(réf: http://www.chez.com/belgaria/VILLES  et http://www.bulgaria-property.com/bulgaria)

Note: Désolée pour l'anglais, je n'ai pas encore eu le temps de traduire...



Dobritch - Les premières traces de vie dans cette ville remontent à l'Antiquité. Des vestiges d'une habitation romaine (3e-4e siècle) ont été découvertes dans le nord du centre et dans la partie est.  Une ancienne habitation (settlement)  bulgare y existait au 8e siècle. La ville actuelle a été fondée au XVème siècle, pendant le joug ottoman. Dobritch s'appelle alors Bazardjik et est un marché agricole important. Selon le voyageur turc Evlia Chelebi, qui y est allé en 1651, il y avait alors 2000 maisons et 7 quartiers avec 3 hôtels, 200 ateliers et un marché avec 100 ateliers. A la fin du 18e et au début du 19e siècle, beaucoup de Bulgares des régions d'Odrin, Kotel et Turgovishte vinrent s'y installer. Pendant cette même période, c'était le centre du champ de bataille entre Turcs et Russes. La première église bulgare, St-Georgi, a été construite en 1843 et l'année suivante, une école monacale y a été ouverte. L'hôpital a été ouvert en 1866 et 3 ans plus tard commençait son urbanisation.  En 1872, la première école ouvrait ses portes. Pendant la guerre russo-turque de la Libération, la ville a fourni un grand nombre de traducteurs, de guides et de ravitailleurs aux Russes. L'armée du général Zimmerman libéra la ville le 27 janvier 1878. En 1882, sur l'insistance des habitants, la ville a été appelée Dobritch  en l'honneur de Dobrotitsa, despote (XIVe siècle) de la Dobroudja. L'ouverture de la ligne ferroviaire Razdelna - Dobrich - Kardam, en 1911, et son prolongement jusqu'à la ville roumaine  Medgidia, en 1916, a donné un élan à son développement. Elle a cependant continué à subir les vicissitudes du destin. La première occupation roumaine dura jusqu'en 1916, et après l'Accord de Neuilly en 1919, elle a continué à être incluse dans le territoire de la Roumanie jusqu'en 1940, lorsque l'Accord de Krayova a été signé, remettant la région de  Dobroudzha Sud à la Bulgarie. Le 25 septembre 1940, l'armée bulgare est entrée à Dobritch, date devenue la fête officielle de la ville. De 1949 à 1991, elle porte le nom de Tolbouhin (ou Tolboukhine), du nom du maréchal soviétique "libérateur" de la Bulgarie en 1944, et voit arriver de nombreux Russes qui font partie des 30,000 colons envoyés par le "Petit Père des peuples" de part et d'autre de la frontière bulgaro-roumaine. Ce faisant, Staline a d'ailleurs une petite idée derrière la tête: il envisage de faire construire un canal entre le Danube et la mer Noire, afin que la flotte soviétique puisse atteindre le fleuve sans que les vaisseaux les plus larges ne soient bloqués dans son delta. Le projet est abandonné à son décès (1953). En 1990, la ville reprend le nom de Dobritch. Majoritairement peuplée de Turcs jusqu'à la Seconde Guerre mondiale, Dobritch subit - au cours de celle-ci - le nettoyage ethnique de 40,000 Turcs de la région, qui sont renvoyés dans leur pays d'origine. En 1946, les Russes en expulsent d'autres avec des Grecs et des Roumains. Dobritch est à présent le centre de ce qu'on appelle le grenier bulgare pour la production agricole. Elle est associée de près à l'écrivain Yordan Yovkov; l'actrice Adriana Boudevska y est née.

Kaliakra -  Si les premiers occupants de Kaliakra sont - en dehors des hommes préhistoriques - des Phéniciens, la ville passe ensuite dans les mains thraces, grecques, puis macédoniennes. Elle se nomme alors Tyrisis et est, selon le géographe grec Strabon, déjà fortifiée dès le IVe siècle avant notre ère. Complètement reconstruite sous Flavius Hermogenes, célèbre chef de la cavalerie, devenu gouverneur, de l'empereur Constant Ier (Flavius Julius Constans, 337-350), elle sert, au début du VIe siècle et sous le nom de Akre, de quartier général au capitaine Vitalien, qui dirige, en 514, un soulèvement populaire contre l'empereur byzantin Athanase, puis, en 518, contre son successeur Justinien, avant d'être assassiné en 520. Dans sa lutte pour l'indépendance de la Bulgarie, le khan Asparoukh (fin du VIIe siècle) se rend maître, à son tour, de Kaliakra  (qui ne prendra ce nom qu'au Moyen-Age). C'est sous le despotat de la Dobroudja que Kaliakra atteint son apogée. Pressenti par Anne de Savoie pour lutter contre l'usurpateur Jean VI Cantacuzène, un boyard local du nom de Archon Balik lève, avec ses frères Théodor et Dobrotitsa, une armée composée de Bulgares et de Grecs. Une campagne militaire triomphale permet aux villes bulgares des bords de la mer Noire, alors sous la coupe de Jean VI,  de changer de camp. Accueilli par Anne de Savoie, l'un des trois frères, Dobrotitsa, épouse une princesse byzantine et reçoit le titre de despote. Nommé à la tête de l'armée, il repart au combat... mais subit une énorme défaite. Il parvient malgré tout à préserver le despotat de la Dobroudja, faisant de Kaliakra sa capitale, mais doit reconnaître la suzeraineté du tsar bulgare Ivan-Alexandre. En 1366, un allié de l'Empire byzantin,  le "Comte Vert" Amédée VI de Savoie (1334-1383), chasse les Bulgares de Kaliakra sous prétexte de lutter contre l'Islam. Un peu plus tard, la forteresse est reprise et Dobrotitsa s'en va aider Ivan-Alexandre à repousser de Vidine les Magyars. En reconnaissance, le tsar le reconnaît "despote" et lui permet d'être indépendant de la couronne bulgare. Il fait alors de Kaliakra la clef de voûte d'un système défensif qui comprend le cap Galata, Kosyak (près d'Obzor) et le cap Emona. A sa mort (1385), son fils Ivanko lui succède. En 1396, le cap Kaliakra tombe, avec le despotat de Dobroudja, sous les coups des Osmanlis. Libéré quelque quarante ans plus tard par Ladislas VI le Warnénien, il retombera bientôt (1444), et pour presque 400 ans, sous le joug ottoman. En 1791, l'amiral russe Ouchakov remporte, au large de ce cap, une grande victoire navale sur la flotte turque.

