the northeast, the Balkan Mountains along most of the northern horizon behind Vitosha and Sredna Gora, the Rhodope Mountains to the southeast, Pirin to the south, Osogovo and Ruy Mountain to the west, and of course Rila.

A Cosmic Ray Station was built on the peak in 1960 with cooperation from the Hungarian Academy of Science. The station conducted scientific experiments using a muon telescope. The station was destroyed by an electrical fire on October 29, 1983.