Kardzhali is a town in the Eastern Rhodopes in Bulgaria, centre of Kardzhali Municipality and Kardzhali Province. The noted Kardzhali Dam is located nearby. Kardzhali is located in the low eastern part of Rhodope Mountains, on both banks of the river Arda between the Kardzhali Reservoir to the west and the Studen Kladenets Reservoir to the east. The town is 260 km (162 mi) southeast of Sofia. It has a crossroad position from Thrace to the Aegean Sea — part of European transportation route 9, via the Makaza mountain pass. Kardzhali has a Humid subtropical climate (Cfa) according to the (Koppen Climate Classification). It is mainly dry all year round with the wettest month being December with just ten days of rainfall. The city has hot summers and cold winters.