Varna  - has a history that could be traced back for thousand years. Due to its favourable location and visibility of almost 270 degrees the small cape, which now hosts the sea station, was inhabited by an ancient Thracian tribe – Corbisy in their small fishermen’s settlement. In 6th century BC a Greek polis (settlement) inhabited by colonists and settlers from Millet emerged here under the name of Odessos. The town became a fishing and farming colony and later on in the 5th century BC it turned into a real centre of commerce. Up to the Roman domination the Thracian god Darzalas was worshipped rather than the common gods Apollo and Dionyssus. Old Greek and Roman sources evidence that in Darzalas’ honour processions, mysteries, games and competitions were organised. The town had been under the siege of the troops of Alexander of Macedonia in the middle of the 4th century BC but after the siege was put down the town was given autonomy within the limits of his Empire. After the uprising and its liberation during the rule of Lisimah the town re-established its supremacy at the north Black Sea coast. Up to the 1st century BC it was an independent polis (town) and minted coins with the effigy of its patron god. Conquered by Mark Lukulus’ legions, it became a Roman regional centre of great importance. There the great epic poet of Rome Ovidii stayed in his way to the town of Tommy (nowadays Kyustendzha, Romania) where he was sent on exile. Gradually Odessos lost its supremacy in the region, which was then gained by the town of Martsianopolis (nowadays Devnya) founded by the emperor Trayan. Beeing conquered and devastated several times during the barbarian invasions it was for some time within the Byzantine Empire then out of its territories. In 9th century it was already called Varna. It is supposed that the name originates from the horse people in Central Asia – toponymy (name of an area) and hydronymy (name of a water basin) in India (the river that runs into the Ganges at Varanassi) and from the concept of caste (colour). After the numerous wars between Bulgaria and Byzantine, the town was included in the territory of Bulgaria in the beginning of the 13th century during the reign of king Kaloyan. Its defence system consisted of three strongholds: one - at the Cape Galata; other - at Cape St. Dimitar and the third, called Petrich was near the lake of Beloslav. Despite its reliable defence system, the town was conquered by the Turks in 1391 and it soon declined. In 1444, during the crusade of the Polish king Vladislav Yagello (Varnenchik) and the Hungarian leader Yanosh Huniady, the town was under the siege of the knights. Despite the fact that the troops of the Christian coalition fought bravely they suffered a complete defeat. The young king Vladislav was killed. The citizens of Varna built a mausoleum in his honour. In the course of time the town more and more acquired and Oriental outlook. Many Turks settled there. Mosques, konaks (town-halls) and Turkish baths were built. The construction of churches was strongly forbidden for a long time. Varna became a mighty stronghold, which guarded the north-east borders of the Ottoman Empire and a commercial and craftsmen’ centre of great importance. During the Russian-Turkish War in 1828 the town was conquered by the Russian troops and hold under their rule for some time. An uplift of the national spirit began in the following decades. Schools, community centres and churches were built. In 1878 Varna was finally liberated from Ottoman rule and became the most important Bulgarian seaport town. At the end of the 19th century it was connected with Sofia by railway. Many factories were opened, and industrial fishing was developing. Varna quickly established as a seaside resort as well, enhanced by the European fashion in architecture and water transport. Entertainment establishments and holiday houses were built. Varna won the fame of a favourite place for Bulgarian cultural elite. For a short time the city was renamed Stalin. After 1956 its previous name was reinstated. Varna became a centre of the North Black Sea coast and a starting point for the design and building of the numerous resorts around it. Marine business was developing – from fishing to the transfer of goods between the East and the West. Nowadays Varna is an industrial city - the third biggest one in Bulgaria after Sofia and Plovdiv. Complément:  Varna a grandi à l'emplacement de l'antique Odessos, fondée au VIème siècle par les Grecs, occupée par les Romains, fréquentée par les commerçants de Gênes, Venise et Raguse (l'actuelle Doubrovnik); tout au long de son histoire, Bulgares et Byzantins s'en disputèrent la possession. Prise par les Ottomans en 1391, elle ne fut libérée de ses occupants qu'en 1878. C'est à Varna que, le 5 juillet 1879, débarqua dans sa future principauté Alexandre de Battenberg, premier souverain de la Bulgarie libérée.

Nesebàr - The town was founded on the place of a Thracian fisherman’s settlement that was named Menabryia, which meant the town of Mena (the founder of the settlement). In the 6th century BC it was a colony of the Megarus tribe from ancient Greece, immigrants from Byzantium and Kalhedon. It remained the only Doric colony along the Black Sea coast, as the rest were typical Ionic colonies.  The Greeks named it Messembria and it grew into a big and well-fortified town-state with natural protection both from the land and the sea. It was equipped with water mains, a system of sewers, fortified walls, amphitheatre and numerous cult buildings the most impressive of which was the temple of Apollo. It became a commercial centre and plenty of goods from the Aegean and the Mediterranean basins were traded there. The excavated objects testify to a brisk trade with the ancient world. The town maintained excellent relations with the neighbouring Thracian tribes and minted its own coins in 5th century BC. Two centuries later it grew so much that it founded its own colony called Navlohos near Obzor. The whole land between Nessebur and Obzor used to be a granary that supplied the two colonies with food as well as products of exchange and import. In 1st century BC the town fell under Roman rule and surrendered to Marcus Lukulus’ legions so that it did not suffer any devastation. It was then that the constructions of the second colony of Messembria began, to the south of it - Anhialo (present day Pomorie). In the early Middle Ages the town restored the fortress walls and until 812 it was part of Byzantium. In the same year it was conquered by Khan Kroum with no resistance put up, and was included in the territory of Bulgaria. Many a time the town was under the rule of the Bulgarians and then in the hands of the Byzantines. During the reign of Ivan Alexander the town reached its cultural and economic boom, and it grew to the extent of occupying a huge territory of the land beyond the peninsula. It was approximately in this period of time when most of the churches of Nessebur were built and up to this day they are a unique decoration of the town. According to the world statistics Nessebur is the town having the biggest number of churches per capita. In 1366 the knights of Amadeus of Savoy conquered and devastated the town, and then sold it to Byzantium for 15 000 golden ducats. In 1453 shortly after Constantinople fell under Turkish domination the town was conquered by the Ottoman Empire and suffered decay. At the dawn of the Liberation it was a dilapidated fishermen’s settlement, with well-developed viticulture on the soft hills above the town.  Today Nessebur is one of the resorts most preferred by tourists and it has been most attractive ever since the beginning of the century. The constructions of the new town started at the time together with numerous rest homes, big and small hotels, and modern facilities for tourism and entertainment. The old buildings were restored and new houses in ancient style were built.

Pomorié - There used to be a Thracian settlement here colonised by the Greeks in later times. A colony of the metropolis of Messembria was founded here in 5th century BC. The town was called Anhialo being at the same time a colony of Apolonia as well (today’s Sozopol). The town gradually worsened its relations with Messembria because the population of the latter was Doric in origin and the town was inhabited by the Ionic. The main occupation was fishing, mining and trading of sea salt. The shallow firth presented ideal conditions for that - it was where the first settlers discovered layers of salt in the sand. The ancient town was situated further inward onto the land in the area called Paleokastro where one can see its ruins scattered all over. During the Roman domination Ulpia was added to the name of the town and it surpassed even Apolonia in its glory for a long time. Anhialo regained its name in the Middle Ages. It suffered barbarian invasions and in 8th century it was re-built by the Byzantine empress Irina. The town was intermittently under Bulgarian and then Byzantine domination, and vice versa, but more often in the Bulgarian territory. In 1366 it was conquered and resold to Byzanti-um by Amadeus of Savoy and his knights. It fell under Ottoman rule together with Nessebur in 1453.  At the time of the Kantakouzins family, successors of the last Byzantine emperors, the town became restive again; however Mihail - successor of the family had to escape to Romania. His plan did not succeed and he was hanged, but his sons managed to escape. After the Liberation the town regained its power and was of utmost importance in the Bourgas Bay. In 1906 the town burst in fire and nearly burnt down. It is known as a salt-mining centre; fruits and vegetables grow here; wine and tin productions are traditional for the place. Today the main occupation of its inhabitants is tourism; there is a mud-cure establishment. The mud-cure lake was discovered in 3rd–4th centuries BC and was later called the Holy Lake by Anna Komnina (a Byzantine female writer). The first mud-cure establishment was built here in 1902 after the curing properties of mud unique for Europe had been proved. The mud is good for bone and muscular disorders, radiculitis, rheumatism, sciatica, lumbago, discal hernia, etc.

Sozopol - The first settlements belonged to the Thracian tribes of Nipsei and Skirimian. In 7th century BC Greek colonisers settled there and called the town after Apollo, the God of arts. Apolonia developed mainly as a trading centre for honey, wax, corn, wine, olive oil, olives, textiles, jewellery, and pottery. The numerous finds are evidence that this small town used to be the trading centre of the whole of the Black Sea coast. Much earlier in 13th century BC the argonauts led by Iazon, Heraklitis and Orpheus came ashore. The love for travelling and discovering made the inhabitants of Apolonia in those times travel, trade and found new colonies. So were founded the settlements of Anhialo and Pirgos, Termopolis and Aetos. The town was included in the union of sea town-states founded by Percales. Apolonia was frequently in economic and political dispute with the Doric inhabitants of Messembria; wars were even waged. At the time the island of Kirik was mainly inhabited. Apolonia sought help from Philip of Macedonia against the attacks of the Scythians. It was included in the territory of the Macedonian State at the time of Alexander the Great and was constantly subject to invasions but it struggled against the attacks of a number of Nomadic tribes flowing from north and west. The town fell under Roman domination in 1st century BC and was severely ruined by the armies of Marcus Lucul. It is an interesting fact that the Romans quickly restored the ruins, built new temples, and ordered a thirteen-metre high statue of Apollo by the sculpturer Kalamis. The statue was sent to Rome as an example of the arts of this particular Roman province. As early as 6th century Apolonia minted coins of its own. The Roman domination provided three centuries of peace until the huge invasion of the barbarian tribes. It was only in 5th century that the town was included in the territory of Byzantium.  During the reign of Khan Kroum it was within the borders of Bulgaria and like all other sea towns it frequently fell under the rule of Byzantium. In the Middle Ages it preserved its status of a district town. It was severely devastated in the middle of 14th century during an attack by the Genoa fleet. Later it was conquered and sold by the knights of Amadeus of Savoy. After a long siege the town fell under Turkish rule in 1453. Only wooden houses have been built there ever since; the oldest samples can be observed even today in the unique old streets. Sozopol welcomed the Liberation as small fishermen’s settlement. Later the town became the biggest fishing centre of the Black Sea coast and developed recreation and tourism. The famous Tsar’s Beach is located to the north of the town. Nestled between the rocks to the south of the town is the Raiski Beach (Paradise) and further southwards – the Kavatsite. The Harmanite Beach is immediately to the south of the so-called “new” town. An ancient necropolis was found here in 1993 and excavations are still going on.

