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Kazanlak ( bg, Казанлък ,
Thracian The Thracians (; grc, Θρᾷκες ''Thrāikes''; la, Thraci) were an Indo-European speaking people who inhabited large parts of Eastern and Southeastern Europe in ancient history.. "The Thracians were an Indo-European people who occupied t ...
and
Greek Greek may refer to: Greece Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe: *Greeks, an ethnic group. *Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family. **Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...
Σευθόπολις (''Seuthopolis''), tr, Kazanlık) is a Bulgarian
town A town is a human settlement. Towns are generally larger than villages and smaller than cities, though the criteria to distinguish between them vary considerably in different parts of the world. Origin and use The word "town" shares an ori ...
in
Stara Zagora Province Stara Zagora ( bg, Област Стара Загора), formerly known as the Stara Zagora okrug, is a province of south-central Bulgaria. It is named after its administrative and industrial centre—the city of Stara Zagora—the sixt ...
, located in the middle of the
plain In geography, a plain is a flat expanse of land that generally does not change much in elevation, and is primarily treeless. Plains occur as lowlands along valleys or at the base of mountains, as coastal plains, and as plateaus or uplands ...
of the same name, at the foot of the Balkan mountain range, at the eastern end of the Rose Valley. It is the administrative centre of the homonymous
Kazanlak Municipality Kazanlak ( bg, Казанлък , Thracian and Greek Σευθόπολις (''Seuthopolis''), tr, Kazanlık) is a Bulgarian town in Stara Zagora Province, located in the middle of the plain of the same name, at the foot of the Balkan mountain ...
. The town is among the 15 biggest industrial centres in Bulgaria, with a population of 44,760 people as of Dec 2017.Bulgarian National Statistical Institute – towns in 2017

It is the center of
rose oil Rose oil (rose otto, attar of rose, attar of roses, or rose essence) is the essential oil extracted from the petals of various types of rose. ''Rose ottos'' are extracted through steam distillation, while ''rose absolutes'' are obtained through ...
extraction in Bulgaria and the oil-producing rose of Kazanlak is one of the most widely recognizable national symbols.


