According to one of the legends... The Ottoman Army, led by Saradzha pasha*, managed to pass through the Balkan Mountains and made camp at the present-day “Kulata” area, near the Tyulbeto Hill**. However, Saradzha pasha knew that he has not won yet. He settled down in his camp and started watching the area he came from – the passes through the Balkan Mountains. Passing tradesmen started visiting the thousand-strong army. They built their stands, tents and shacks, and gradually they also settled in the region. Later on, they were joined by the people of the Eltimir Fortress (in the vicinity of the present-day village of Kran), devastated by the Ottoman Army, the remains of which are left to remind us of those turbulent times. According to the distinguished historian Constantine Irechek, the legend says that the town was formed by several nearby settlements. The newly founded town soon became one of the most important settlements in the Valley.

According to another legend, sultan Murad І visited the camp of Saradzha pasha and the people went out to greet him. Most of them were women and children dressed in white. The beauty of the surrounding nature and the people in white filled the sultan with admiration and he exclaimed, “Akche Kazalar”. This means “a marvellous place with beautiful women and children” and this is the name by which Kazanlak is mentioned in a number of historical Turkish documents. This legend is most probably true since sultan Murad І has passed through the Balkan Mountains three times and he has surely visited the settlement inhabited by the Kazanlak people. Some authors say that the name of Kazanlak comes from the word “kazan” (cauldron / distiller) because geographically the town looks like a cauldron. However, the first version, based on the legend, is believed to be much more plausible.