Batak is a town in Pazardzhik Province, Southern Bulgaria, not far from the town of Peshtera. The population of Batak took part in the April Uprising of 1876. The people of Batak rebelled on 22 April under the leadership of voivoda Petar Goranov. On 30 April the village was surrounded by Ottoman army units and irregulars called bashi-bozouk. The battles were carried on for five days. The last stronghold of the rebels was the St. Nedelya Church. At the end five thousand people were killed and the village was burned down to ashes. News of the atrocities spread around the world. The public outcry created favourable conditions for Russia to declare war on Turkey. On 20 January 1878 the people of Batak who had survived the uprising enthusiastically met the advancing Russian army.