History

The oldest settlement in the area of the modern-day city dates back to the Neolithic era (6th-5th millennium
BCE Common Era (CE) and Before the Common Era (BCE) are year notations for the Gregorian calendar (and its predecessor, the Julian calendar), the world's most widely used calendar era. Common Era and Before the Common Era are alternatives to the or ...
). During the 4th-3rd centuries BCE the lands on the upper Tundzha river were within the dominion of the Thracian ruler
Seuthes III Seuthes III ( grc, Σεύθης, Seuthēs) was a king of Odrysian kingdom, Odrysia, a part of Thrace, during the late 4th century BC (securely attested between 324 and 312 BC). Historical background Following the campaigns of Philip II of Macedo ...
and took an important place in the historical development of
Thrace Thrace (; el, Θράκη, Thráki; bg, Тракия, Trakiya; tr, Trakya) or Thrake is a geographical and historical region in Southeast Europe, now split among Bulgaria, Greece, and Turkey, which is bounded by the Balkan Mountains to t ...
during the Hellenistic era. The Thracian city of
Seuthopolis Seuthopolis (Ancient Greek: Σευθόπολις) was an ancient hellenistic-type city founded by the Thracian king Seuthes III between 325–315 BC and the capital of the Odrysian kingdom. Its ruins are now located at the bottom of the Koprinka ...
(Σευθόπολις) was uncovered near Kazanlak and thoroughly studied at the time of the construction of the
Koprinka Reservoir Koprinka ( bg, Копринка) is a reservoir and dam in the Rose Valley, central Bulgaria. Its construction began after 1944 and was finished in 1956. It was built on the Tundzha river at 7 km to the west of the city of Kazanlak near the ...
. In the 4th century BCE, near the ancient Thracian capital of Seuthopolis and close to the city, a magnificent Thracian tomb was built. Consisting of a vaulted brickwork "beehive" ('' tholos'') tomb, it contains, among other things, painted murals representing a Thracian couple at a ritual funeral feast. The tomb was declared a
UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...
World Heritage Site A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for h ...
in 1979. In the Middle Ages the valley became an administrative center of the Krun region where the Bulgarian
boyar A boyar or bolyar was a member of the highest rank of the Feudalism, feudal nobility in many Eastern European states, including Kievan Rus', Bulgarian Empire, Bulgaria, Russian nobility, Russia, Boyars of Moldavia and Wallachia, Wallachia and ...
Aldimir Aldimir ( bg, Алдимир) or EltimirWhile Aldimir is mentioned in Medieval Greek sources solely as Ἐλτιμηρῆς, ''Eltimiris'', his original name ''Aldimir'' has been established thanks to the discovery of his son Ivan Dragushin's epi ...
(Eltimir) ruled. After 1370 Kazanlak was under Ottoman dominion. Its modern name is derived from the Turkish ''Kazanlık''. The modern city dates back to the beginning of the 15th century. It was founded as a military fortress to protect the
Shipka Pass Shipka Pass ( bg, Шипченски проход, ) (el. 1150 m./3820 ft.) is a scenic mountain pass through the Balkan Mountains in Bulgaria. It marks the border between Stara Zagora province and Gabrovo province. The pass connects the ...
and later developed as a city of craftsmen. More than 50 handcrafts developed such as
tanning Tanning may refer to: *Tanning (leather), treating animal skins to produce leather *Sun tanning, using the sun to darken pale skin **Indoor tanning, the use of artificial light in place of the sun **Sunless tanning, application of a stain or dye t ...
,
coppersmith A coppersmith, also known as a brazier, is a person who makes artifacts from copper and brass. Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc. The term "redsmith" is used for a tinsmith that uses tinsmithing tools and techniques to make copper items. Hi ...
ing,
goldsmith A goldsmith is a Metalworking, metalworker who specializes in working with gold and other precious metals. Nowadays they mainly specialize in jewelry-making but historically, goldsmiths have also made cutlery, silverware, platter (dishware), pl ...
ing,
frieze In architecture, the frieze is the wide central section part of an entablature and may be plain in the Ionic or Doric order, or decorated with bas-reliefs. Paterae are also usually used to decorate friezes. Even when neither columns nor ...
weaving,
shoemaking Shoemaking is the process of making footwear. Originally, shoes were made one at a time by hand, often by groups of shoemakers, or cobblers (also known as '' cordwainers''). In the 18th century, dozens or even hundreds of masters, journeymen ...
, cooperage and, of course, rose cultivation. The oil-producing rose, imported from central Asia via
Persia Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...
, Syria and Turkey, found all the necessary conditions to thrive – proper temperature, high moisture and light, sandy, cinnamon-forest soils. Kazanlak rose oil has won gold medals at expositions in
Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...
,
London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...
,
Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...
,
Antwerp Antwerp (; nl, Antwerpen ; french: Anvers ; es, Amberes) is the largest city in Belgium by area at and the capital of Antwerp Province in the Flemish Region. With a population of 520,504,
, Laet, and
Milan Milan ( , , Lombard: ; it, Milano ) is a city in northern Italy, capital of Lombardy, and the second-most populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of about 1.4 million, while its metropolitan city h ...
. After Bulgarian independence the handcrafts declined due to the loss of the markets in the huge Ottoman Empire. The textile, aerospace and military industries were developed.


Geography


Climate

The Bulgarian climate is temperate, with average temperatures from to in January, and in July. The average altitude is . Spring temperatures rise comparatively early and are usually above (in the first half of March) and above (in the first half of April) but sometimes there are also some cold spring periods. The summer temperatures are moderate and the average summer rainfall is rather high, especially at the beginning of summer. During the second half of the summer and the beginning of the autumn, there are continuous drops in rainfall. Until the middle of November, the average autumn temperature is above , and above until the end of October. The winter is mild, with comparatively low snowfall, short-lasting snow-cover and low minimum temperatures. The highest rainfall is in June, and the lowest in February and March. The general wind direction is from north-east.


Relief

The town of Kazanlak and the surrounding region is situated in the western part of the Kazanlak Valley. There are various soil types, mostly maroon soils (about 50%) which are very suitable for growing oleaginous cultures and herbs. The Kazanlak Valley was formed during the Quaternary Period with the rise of the
Balkan The Balkans ( ), also known as the Balkan Peninsula, is a geographical area in southeastern Europe with various geographical and historical definitions. The region takes its name from the Balkan Mountains that stretch throughout the who ...
and
Sredna Gora Sredna Gora ( bg, Средна гора ) is a mountain range in central Bulgaria, situated south of and parallel to the Balkan Mountains and extending from the Iskar to the west and the elbow of Tundzha north of Yambol to the east. Sredna Gora i ...
Mountains and the submergence of the Fore-Balkan fields. The fault character of the Valley is evidenced by the hot mineral springs near the village of Ovoshtnik, Yagoda and the town of Pavel Banya. Morphologically, the Kazanlak Valley is divided into three areas. The western area is the broadest one and has a lot of hills due to the numerous alluvials, formed by the rivers flowing through the Balkan Mountains. Although the average altitude is , here it reaches up to . The central area is narrower and lower, and the relief of the eastern area is much more complex.