Malko Tàrnovo - A Thracian settlement existed on the spot of the present day town; only mound necropolis have remained. According to the Shkorpil brothers that is where a Roman roadside station called Outsourgas had been located. The present town of Malko Turnovo was founded by the end of 16th century and the beginning of 17th century, most probably by settlers that had moved from the adjacent huts and smaller villages to settle by the Golemiya Vris Spring where people still drink its nice water. The name of the settlement derives from the profusion of prickly thistles all over the place. Initially Trunovo changed into Turnovo and later the word “Malko” (small) was added to distinguish it from the name of the Old Bulgarian capital Turnovo. G. Ensholm was the first to give information about the town. He participated in Dibich Zabalkanski’s march at the time of the Russian-Turkish War of 1828-1829. In his book “Notes on the Towns beyond the Balkan Mountain” he claimed that the town had 3 500 inhabitants who earned their living primarily with sheep-breeding, and all the crafts related to it – aba manufacturing (coarse homespun woollen cloth and upper men’s garment made of it), tailoring, leather-processing and manufacturing, wool spinning and weaving, cattle trade, as well as masonry and pottery. There were excellent goldsmiths and money-changers. People mined marble, part of which was used for the construction and decoration of the Dolma Bahche Palace in Istanbul. Trade was well developed in many workshops. In the second half of 19th century Malko Turnovo was a nice and rich town with a population of nearly 8 000 inhabitants - Bulgarians. They passionately preserved the Bulgarian spirit, customs and traditions. The first monastery school was opened at the beginning of last century. A secular school was set up in the 40s of 19th century, and about 1875 - a school for young girls. In 1902 the ttown had a performance hall. According to the Berlin Treaty signed after the Russian-Turkish War of Liberation (1877-1878) Malko Turnovo was left within the boundaries of the Ottoman Empire. At the time of the Ilinden-Preobrazhenie Uprising (1903) the district revolutionary committee was lodged in the town; the outstanding leaders were Stefan Dobrev, Raiko Petrov, Lefter Mechev, Diko Dzhelepov, etc. After the severe defeat of the uprising around 5 000 inhabitants of Malko Turnovo had to leave their native place. The town was liberated from the foreign rule in 1912.

Yambol - The earliest traces of communal life were discovered in the dozens of pre-historic living mounds. The so-called Rasheva and Marcheva Mounds are located on the territory of the present day town. These two date back to the neolith, eneolith and bronze epoch. Some of the finds recovered there are kept in the Parisian Louvre, the Archaeological Museum in Sofia, and mostly in the Museum of History in Yambol. The ancient town sprang up as a Thracian settlement called Kabile (some 10 km north-west of the town, near a village of the same name) at an important crossroad; later it became a significant fortress in the state of Philip of Macedonia. During the Roman domination the town reached its prime when people started minting coins. On his way through the town in 293 emperor Diokletian gave it the name of Diospolis (God’ town). It existed till 378 when the Goths destroyed it. The first written information dates back to 6th century. Since 11th-14th centuries it was mentioned as a Bulgarian town having different names - Diospolis, Dianopolis, Diam-polis, Yampolis, Dublin, Dublino, Douboulino, and the Byzantine authors mentioned it as Dimpolis, Diampolis, Hiampolis. The town was mentioned with the name of Dubilin in an inscription of 1357 (the reign of Tzar Ivan Alexander). At the time it was situated on the border between Bulgaria and Byzantium, and nearby was the famous entrenchment Erkesiata. Some of the impressive fortress walls and turrets of medieval Yambol are still preserved. The town was among the first in the Balkans to resist the Ottomans. It was conquered in 1373 after a long siege. During the Ottoman Rule many Turks settled to live around Hissarluka, and after the Russian-Turkish War of 1829 many Bulgarians from the town and the vicinity emigrated to Russia. The haidouts (armed volunteers, leaders or members of detachments) Georgi Garabdchi, Boudak Stoyan, Kara Dobri, Dyado Zhelyo and others based in countryside of the town, took part in the battles for liberation. The town is a native place of the revolutionaries Georgi Drazhev, Radi Kolessov, Zakhari Velichkov, etc. The Oriental town carried out active with agricultural products, silkworms, homespun material, predominantly with Odrin and Tsarigrad. The so-called Salty Road from Anhialo to Plovdiv passed through the town. The Russian armies liberated it in January 1878. In memory of this act people built and inaugurated the St. Alexander Nevski Temple - the first monument of the Bulgarian-Russian friendship in Bulgaria. It was erected in the Bakadzhitsite area south-east of the town. In the first half of 20th century Yambol was known for its curative mineral water, unique rail tram tugged by horses, pheasant breeders, huge hangar for zeppelins of 1917. John Atanadsov, the inventor of computers, had kinship in Yambol, and it was a native place of Peter Noikov - the first professor in pedagogic, Atanas Radev - elite mathematician, Georgi Papazov and Ivan Popov - world famous painters, Kiril Krustev – Bulgarian off encyclopedic knowledge, Stiliana Paraskevova who embroidered the prototype of Bulgarian national flag.
Khaskovo - The first settlement on this territory dates back to around 7 000 years BC in the neolith period. Throughout its existence, the town experienced innumerable periods of revival and decay. During the first half of 13th century near Haskovo history witnessed one of the most successful battles in Bulgarian history - the Battle of Klokotnitsa (nearby the village bearing the same name). On 9th March 1230 Tsar Ivan Assen II (1218-1241) inflicted a smashing defeat of the Byzantine Empire, which had violated the peace treaty. The battle at Klokotnitsa later proved to have been an event of immense importance for the entire future of Bulgaria. The town developed into a settlement of craftsmen although much smaller than the near village of Uzundzhovo, which hosted a big fair. In fact, during some time Haskovo was called “Haskyoi by Uzundzovo”. The town was liberated on 19 January 1878 by General Gourko’s army. After the Balkan Wars the population of the town grew rapidly as a result of the incoming refugees from the Aegean Thrace. Gradually, it developed as the tobacco-producing centre in Bulgaria. The town is the birthplace of the noted Bulgarian scientist and social activist – Prof. Assen Zlatarov and the famous violin player Nedyalka Simeonova.

Kàrdzhali - This place had been a settlement as early as 6 000 years ago. Prehistoric remains of human life as well as ample examples of the presence of Thracian, Roman and Byzantine culture have been found plus medieval Bulgarian and late-Ottoman remains. The first historical finds are associated with the Thracian tribe koelaleti, subdued by the Romans during 1st century. Then came the Slavic tribe of Smoleni. During the Middle Ages the settlement frequently shifted under Bulgarian or Byzanitine rule. Bulgarian presence is proved by the unique 3-navel Bulgarian basilica found in Vesselchane Quarter of the town dated to the 11th - 12th century. This town quarter is heir of medieval Bulgarian town Munyak demonstrating an architectural style, similar to that of Preslav, Messemvria and Turnovo. In the 14th century the settlement was conquered by the Turks, and in 1379 it was populated by colonists from Asia Minor. In the middle of the 17th century the town was ruled by Kurdzhi Ali - a noted army leader. It is supposed that accepted the town was named after him. During the 18th century bloodthirsty kurdzhalii gangs (Turkish brigands), which ruined not one and two prospering Bulgarian villages, used to gather in the town. In January 1878 the Don Cossacks of General Chernobouzov liberated the town, which was to remain within the Eastern Rumelia part of the country, as agreed under the Berlin Treaty. In 1886 it is given to Turkey again as a compensation for the Union (1885). On 8th October 1912 the soldiers of colonel Delov’s regiment liberated the town for the second and last time. Gradually, Kurdzhali became the “tobacco warehouse of the Eastern Rhodopes” and later a centre for the development of Bulgarian non-ferrous metallurgy.

