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Samokov
Samokov ( bg, Самоков ) is a town in Sofia Province in the southwest of Bulgaria. It is situated in a basin between the mountains Rila and Vitosha, 55 kilometres from the capital Sofia. Due to the suitable winter sports conditions, Samokov, together with the nearby resort Borovets, is a major tourist centre. In the past, Samokov was a centre of handicrafts and art, with notable figures like Zahari Zograf, Hristo Dimitrov and Nikola Obrazopisov. The town's name is a compound word of "samo" and "kov", respectively meaning "self" and the root of the verb "forge, hammer", and comes from the ''samokov'', a mechanical forge powered by water, since the town of Samokov was a major iron-producing centre during the Middle Ages. History It is thought that Samokov was founded in the 14th century as a mining settlement with the assistance of Saxon miners. It was first mentioned in 1455 and in Ottoman registers of 1477 as ''Vlaychov Samokov''. Some of the best craftsmen, woodcarvi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Rila
Rila ( bg, Рила, ) is the highest mountain range of Bulgaria, the Balkans, Balkan Peninsula and Southeast Europe. It is situated in southwestern Bulgaria and forms part of the Rila–Rhodope Mountains, Rhodope Massif. The highest summit is Musala at an elevation of 2,925 m which makes Rila the sixth highest mountain range in Europe after the Caucasus, the Alps, Sierra Nevada (Spain), Sierra Nevada, the Pyrenees and Mount Etna, and the highest one between the Alps and the Caucasus. It spans a territory of 2,629 km2 with an average elevation of 1487 m. The mountain is believed to have been named after the Rilska River, river of the same name, which comes from the Old Bulgarian language, Old Bulgarian verb "рыти" meaning "to grub". Rila has abundant water resources. Some of the Balkans' longest and deepest rivers originate from Rila, including the Maritsa, Iskar (river), Iskar and Nestos (river), Mesta rivers. Bulgaria's main water divide separating the Black Se ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sofia Province
Sofia Province ( bg, Софийска област, translit=Sofiyska oblast) is a province (''oblast'') of Bulgaria. The province does not include Sofia in its territories, but Sofia remains its administrative center. The province borders on the provinces of Pernik, Kyustendil, Blagoevgrad, Pazardzhik, Plovdiv, Lovech, Vratsa, Montana and "Sofia City Province" (which is in a separate ''oblast'', see Sofia Administration), and borders with Serbia to the northwest. History Prehistory and antiquity Archaeological excavations near Chavdar suggest that the region has been settled by humans as early as 7,000 years ago. The earliest evidence of a mass settlement dates back to Thracian times, including ''tumuli'' (burial mounds) which remain poorly studied. According to Thucydides, the areas north of Vitosha were inhabited by the Tilataei and the Treri. The Triballi were also known to have inhabited the region around Serdica. The Serdi, a Celtic tribe that appeared in place of the v ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Borovets
Borovets ( bg, Боровец ), known as Chamkoria ( ) until the middle of the 20th century, is a popular Bulgarian mountain resort situated in Sofia Province, on the northern slopes of Rila, at an altitude of 1350 m. Borovets is located approximately 10 km from Samokov, 70 km from Sofia, and 110 km from Plovdiv. History Borovets is the oldest Bulgarian winter resort with a history that dates back to 1896. Borovets was originally established at the end of the nineteenth century as a hunting place for the Bulgarian Kings. Borovets gradually developed into a modern ski resort with hotels, restaurants, bars and a network of ski runs and lifts along the slopes of the Rila Mountains, providing a whole range of winter sports. The resort has hosted World Cup twice, Alpine Skiing rounds (1981 and 1984), while the Biathlon track is one of the best in the world. Super Borovets The Super Borovets project is one of the largest and most expensive investment and development p ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