Soils and mineral resources

Soil cover is closely related to the relief, climate, flora of the region and the economical activity of the man. The varied Bulgarian natural environment has produced about 20 soil types and subtypes. This region is characterised mainly by cinnamon-forest soil. The spreading of the accumulative river materials along the Tundzha river and the Eninska river has formed alluvial soil types and subtypes. The draining and the deeply intended geological base together with the drought-resistant and thermophilic forest vegetation (oak, field elm, hornbeam) are the reason for the spreading of the forest soils. The arable lands related to this soil type are inclined and that leads to the degradable effect of the plane, linear and ravine erosion. The alluvial soils are high-productive – they are represented by arable lands of I, II and III category. They cover two-thirds of the searched territory and this is an obstruction to the town growth. The lands are planted mainly with roses and perennial plants. Low-productive and degraded lands are located only north-east of Kazanlak. Part of them are covered with meadows and pastures. This region is not rich in mineral resources of industrial importance but there are several non-metalliferous minerals of local importance. There is a clay deposit for brick manufacturing in Manastirska Niva locality two km west of Kazanlak. A greisen-pit for broken stone, paving stones, and kerbs is located east of the town in Kara Dere locality. Sand, gravel, and felt are extracted from the pits near the villages of Ovoshtnik and Cherganovo. There are granite pits near the villages of Kanchevo and Bouzovgrad. The granite is used for kerbs, paving stones, and others.


Water resources

The Kazanlak valley is drained by the Tundzha river and its tributaries. The Tundzha river rises in the highest part of the Balkan east of Mount Botev, flows across several fields – Kalofersko Pole, Kazanlashko Pole, Slivensko Pole, Yambolsko Pole and Elhovsko Pole and empties into the Maritsa river. The total length of its Bulgarian section is , and its drainage basin area is . The river flows slowly in Kazanlak valley near the north slopes of Sredna Gora mountain. The average annual water quantity increases southwards. At Koprinka dam it is per second on average or about per year; at the village of Knezha it is per second or per year. But this water quantity is not equally distributed during the whole year. The maximum is in spring (April and May) due to the intensive snow melting and high rainfalls in spring. The underground waters of the considerable in range and flow rate alluvial cones play an important role in the drain regulation during summer season when the rainfall is minimum. Southwest of the village of Koprinka the river valley is deeply cut in the slope of Sredna Gora mountain and this narrowness was used for the Koprinka dam construction which permits the irrigation of the land round Kazanlak and Stara Zagora. Many tributaries feed the Tundzha river; those rising in the Balkan mountains are numerous and deeper. The rivers Tazha, Leshnitsa, Eninska and Maglizhka and their deeply cut in the Balkan slopes valleys are of remarkable beauty. The Kran river rises in the village of Kran and collecting several spring flows through the western part of the town and gradually disappears in the terrace materials of the Tundzha river. The Eninska river rises in the Balkan, collects the waters of many springs, flows through the eastern part of Kazanlak and empties into the Tundzha river south of the town. Both tributaries have deeply cut valleys in their upper courses. In the lower courses the terrain is not so inclined and the river beds are wider. The average annual water quantity of the Eninska river at the village of Enina is per second. The maximum water flow is in April and May, at and per second, respectively. The minimum is in September at per second. These tributaries (especially the Eninska river) are characterised by plenty of alluvial formations. Many gullies run down the slopes of Tulbeto hill (located in the north-eastern part of the town) when heavy rain falls or snow melts and carry to the Eninska river heavy alluvial formations. Two or three km north of Kazanlak the rivers Eninska and Kranska are connected by a drain carrying off the water directed towards the town. South of the town there is another drain system carrying the disappearing in the alluvial cone waters from the rivers Eninska and Kranska towards the Tundzha river.


Population

During the first decade after the
liberation of Bulgaria The Liberation of Bulgaria is the historical process as a result of the Bulgarian Revival. In Bulgarian historiography, the liberation of Bulgaria refers to those events of the Tenth Russo-Turkish War (1877–1878) that led to the re-establishmen ...
, in the 1880s the population of Kazanlak numbered about 9,000. Since then it started growing decade by decade, mostly because of the migrants from the rural areas and the surrounding smaller towns, reaching its peak in 1985 exceeding 60,000. After this time, the population has started decreasing rapidly in consequence of the poor economic situation in the Bulgarian provinces during the 1990s that led to a new migration in the direction of the country capital Sofia and abroad.