Smolyan - On the 18th of June, 1960 the three neighbouring villages of Smolyan, Raikovo and Ustovo merged in a town, which was named Smolyan, and presently each one of the villages is its quarter. Smolyan Quarter (at the highest altitude) is the successor of the vanished village of Ezerovo, which was situated 3 km above the town, amidst the Smolyan Lakes. During the period of the attempts to convert the native population to Islam (17th century), its inhabitants strongly opposed this act and the Turks completely destroying the village. Some of the inhabitants were killed, others ran to the mountains and those who adopted the Muslim religion populated the areas along Cherna River, where the modern quarter lies. The Turks named this new settlement Pashmaklu. This is the name mentioned by the French traveller Dr. Paul Luka (1706) and it is recorded in the inscription of the Overarched Bridge (Beiska Kupriya), built in 1716. The name of Smolyan was given to this neighbourhood after the Liberation and it came out of the name of the Slav tribe of Smoleni. Raikovo Quarter (the quarter in the middle) was divided in the early ages into Gorno (Upper) and Dolno (Lower) Raikovo. A legend tells us that the fellow of Momchil the Hero, Raiko founded this settlement. During the attempt to convert the population to Islam, its inhabitants strongly resisted, paying for that with more than 200 victims, but they preserved their religion and village. The first written document about this settlement dates back to the inscription on a stone of the Mazolska drinking-fountain (1572). It developed as a craftsmanship village. Its aba (coarse homespun woollen cloth and upper men’s garment made of it), woollen cloths and rugs were famous throughout the Ottoman Empire. Its economic power during the Revival Period revealed in the building of nice houses of typical Rhodope architecture, churches and schools. Ustovo Quarter (the lowest) is an old settlement. Its name is linked to “ustie” (estuary) or “ushtelie” – i.e. it originated from the geographical location of the settlement. It is situated on an important crossroad - this was the crossing point of the old roads from Plovdiv to Xanti and Gyumyur-dzhina and from Drama through Nevrokop (modern Gotse Delchev) to Kurdzhali and Odrin. This predetermined to a greater extent its economic and historic development. Ustovo became an important market centre and significant craftsmanship settlement. Crafts like coppersmith, tinkering, shoe-making, goldsmith, and furriery, homespun wollen cloths and tailoring and others were well developed since early ages. Their products had good market, most of all in Istanbul and Smirna (Izmir). At the beginning of 19th century the village achieved great economic and cultural boom. Almost all of the interesting site and buildings date back to that period. In 1830 the first monastery school was founded. Priest Gligorko, one of the prominent defenders of Bulgarian population, lived and worked in Ustovo. This is the birthplace of some prominent Bulgarians, such as Sava Stratiev, fighter against Phanariotism and Stoyu Shishkov, a teacher, ethnographer and a man of letters. After the Liberation the entire Smolyan region remained under Turkish Rule until 1912.

Gotse Delchev - The first information about this settlement dates back to 9th-10th centuries and in 15th century the name of Nevrokoub was mentioned. In 1625 it was registered as a town. During the Ottoman rule the town developed as a crafts centre. It was famous for the production of small and large cow and sheep bells - the renowned chanove for the herds in Pirin and the Rhodopes (the tradition is been preserved only here). The crafts of skin processing and saddlery also developed. Annual trade fairs were held in the town during the second half of 14th century. In the Revival Period the inhabitants of the town showed acute national consciousness. They erected churches, a monastery school, a secular school, separate schools for young boys and young girls respectively, a communal cultural centre. As stipulated in the Berlin Treaty the town remained in the territory of Turkey and was liberated in the Balkan War (October 1912). The town gave shelter to many refugees from the Serr and Drama areas.

Koprivshtitsa originated as a settlement during the 14th century. Its population dealt with cattle-breeding, manufacturing of aba (coarse homespun woollen cloth and upper men’s garment made of it), furriery, dyeing and other crafts. The citizens of Koprivshtitsa proved to be good merchants, too reaching as far as Istanbul and Alexandria. The wealthy and urbanised settlement was plundered and destroyed by fire by kurdzhalii (Turkish brigands) three times and rebuilt from ashes to reach its greatest prosperity during the 19th century, when it had over 1000 houses and a population of nearly 12 000 inhabitants. Spacious houses, schools, churches, drinking-fountains, bridges were built there. In 1837 Neofit Rilski (Neophyte of Rila) opened a mutual school and 9 years later Naiden Gerov founded the first in Bulgaria independent boys’ intermediate school. In 1864 a girls’ intermediate school was opened here and three years later Todor Kableshkov opened the students’ society “Zora” (Dawn). In 1869 the chitalsihte (reading room or community centre) was opened here. In the same year Vassil Levski established a revolutionary committee in it. During that time Lyuben Karavelov who was born in Koprivshtitsa headed the foreign Bulgarian Revolutionary Central Committee (BRCC) in Bucharest. On 20th April 1876 the first shot of the April Uprising against Ottoman Rule rang out here, which started the heroic April epic of Bulgarian people. Todor Kableshkov announced the Uprising. It was headed by another citizen of Koprivshtitsa - Gavrail Hlutev, known to the generations to come as Georgi Benkovski - the adamant and ardent leader of the people’s rebellion, who died heroically in the Teteven Balkan Mountain. Unlike Batak, Bratsigovo, Peroushtitsa and other settlements-martyrs, the Osmanli Turks had mercy on Koprivshtitsa. The wealthy men of Koprivshtitsa paid for it and thanks to them Bulgaria today is in possession of its most treasured architectural wealth, untouched by the centuries. The town is the birth place of a lot of functionaries of our Revival Period and renowned Bulgarians - Bogdan Voivoda, Doncho Vatah Voivoda, Detelin Voivoda, Dobri Voivoda (“voivoda” meaning leader of revolutionary detachment of voluneers), Dimcho Debelyanov, Nayden Gerov.

Plovdiv - Being a crosspoint of major roads from Western and Central Europe to the Middle East, from the Baltic to the Mediterranean region and from the Black Sea to the Adriatic, Plovdiv has ancient millennial history. The most ancient inhabitants of these areas date back to the New Stone, Stone-copper and Bronze Ages. Later, during the 1st millennium BC, nearby the three eastern hills (Dzhambaz Tepe, Taxim Tepe and Nebet Tepe) which were practically a natural defence fortress, the Thracians founded the ancient settlement of Eumolpias. In 342 BC the town was conquered by Philip II, the Macedonian, renamed Philipopole and turned into a fortress. Later on (3rd – 1st century BC, the town already being known as Poulpoudeva, was subject to on-going invasions of the Celts. Since 1th century it was under Roman rule and was quickly grew into a key economic, cultural and political centre of Thracia Province. The town rapidly developed and occupied the entire area around the Three-hills, as a result of which the Romans named the town Trimontsium. After the year 395, when the Roman Empire had fallen apart, the town remained in its eastern part - Byzantine. During the next two centuries the town was many times ruined and set on fire by the Huns and the Gothic tribes. The Emperor Justinian (527-565) turned it into a strategic fortress along the northern Byzantine border. At the end of 6th century the Slavs populated the area and named the town Puldin (originating from the ancient name of Poulpoudeva). In 815 Khan Krum included the town within the borderlines of Bulgaria. From this moment on until it fell under Turkish rule, Plovdiv (already named so) was subject to numerous takeovers, frequently being under the rules of either the Bulgarians or the Byzantines. In 1364 the Ottomans conquered the town and called it Phillibe. Being left far in the back area of the Ottoman Empire, the town lost its strategic location and gradually declined. It was only during the Revival Period that Plovdiv regained its glorious name of a large economic and cultural centre. A new class of craftsmen and merchants was established, having a newly formed national spirit and material wellbeing. A large number of residential housings and public facilities preserved as cultural monuments, date back to that Revival Period. Prominent Revival enlighteners, cultural and political figures - Naiden Gerov (a writer, enlightener and Consul of Russia in Plovdiv), the icon-painters Zakhari Zograf, Dimitur Zograf, Stanislav Dospevski, the wood-carver Ivan Pashkula and many others worked in the town at that time. The residence and the inn of the Turpevi Brothers gave shelter to our national Apostle Levski several times, and in 1870 a local revolutionary committee was founded. The troops of General Gurko liberated the town on January 17, 1878. At that time this was the biggest Bulgarian town. After the Berlin Congress (1878) Plovdiv was proclaimed capital of Eastern Roumelia. It promoted an intensively diversified public and cultural life. Ivan Vazov, Konstantin Velichkov, Zakhari Stoyanov and some other reputable Bulgarians lived and worked in the town for some time. A great number of refugees came to the town from the areas of White Sea Thrace, Aegian, Pirin and Vardar Macedonia. The town hosted the proclamation of the Reunification of the Kingdom of Bulgaria and Eastern Roumelia on September 6, 1885 - an extraordinary in its significance revolutionary act, proving the strong and irreconcilable Bulgarian spirit in pursue of its national ideal. It is by no chance that this date - September the 6th - is currently an official holiday of the Republic of Bulgaria.