Ethnic groups


Culture

Kazanlak has a long, solid tradition in the area of culture and enlightenment. At the every beginning of the Revival, the populace of Kazanlak was already opening school and cultural reading centers – including the Pedagogical school of Kazanlak, which prepared teachers for the entire country. For many well-known Bulgarian artists and performers, this was the place where their physical and creative lives began. The cultural centre of Kazanlak is the ''Iskra''
chitalishte A ''chitalishte'' (, . Derives from the verb "чета" - "to read" or "читател" - "reader") is a typical Bulgarian public institution and building that fulfills several functions at once, such as a community centre, library, and a theat ...
, founded in 1860. It contains a library, theatre, cinema, and museum. It was host to the first Bulgarian
opera Opera is a form of theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically a collaboration between a composer and a librett ...
, ''Siromahkinya''. * Iskra Library – one of the oldest libraries in Bulgaria, founded in 1860, now holds over 500 volumes. * Rosarium Park with many spots for recreation. * The House – museums of famous Bulgarian artists Dechko Uzunov and Nenko Balkanski. * The Thracian tombs. The remains discovered from the ancient Thracian culture – objects, jewelry, and vessels of gold, silver, bronze and clay – have long since become part of the world historical legacy.


Iskra Town History Museum

The Iskra Town History Museum is one of the first provincial town museums in Bulgaria. It was founded on 29 June 1901, by Peter Topuzov – a bright man of enterprise from Kazanlak and by decision of the leaders of Iskra Studious Club. More than 50 000 exhibits revealing the history of Kazanlak area from ancient times until nowadays have been kept at Iskra museum. The finds from Thracian town of Seuthopolis are displayed in three separate halls. Temporary exhibitions with valuable articles from this museum and loan-collections are arranged during the active tourist season.


Rose Museum

The museum is a part of the Historical Museum "Iskra" in Kazanlak. In 1967 a small exposition was created, which was dedicated to rose-picking in Kazanlak and the region. In 1969 the exposition grew into an independent museum. Nowadays the Rose Museum stores more than 15 000 exponents related to rose-picking and rose-production in Bulgaria. The museum exposition includes original pictures and documents of the development of rose production, instruments for processing of the rose gardens, vessels for storing and exporting rose oil and rose water. Restorations of a rose warehouse and the first laboratory for examination of rose oil created in 1912 are made in the museum. One of the biggest attractions in the museum is a rose oil vessel which had been used for the last time in 1947 to this day a strong rose scent can still be smelled around it.


Koulata Ethnographic Complex

The charming cobbled Mirska Street is in the oldest part of the city – Koulata District, near the world-famous Thracian Tomb of Kazanlak. This is where traditional architecture from the period of the Bulgarian National Revival (18th–19th centuries) can be found. The traditional buildings there constitute the Koulata Ethnographic Complex, restored and open to visitors since 1976. They "take us back" to the unique, diverse material culture of Bulgarians from the Kazanlak region of the past. Before stepping through the gate, visitors can hear the coppersmiths’ hammers. They tell the stories of the typical local coppersmiths’ craft. Opposite are the violin-makers and next door is the goldsmith's. The country house nestles among bushes and trees. It is one-storied and asymmetrical. It has the characteristic of the Balkan valley houses from the end of the 18th and the beginning of the 19th century. The lifestyle of the late 19th and early 20th century inhabitants of the region is shown in the restored houses from the time of the Bulgarian Renaissance. The artefacts displayed here are kept in the Ethnography department. Kazanlak was a famous crafts town in the near past. Visitors can try some of the rose industry products – jam, liqueur, and gyulovitsa (rose brandy).


Buzludzha National Park

Buzludzha National Park rises east of the Shipka pass. It is a very important part of Bulgarian history – here, on 30 July 1868,
Hadzhi Dimitar Dimitar Nikolov Asenov ( bg, Димитър Николов Асенов ; 10 May 1840 – 10 August 1868), better known as Hadzhi Dimitar ( ), was one of the most prominent Bulgarian voivode and revolutionaries working for the Liberation of Bulg ...
fell in battle. He was at the head of a small group of rebels fighting the numerous Turkish enemy. In 1961 a monument was built here to commemorate this act of heroism. The impressive marble figure of Hadji Dimiter is outlined against the green background of the pine-trees. Near it, under the venerable beeches, a stone bas relief commemorates another event in Bulgarian history – founding of the Bulgarian Workers' Social Democratic Party on 2 August 1891, after a clandestine congress. Buzludzha with its numerous chalets, rest homes and hotels offers excellent opportunities for the lovers of winter sports and tourism.