Chirpan (prononcer Tchirpan) - Chirpan is considered the heir to the Roman settlement Sherampol, which was established close to the Roman town of Pizus (the Hissarluka Area close to the village of Rupkite, 7 kilometres to the north of today’s Chirpan). It has been accepted that Sherampol (translated “the city of nice friends”) was established by fleeing refugees. The present name of the town is supposed to derive from the Roman Sheramnol although todays town emerged at a much later stage - most probably in the 17th century around Tekira Springs under the name of Dzherpan. During the Bulgarian Revival (18th - 19th century) the settlement grew as a town with well-developed agriculture and crafts. During the struggle for the independence of the Bulgarian Church it was the people of Chirpan who made the first sacrifices - Velko Boyadziyata and Kaba Ivan. After the Liberation crafts were in decay due to the loss of markets in the Ottoman Empire but in their place vine-growing and wine-making underwent a rapid development. The town was severely hit by the earthquake of 1928. It is the birthplace of the great Bulgarian lyric and revolutionary Peyo Kracholov Yavorov, of the painter Georgi Danchov – Zografina, one of Levski’s comrades, of the painter Nikola Manev known far beyond Bulgarian borders and of the poet Dimitur Danailov.

Stara Zagora - Mostly due to its central position this town has a rich and most interesting history. In the 6th century BC it was a major Thracian settlement called Beroe. In the 2nd century the Romans built the town and call it Augusta Trayana (to the name of the emperor Trayan), which is soon to become one of the greatest and most famous towns in Roman Thrace. At the beginning of the 6th century the town was destroyed, later on to be populated by incoming Slavic tribes, who named it Vereya. For some time in the mid of 8th century is was conquered by the Byzantine Empire and renamed again, this time in honour of the Empress - Irinopolis. In th 9th century the town became an administrative centre of a vast district under the name of Borui. It was as late as the 12th - 14th century that the district was named Zagore wherefrom much later its contemporary name derived. Under the Turkish Rule it was known as Eski Hisar (old fortress) and after 1488 – as Eski Zaara (“zaara” meaning a fertile area). During the Revival Stara Zagora is an important economic centre populated by Bulgarians mainly, extremely active in the spheres of the Bulgarian educational revival and national liberation movement. Among the teacher in the five-class primary school of 1859 are the esteemed enlighteners Neofit Rilski, Ivan Bogorov, P. R. Slaveikov and among the pupils one reads the names of Vassil Levski and Raina Popgeorgieva. A revolutionary committee was established in town and it was headed by Kolyo Ganchev, Georgi Apostolov and the Zhekov Brothers under the leadership of Stefan Stambolov and Georgi Ikonomov but due to treason, the planned uprising failed before it was to start. For the third time in its history Stara Zagora was put to the torch and turned to ashes during the Russian-Turkish War of Liberation. After the Liberation the town was built yet once again in the fashion of straight geometrical system – straight streets crossing in perpendicular. The town plan was worked out by the Czheck urbaniser Loubor Bayer. The principles laid therein are further observed in the construction works, which makes the town unique in Bulgaria.
Stara Zagora is the birthplace of the poets Kiril Hristov, Nikolai Liliev, Vesselin Hanche; of the singer Hristina Morphova; of the painters Anton and Georgi Mitovi, Atanas Mihov, Mario Zhekov. It is commonly known as the “town of lime-trees and poets”.

Kazanlàk - Si, dans la plus haute antiquité, le col de Chipka n'est qu'un chemin de cavaliers, la région de Kazanlàk est cependant une place stratégique. En effet, la grande voie qui relie la plaine de Thrace et la mer Egée à la vallée du Danube (et, plus tard, Tàrnovo à Constantinople) passe par le col voisin de Triavna. C'est là que s'établit la fameuse capitale du royaume thrace des Odryses: Seuthopolis (aujourd'hui sous les eaux du barrage, terminé en 1950, sur la Toundja, à 7 km à l'ouest de l'emplacement de l'actuelle Kazanlàk). Fondée, à la fin du IVe siècle avant notre ère, par le roi Seuthès III, elle atteint rapidement une population de 50,000 âmes.  A l'abri de murs épais de 2 mètres, garnis de tours et de bastions, ses maisons, spacieuses et pourvues de canalisations, sont composées de pièces qui rayonnent autour d'une cour intérieure. Son palais royal posède une façade de 40 mètres. Conquise par les Macédoniens, elle est rasée par les Celtes vers la fin du IIIe siècle avant notre ère. Ceux-ci établissent leur capitale, Thylis,  à deux pas de là, peut-être à l'emplacement actuel de Toulovo. Au Moyen-Age,  à 6 km au nord de la ville actuelle, se dresse la forteresse de Krane... qui est détruite lors de l'avance des envahisseurs musulmans, après une âpre bataille  dans les environs des villages de Toulovo et Maglige,  entre les troupes de Saradja Pacha et les troupes bulgares. Fondée peu après par l'occupant turc (du moins le pense-t-on, car la première mention de la cité n'apparaît qu'au XVIIe siècle, sous la plume de Hadji Kalfa), Kazanlàk hérite des fonctions de l'ancienne localité de Krane.  - Au XIXe siècle, Konstantin Irétchèk,  l'auteur de "Voyages à travers la Bulgarie", la décrit comme "enfouie dans la verdure de ses noyers, au point que ses mosquées ne parviennent pas à dresser leurs minarets au-dessus des frondaisons". En 1871, c'est une ville de 20,000 habitants, comprenant 2,500 maisons bulgares, 1,500 maisons turques, 16 mosquées, 4 églises et un monastère. Kazanlàk compte aujourd'hui 58,000 habitants mais la plupart des mosquées ont disparu, ainsi, d'ailleurs, que la plus grande partie du vieux quartier turc.  - Mais où donc, dans l'histoire de la ville, se situe l'introduction de la fleur dont elle sera la capitale? Il semblerait que la rose ait été introduite vers le XVIIe siècle, venant d'Asie Mineure. Une vieille légende (d'autres diront: "Une histoire à l'eau de rose!") raconte qu'un jeune homme de la région fut, un jour, convié par le sultan d'Istanbul pour y construire un palais. Enchanté par la perfection du travail, le Turc lui offrit "ce qu'il désirait le plus!". Mais l'outrecuidant bulgare demanda la main de sa fille. Avant d'être chassé par le sultan, l'amoureux reçut, de la main de la belle, un plant de rose. Rentré au pays, en souvenir de sa tendre dulcinée, il le planta devant sa fenêtre... Le rosier fut heureux et eut beaucoup de petits plants. 

Kalofer - Son nom ne figure pas dans l'histoire ancienne et médiévale de la Bulgarie.  A cet endroit, il y avait  des forêts denses et impraticables.  A l'ouest,  dans la vallée de la rivière Byala (la rivière blanche), se trouvait la vieille ville de Zvanigrad, dont il ne reste plus aucune trace aujourd'hui.

 Due to the strong resistance, the Turks wiped out the town, but the proud and sturdy defenders remained unconquered. A group of 40 heroes, led by Kalifer Voivoda (“voivoda” meaning leader of a group of armed revolutionaries), roamed for long throughout the area, defending their fellow Bulgarians and arousing terror in the Ottomans. The Turks were powerless to deal with the detachment and so the Sultan gave the voivoda permission to settle in the woods along with his men, giving them privileges to establish a settlement with the statute of derventdzhii (special guards of the roads and passes in the mountains, appointed by the Turks). The haidouti (armed revolutionaries, volunteers, members of a detachment) kidnapped maids from Sopot, which was famous for its beauties, and that is how the town of Kalofer originated. It is not by chance that the history of the town during the long Turkish yoke is full of names of famous revolutionaries, haidouts and rebels - from Kalifer Voivoda, Old Man Mlachko, Chono Chorbadzhi, Dobri Voivoda and Gulub Voivoda to the great poet and revolutionary Hristo Botev. Twice the kurdzhalii (Turkish brigands) ruined the town - in 1799 and 1804, but it quickly recovered and grew wealthy. During the first half of the 19th century Kalofer, like all our towns south of the Balkan Range, reached its zenith. Travellers notice that in it there are more than 1000 loom sites for woollen braids, a lot of mills for processing wool and dye-houses. The craftsmen and merchants of Kalofer traded with Constantinople, Vienna, Odessa, Braila. They did not call the town Altun Kalofer (Golden Kalofer) for nothing. In 1845 a big new school was built, and in 1871 a school for girls was built, too. All kinds of educational societies were formed. A lot of renowned writers and public figures are natives of Kalofer - Ekzarh Yossif I, Dimitur Mutev, Elena Muteva (the first Bulgarian poetess), Hristo Tupchileshtov, Ivan Shopov (a student of folklore and the first Bulgarian bibliographer) and others. Many people of Kalofer enrolled in the detachments of Panayot Hitov, Phillip Totyo, Hadgi Dimitur and Stefan Karadzha, Bacho Kiro. At the end of the Turkish rule there were as much as 15 haidout detachments roaming in Kalofer’s vicinity. Over 500 natives of Kalofer were members of haidout detachments and groups. During the War of Liberation (1877 - 1878) Kalofer shared Karlovo and Sopot’s fate - it was plundered and set on fire by the bashibozouks. Almost nothing is left of the pre-liberation Kalofer.

Troyan - The name of the town comes from the ancient Roman road crossing the Balkan Mountain through today’s Troyan Pass - Via Trayana, which linked Misia with Thrace and the Aegean Sea. The origin of the today’s settlement is thought to go back somewhere at the beginning of the 15th century, when, after Bulgaria fell under Ottoman Rule, a lot of Bulgarian refugees settled down in this hard-to-reach and forested region running away from the arbitrary rule of the Turks. Later on the migrations continued and Troyan grew up but about the year 1800 the town suffered three invasions of the kurdzhalii (Turkish brigands) who devastated it. In spite of this during the 19th century the town reached a high material and cultural prosperity. The crafts were those, which reached their greatest development, pottery and woodcarving in particular. More than half of the population of the town made their living on the basis of these crafts till World War II. The bright and intelligent mountain dwellers realised that their future lays in faith and enlightenment. Talented master builders created magnificent patterns of the Bulgarian Revival church architecture in the town and within the region - in 1835 Saint Paraskeva Church in Troyan and The Assumption Church in the Troyan Monastery were built (refer to the Stara Planina related chapter herein). In 1839 the Saint Nikolai Letni Church was erected in the area of Goumoshtnik whose wood-carved iconostasis is a unique of its kind work of the Bulgarian Revival Art. In 1870 a Community Cultural Centre was set up in Troyan, in which 2 years later the commencement of the theatrical activities in the town was set up with the performance of “Genoveva the Martyr”. In 1872 the “Yellow School” was built up in the town, in which the modern secular program of teaching was introduced involving studies of the French language as well. The inhabitants of the town of Troyan did not let the revolutionary processes go past them either. In 1869 they enthusiastically met the Apostle Vassil Levski and Matei Preobrazhenski - Mitkaloto. Two years later a secret revolutionary committee was set up there at Levski’s initiative. During the Russian-Turkish War of Liberation in August 1877 Troyan was devastated by the bashibozouks (Turkish army of volunteers), but its population rendered invaluable assistance to General Kartsov when his army passed the Balkan Mountain through the Troyan Pass. After the liberation the town was rebuilt out of the ashes. In 1911 the first electric bulb was lit and soon after that Troyan became the third electrified town in Bulgaria (after Sofia and Plovdiv). The building of the railway line Lovech – Troyan gave an impetus to the development of the town - it commenced in 1929 and was completed in 1948. Troyan is the birthplace of Ivan Hadzhiiski (our greatest sociologist and nations psychologist), Prof. Dr. Nikola Shipkovenski (psychiatrist) and a lot of other outstanding names. In the autumn of 1998, 130 years of the proclamation of Troyan as a town were solemnly celebrated.

Lovech (prononcer Lovetch)- The town is a descendant of the Thracian by-the-road town of Melta (in today’s area of Hissarluka) which had a strategic location along the Danube-Aegean Sea main road. During the Medieval times the town remained an important military strategic centre and it was called Lovuts (a town of hunters) by the 11th century. During the 12th century it was moved to the right bank of the Osum River where the quarter of Varosha is situated now. After the Turnovo Uprising the Lovech Fortress firmly defended the approaches to Turnovo and after a 3-month siege the Byzantine Empire was forced to conclude the well-known Lovech Peace Treaty (1187), stipulating a new beginning for the Bulgarian state. Since the end of the Byzantine domination the town has been known by its today’s name - Lovech. During the 13th and particularly during the 14th century it was one of the biggest towns and fortresses in Northern Bulgaria and it reached an enviable economic prosperity. The town fell under Ottoman Rule in 1393. The last semi-independent ruler of the Lovech Fortress - Stanko Kussam, became a haidoutin (rebel) after its downfall. In the first centuries of Ottoman Rule the town declined and it was not until the 18th and particularly during the 19th century that it became well off, thanks to crafts and trade. It was called Altun Lovech (Golden Lovech). In 1870 the town had 11 thousand inhabitants. As early as in 1839 the struggle for an independent Bulgarian church began here. The first schools were opened in 1846-1847 and one of the first teachers here was the people’s poet and writer Petko R. Slaveikov. In 1870 a chitalishte (community cultural centre and reading-room) was established here and two years later the first theatrical performance was held under the guidance of Angel Kunchev. There was an old covered wooden bridge over the Osum River but the river carried it away in 1872. Only 2 years after that the self-studied master of genius craftsman master usta Kolyu Ficheto built up his famous covered bridge with 24 small workshops in it. Unfortunately it was burned to ashes by a fire in 1925. The present (unique in the country) covered bridge was built up on the analogy of it. During the years of the national liberation movement (the second half of the 19th century) Lovech turned into the revolutionary capital of Bulgaria. In 1869 Vassil Levski laid the foundations of the local revolutionary committee and in the following year he pointed Lovech as a centre of the Internal Revolutionary Organisation. It was from here on that the fibres entwining all the country started and they rose the Bulgarian people in battle for national independence. On 17th July 1877 Lovech was liberated by the squadron of Col. Zherebkov and Col. Parensov but 10 days later the Turks conquered it again and slaughtered over 2500 Bulgarians in the town and in its surroundings. The town was finally liberated on 3rd September 1877 by the units of Gen. Imeretinski, Gen. Skobelev and Gen. Dobrovolski. Its freedom was won at the price of 1683 Russian victims. After the Liberation Lovech loses the markets in the Ottoman Empire. The construction of the railway line Levski - Lovech (1932) and its extension to Troyan (1948) gave an impetus in the development of the town. For the last few years the town has established itself as a big cultural and tourist centre.