Shipka National Park

Shipka National Park is founded on the same area where the bloody battles of the Russian-Turkish Liberation War occurred during the 1870s. It represents a complex of memorial tablets, monuments, trenches, and bunkers reminiscent of the battle. On the top of the mount at
Shipka Shipka may refer to: * Shipka Monument, in Bulgaria * Shipka (town), in Bulgaria * Shipka Pass, in Bulgaria * Shipka (stadium), in Asenovgrad, Bulgaria * Shipka Saddle, in the Tangra Mountains, Livingston Island, Antarctica * Shipka Valley, in the T ...
rises the "Freedom Monument". It was paid for by voluntary donations of the Bulgarian people and built after the design of Atanas Donkov, an architect, and Alexander Andreev, a sculptor. The monument was opened officially in 1934. The monument's expositions relate the story of Russian soldiers' and Bulgarian volunteers' heroism during the five-month defence of the pass. From the last ground there is a panorama of the restored details of the battle field, monuments and common graves reminiscent of the self-sacrifice of the Russian and Bulgarian heroes. The locality offers excellent conditions for relaxation and tourism. Several shops, cafes with well-stocked wet-bars, camping, a comfortable hotel-restaurant, and a petrol station. The national Shipka-Buzludza park-museum includes Shipka Memorial Church (or Church of the Nativity) near the town of Shipka, Shipka National Park, Freedom Monument near the village of Sheinovo, and Buzludza National Park.


The Shipka Memorial Church

The Shipka Memorial Church is north of Kazanlak, at the south foot of the Stara Planina mountains near the town of Shipka. It was erected after Bulgarian independence as a monument to Russian and Bulgarian dead. The golden domes and the green and pink façade loom against the mountains and attract the attention of the travelers in the Shipka pass. The project design following 17th century Russian church architecture with arks, friezes, pediments, and gold-plated ornaments, was the work of the
Czech Czech may refer to: * Anything from or related to the Czech Republic, a country in Europe ** Czech language ** Czechs, the people of the area ** Czech culture ** Czech cuisine * One of three mythical brothers, Lech, Czech, and Rus' Places *Czech, ...
architect A.I. Tomisko. The main entrance has three arks, topped off with the distinctive high spire of the bell tower. There are 17 bells; the heaviest of them weighs about . The lime-tree iconostasis is richly decorated with gilded wood-carvings and is of great artistic value. The icons were presented by Russian monks from the monastery of St. Pantaleimon on Mount Athos, Greece. The names of the Russian regiments and of Russian and Bulgarian dead are inscribed on 34 marble plates built in the walls of the church. The honoured dust of the Russian soldiers killed at Shipka Pass (1877–78) have been kept in 17 stone sarcophagi in the crypt. The Shipka Memorial church was ceremoniously consecrated on 27 September 1902.


Thracian Tomb of Kazanlak

The tomb is part of a large Thracian necropolis. It comprises a narrow corridor and a round burial chamber, both decorated with murals representing a Thracian couple at a ritual funeral feast. The monument dates back to the 4th century BCE and has been on the
UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...
protected
World Heritage Site A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for h ...
list since 1979. The murals are memorable for the splendid horses and for a gesture of farewell, in which the seated couple grasp each other's wrists in a moment of tenderness and equality (according to Lyudmila Zhivkova—a view that is not shared by all specialists). The paintings are Bulgaria's best-preserved artistic masterpieces from the
Hellenistic period In Classical antiquity, the Hellenistic period covers the time in Mediterranean history after Classical Greece, between the death of Alexander the Great in 323 BC and the emergence of the Roman Empire, as signified by the Battle of Actium in 3 ...
. The tomb is situated near the ancient Thracian capital of
Seuthopolis Seuthopolis (Ancient Greek: Σευθόπολις) was an ancient hellenistic-type city founded by the Thracian king Seuthes III between 325–315 BC and the capital of the Odrysian kingdom. Its ruins are now located at the bottom of the Koprinka ...
in a region where more than a thousand tombs of kings and members of the Thracian aristocracy can be found. The seated woman of the murals is depicted on the reverse of the Bulgarian 50 stotinki coin issued in 2005.