Veliko Tàrnovo is the town with the most glorious historical past in Bulgaria. It is a symbol of Bulgarian statehood and a source of national pride for every Bulgarian. Each little place in it is history.  The earliest traces were found on the Trapezitsa Hill (dating back to first half of the 3rd millennium BC). Remnants on Tsarevets Hill date back to the end of the Bronze Era (13th century BC). This oldest settlement was inhabited by Thracians (the tribes of uzdicenses and crobises) and existed by the end of the Iron Era. Its prosperity is related to 6th century BC - till 1st century AC. Its traces in the first centuries of the Roman Rule are lost on our lands (at the beginning of the new era).  The next layer of Tsarevets is early Byzantine, from the 5th to the first half of the 7th century when there was a fortified town on the hill (one of the supporting points of Byzantium in the northern part of the Balkan Peninsula), which withstood for 3 centuries. A big Slavonic-Bulgarian settlement of the 8th to 10th century was founded on the ruins of this town. At the end of the 10th century the hill was already densely populated and in the 12th century it was a fortified town and a significant economic centre. The origin of the name is related to the Slavonic word “tern” or “trun” (thorn) and during the years it developed into Ternov, Trunov, Tur-nov, Turnovgrad, Turnovo and Veliko Turnovo, being called “Veliko” (Great) in relation to its size, beauty and grandeur. In 1187 the Uprising of Assen and Peter was successfully completed, the Byzantine Rule was thrown off and Turnovgrad became the capital (the third capital in the history of Bulgaria) of the restored Bulgarian Kingdom. The following two centuries are “golden” in the history of the town.  The Tsar’s Palace and the Bulgarian Patriarchy were situated on the Tsarevets Hill and the houses of the boyars and the senior priesthood as well as a lot of churches were situated on Trapezitsa Hill. Assenova Mahala (quarter), located between the above mentioned hills, by the Yantra River, was inhabited by craftsmen. The district of foreign merchants (Franks) was to the south-east of the Baldwin Tower. Thick fortified walls of the “internal town” protected Tsarevets and Trapezitsa. The other two quarter also had fortified protection and formed the “external town”. Solely the dwellings of the destitute among the non-privileged people remained outside the fortifications at the foothill of the Momina Krepost (Maiden’s Fortress) Hill, in the immediate proximity of the Yantra River. During the 13th and 14th centuries the capital of Bulgaria was a big political, economic, trade and cultural centre in Europe. The Bulgarian State reached the heights of its development during this period. Along with Byzantium it was the first power on the Old Continent. Magnificent palaces, monasteries, churches, fortifications, bridges, big houses were built here. The Turnovo School of Painting and the Turnovo Literary School, whose founders, organisers and most prominent representatives are Patriarch Evtimii and Teodosii Turnovski (of Turnovo), developed and carried out their versatile activities here. All the prosperity and spiritual upsurge was discontinued on 17th July 1393, when after a 3-month siege Veliko Turnovo, and gradually the whole of Bulgaria succumbed under Ottoman Rule... The Metropolitan town was in ashes. Centuries were to pass before the town was able to recuperate and experience a new economic, cultural and political upsurge during the Revival period. Crafts developed, trade flourished, beautiful houses, public buildings, churches (with the greatest contribution in that respect belonging to the unsurpassed Master Kolyu Ficheto), the aspiration for enlightenment and national self-awareness started to find their implementation and the struggle for ecclesiastical and national independence gained strength. The population of the old Bulgarian Metropolis took part in the Turnovo Uprisings of 1598, 1686 and 1700, in Velcho Conspiracy (1835), in the Uprising of Captain Dyado Nikola (1856), in Hadzhi Stavrev’ Revolt (1862) and in the April Uprising of the rebellious year of 1876. Then Bacho Kiro, Tsanko Dyustabanov and a lot of other fighters for freedom were hanged under the gallows erected in the town square. The Apostle Levski came here more than once (the last time in 1872, unfortunately enchained). On 7th July 1877 Veliko Turnovo was free again. From 10th February to 16th April 1879 the Constituent Assembly, which developed the First Bulgarian Constitution - the Turnovo Constitution, one of the most democratic constitutions in Europe for that time, convened here. On 17th April 1879 the first Great National Assembly of liberated Bulgaria convened in Veliko Turnovo to elect a head of state. On 27th July the same year Alexander Battenberg was elected as Bulgaria’s knyaz (first prince). It was namely here that on 6th September 1885 Stefan Stambolov and Petko Karavelov made the decision to acknowledge the union of the Principality of Bulgaria with Eastern Roumelia. Although Sofia became the capital of Bulgaria after the Liberation, Veliko Turnovo continued to be a sanctuary for all Bulgarians, a bastion of Bulgarian national spirit and self-awareness. It is the birthplace of Petko R. Slaveikov, of the great actor Konstantin Kissimov, of the writers Emiliyan Stanev and Dimitur Mantov and of a lot of other eminent Bulgarians.


Et où nous n'aurons pas le temps d'aller...

Svishtov - The town is a successor of the Roman (and later on of the Early Byzantine) town of Nove (1st century) - an important strategic centre with naval functions. During the Middle Ages it was called Stuklen, and in the map of Fra Mauro of 1459 it was marked under the name of Sistovo, which is the transcription of today’s name of the town. Svishtov comes from “svesht” (candle). During the first centuries of the Ottoman Rule there were several huts here, which lit up with fires along the river banks the way of boats and sailing-vessels during the night-time. Gradually the future town of Svishtov was formed around them. The town reached an enviable development during the 19th century in spite of its complete destruction during the Russian-Turkish War of 1810. In 1865 Dr. Ivan Bogorov described Svishtov as “the most commercial place” of our towns. In 1869 there were 957 stores and 720 warehouses there. The first high school of commerce in Bulgaria was established in Svishtov (1873). The well-known traveller of 19th century Felix Kanits wrote: “Svishtov has been enjoying the reputation of an European town with an European market for a long time.” Within the time period from 1850 to 1860 in the port of Svishtov there were about 150 vessels sailing along the Danube with water displacement of 120 000 tons, a part of which belonged to Svishtov merchants. In 1867 the Danubian Steam Society was established with the merchant from Svishtov Nikola Stanchov as the chief shareholder. The Society purchased the Austrian-Hungarian ship “Commencement” and three tank barges for transportation of cereals. The tangible welfare of the town was reflected in its cultural life as well. In 1841 Hristaki Pavlovich established a new Bulgarian school and a secular school for girls. One of the first in Bulgaria chitalishta (reading-clubs) with a museum with it was set up here in 1856. In 1884 the first in Bulgaria Commercial High School opened its gates (today’s High School of Economy). The outstanding Revival public figures Nikolai Pavlovich, Emanuil Vaskidovich, Hristaki Pavlovich and a lot of other eminent functionaries worked here as well. Schools, churches, beautiful houses were built in thse years. On 26th and 27th June the key forces of the Russian Army disembarked on the bank of the Danube River in the locality of Tekirdere (at the distance of 4 km east of Svishtov) and the Russian-Turkish War of Liberation began. Although the Turks did not anticipate the crossing of the Danube River by the main Russian units to take place namely here, they put up ferocious resistance and it was in the first battle for Bulgarian freedom that 814 Russian soldiers and officers found their death. The town lost its initial first-grade significance after the Liberation, but it remained an important economic, cultural centre and grew as a tourist centre as well. Since 1936 Svishtov has been an academic town, too in relation to the opening of the Higher Institute of Finance and Economics “Dimitur Tsenov” (in the name of an outstanding Bulgarian patron).  Svishtov is the birthplace of Dragan Tsankov, Grigor Nachevich, Nikolai Pavlovich, Dimitur Tsenov, Alexander Bozhinov, Tsvetan Radoslavov (author of the song, on the basis of which “Mila Rodino” (“Dear Motherland”) - Bulgarian national anthem was composed) and of the great Bulgarian writer - humorist, democrat and creator of the organized hiking movement in our country - Aleko Konstantinov.

Ruse (prononcer Rousse) - The famous Rousse mound - a prehistoric settlement existed more than 5000 years ago is located within the boundaries of the modern town. At the beginning of the new era on a part of the territory of the modern town of Rousse an ancient settlement of Sexaginta Prista (The sixty ships) emerged, where “prista” means a particular type of a Greek river guard vessel. Probably it was founded by the Roman Emperor Vespasian (69-79). Later on it was known under the names of Pristis and Pristapolis. It existed up to the 6th century, when the Avars brought it to ruins. In Medieval times a new settlement emerged near the ruins of the ancient settlement, and information about it was found for the first time in the Broush Guidebook of the 16th century under the name of Rossi. In the Sultan Register of 1431 and in a Peace Treaty concluded between the Ottoman Empire and the Magyar state dated 20th of August 1503 the settlement was mentioned under the name of Roussi. In Ahmed Neshri chronicles as well as in many other old maps the town was shown as a wholesome town together with the settlement of Giurgiu on the opposite side of the Danube River named Yorgogi, Yorgovo, Yuroukova, Roussi on both sides of the Danube River, Giurgiu on both sides of the Danube River. In 1595 the Wallachian ruler Mihai Vityazoul (the Courageous) made an attempt to liberate Bulgaria with an Wallah-Bulgarian army and the town was brought to ruins. After its reconstruction at the beginning of the 17th century it was given the name of Rouschouk (little Roussi). The town turned into an important port and a strong border fortress. In 1811 the Russian General Koutouzov carried out the famous Rouschouk battle and became known as a talented military commander. In 1864 the town became the centre of the Danube District of the Ottoman Empire. In 1866 the building of the first railway road in Bulgarian lands - Rouschouk-Varna was completed. The first modern agricultural farm was founded under the name of Noumine (Exemplary farm). The River Management was founded as well and in a short period of time 7 steam ships and 15 barges were purchased. A printing house was opened with printing machines from Vienna where newspapers, books and textbooks were printed. The bookshop of Hristo G. Danov was opened at that time. To meet the needs of the secular education in Rouschouk in 1843 Alexander Rousset published in Strasbourg the first geographical map in Bulgarain. European influence penetrated into the town through the active river transport along the Danube River (predominantly Austro-Hungarian ships) and this had positive impact on the development of the town. Architecture developed, too and the construction of private and public buildings resembling the style of the capital of the Austro-Hungarian Empire _ Vienna commenced. The European fashion in clothing also penetrated first in this Bulgarian town. On the 1st January 1866 the first in Bulgaria meteorological observations began here with modern Austrian equipment. Rouschouk was not left aside from the struggle for spiritual and national liberation either, moreover that in its capacity of being a gate to Europe it was here that the modern freedom-loving ideas of the Old Continent made their way into the country. Zora (Dawn) Chitalishte (reading room and community centre) and the home of the extraordinary Bulgarian woman patriot baba (grandmother) Tonka Obretenova became centres of the national struggle. A lot of revolutionaries were assisted to leave the Empire or to return to their Fatherland. It was here that Angel Kunchev - one of the most faithful and ardent folllowers of Vassil Levski died here during an exchange of fire with the Turkish police. Baba Tonka, her sons and daughters, revolutionaries who gave their lives for the freedom of Bulgaria - Stefan Karadzha, Angel Kunchev, Zahari Stoyanov, Lyuben Karavelov, Panayot Hitov, Hristo Makedonski, Dimitur Tsenovich and a lot of other great Bulgarians were buried in this town. A Pantheon-Charnel House of the national Revival heroes with an everlasting fire was opened in Rousse in 1979. The bones of many of the 453 dignified Bulgarians, who were born in or who linked their lives with this town and whose names are inscribed in the Pantheon were collected in it. On 20th February 1878 the Russian Army led by General Totleben entered Rouschouk and was enthusiastically welcomed by the population led by Archbishop Kliment Branitski (Vassil Droumev). The town was the biggest in the liberated Bulgarian lands _ over 20 000 inhabitants. On 31st July 1879 the Bulgarian flag of the ships donated by Russia was risen which marked the beginning of the organised Bulgarian river navigation. The first marine technical school, later on moved to Varna, was opened here in 1881. The same year was found the first Bulgarian bank _ Girdap. In 1889 the first Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce, and two years later the first joint-stock insurance company –Bulgaria - were established in Rousse. As of the end of the 19th century a lot of celebrated architects did their creative work in the liberated of Rousse (Edward Winter, Udo Ribau, Georg Lang, Edwin Petritski, Negos Bedrossyan, Todor Tonev, Nikola Lazarov and others), painter-decorators (Karlo Francescani, Giovanni Pitor and others), landscapers (Ferdinand Halober, Rihard Noyvirt and others). It is not due to randomness that Rousse is being considered the most European Bulgarian town even nowadays. The writers Elias Kaneti, awarded the Nobel Prize for literature for 1981, Dobri Nemirov, Michael Arlan were born here, Lyuben Karavelov, Ivan Vazov, Stoyan Mihailovski, the poet Tsvetan Radoslavov, author of the text of the Bulgarian national anthem, the painter Joul Pasken (Pinkas), the pianist Otto Liebih, the opera singer Mimi Balkanska, Academician Mihail Arnaoudov lived here.  The role of the town grew up even more with the construction of the so-called Bridge of Friendship between the Bulgarian and the Rumanian banks in 1954. It was here that at the end of the 1980-ies the civil movement for protection of the town from the pollution of the Giurgiu Chemical Works (Rumania) originated and it marked the beginning of the democratic changes in Bulgaria. Nowadays Rousse is a big economic, transport, cultural and tourist centre.

Silistra - There are very few Bulgarian towns that can compete with Silistra in richness of historical past. The town is the successor of the Roman Durostorum (translated as “solid fortress”, built by Emperor Trayan). It was first mentioned in 105. In 169 during the reign of emperor Marcus Aurelius Durostorum became a municipal – an independent town (in 1969 people celebrated 1800th anniversary of the town) that domineered as a centre of the Roman province of Dolna Mizia. The town was one of the early centres, which promoted Christianity. In 303 the soldier Dazius was beheaded, and the local inhabitant Emilian perished on the stake; both of them were partisans of the new Christian faith. They were declared saints and included in the catholic calendar. The great commander Flavius Aecius was born here; he was the one who defeated Atila, the Huns’ leader whom the inhabitants of Rome had considered a real horror. The successor of Rome, i.e. Byzantium, restored the ruins of the town during the reign of emperor Justinian in 6th century and gave it the name of Dorostol. Until 600 it had been an episcopal centre. The Bulgarians called it Drustur and after the adoption of Christianity it became the main religious centre in the country. Under the Byzantine rule it was a main town in the region of Podounavie. In 1074 a rebellion against the Byzantine under the leadership of Nestor broke off. The town was an important fortress of the Bulgarian kingdom in 13th-14th centuries. In 1388 the Romanian leader Mircha Stari conquered the town, and after 1413 it was within the territory of the Ottoman Empire. The town received its present day name during the Turkish rule as a result of the preceding Diristur and Dristra. The poet Partenius Pavlovich was born in Silistra in 1695. During the Russian-Turkish wars at the end of 18th century and the first half of 19th century the great Russian generals Roumyantsev, Souvorov, Bagration, Kou-tou-zov, Dibich Zabalkanski took part in battles near the fortress of Silistra (in fact there were two fortresses - Medgeditabia and Arabtabia on both hills above the town) which later on became part of the defensive rectangular of the Turkish empire (Rouschouk - Silistra - Varna - Shoumen). In 1958 the inhabitants of Silistra received as a present the key to the fortress of Silistra which had been seized as a trophy on 12 June 1810 by generals Kamenski and Koutouzov, and kept in Sanct Petersburg. Between 1828 and 1835 Silistra was a free town as a result of its conquest by the Russian army with captain Georgi Mamarchev at the lead (a Bulgarian in Russian service). The great writer Lev Nikolaevich Tolstoy took part in the Russian siege in 1854. In 1812 a monastery school was established, and in 1891 - a pedagogical school, in Silistra. The Swiss Louie Aier spent some time teaching physical education (his name was associated with popularising a number of sports in Bulgaria) in the town (as well as in Rousse and Lom) and died as an officer in World War I near Doyran. From 1913 till 1940 the town was within the boundaries of Romania.