The Kosmatka Tomb

One of the most impressive monuments of the Thracian civilization in the ''Valley of the Thracian Kings'', is the heroon (a temple-tomb of a hero of royal status) of
Seuthes III Seuthes III ( grc, Σεύθης, Seuthēs) was a king of Odrysian kingdom, Odrysia, a part of Thrace, during the late 4th century BC (securely attested between 324 and 312 BC). Historical background Following the campaigns of Philip II of Macedo ...
. In the summer of 2004 a team of Bulgarian archaeologists unearthed a large, intact
Thracian The Thracians (; grc, Θρᾷκες ''Thrāikes''; la, Thraci) were an Indo-European speaking people who inhabited large parts of Eastern and Southeastern Europe in ancient history.. "The Thracians were an Indo-European people who occupied t ...
mausoleum dating back from the 5th century BCE near the Bulgarian town of Shipka, Kazanlak municipality. The temple was buried under the high "Golyamata Kosmatka" mound. "This is probably the richest tomb of a Thracian king ever discovered in Bulgaria. Its style and its making are entirely new to us as experts," said
Georgi Kitov Georgi Kitov (Bulgarian alphabet, Bulgarian: Георги Китов) (March 1, 1943 – September 14, 2008) was a Bulgarian archaeologist and thracologist. He specialized in Thrace, Thracian archaeology. He participated in the excavations ...
, the head of the team. The Kosmatka Tomb represents a remarkable
Thracian The Thracians (; grc, Θρᾷκες ''Thrāikes''; la, Thraci) were an Indo-European speaking people who inhabited large parts of Eastern and Southeastern Europe in ancient history.. "The Thracians were an Indo-European people who occupied t ...
heroon built accordingly to the
Orphic Orphism (more rarely Orphicism; grc, Ὀρφικά, Orphiká) is the name given to a set of religious beliefs and practices originating in the ancient Greek and Hellenistic world, associated with literature ascribed to the mythical poet Orpheus ...
traditions of the end of the 5th or beginning of the 4th century BCE. Serving also as a symbolic tomb of Seuthes III, it contained an enormous treasure, exhibited now in the Iskra Museum and Art Gallery. More than 70 silver, gold and bronze objects, which were used as ritual offering to the gods, were discovered during the excavations. The temple was used between the end of the 5th and the beginning of the 3rd century BCE, when a symbolic burial ceremony of Seuthes III took place, the famous founder of the Thracian city of
Seuthopolis Seuthopolis (Ancient Greek: Σευθόπολις) was an ancient hellenistic-type city founded by the Thracian king Seuthes III between 325–315 BC and the capital of the Odrysian kingdom. Its ruins are now located at the bottom of the Koprinka ...
, located only away. After the symbolic burial ceremony, the temple was closed and the entrance sealed and buried.


Literary and Art Museum of "Chudomir"

Among the town's more interesting attractions is the house of the acclaimed Bulgarian writer, artist, and activist Dimitar Chorbadzhiiski, whose pen name was Chudomir (1890–1967). The house was declared a museum the year after his death, in 1968, and now has the status of a national historical cultural landmark, as confirmed by Protocol 15 of the State Records for 3 December 1968. The museum complex, remodeled and reopened in 1979, now includes the artist's house and an art exhibition and related documents housed in three halls, covering an area of 300 square meters. Here there are more than 15,000 original manuscripts, paintings, sketches, letters, books, and personal effects that belonged to Chudomir and his wife, the artist Mara Chorbadzhiiska. This is the only museum in Bulgaria dedicated to both literature and art, and it is also the headquarters of the respected Chudomir Cultural Foundation. The museum is also one of the
100 Tourist Sites of Bulgaria 100 Tourist Sites of Bulgaria is a Bulgarian national movement established in 1966 to promote tourism among Bulgaria's most significant cultural, historic, and natural landmarks. As part of this program, sites of cultural and historical signific ...
.


Economy


Rose industry

The city lies at the eastern end of the famous Rose Valley. It is flanked with mid-height mountain ranges on opposite sides, and is especially marvellous in May when
rose A rose is either a woody perennial flowering plant of the genus ''Rosa'' (), in the family Rosaceae (), or the flower it bears. There are over three hundred species and tens of thousands of cultivars. They form a group of plants that can be ...
fields blossom and the fragrance is unparalleled. The harvesting of roses, and the production of rose oil for export to international parfumiers, is of major importance to the local economy. There is one rose oil factory in Kazanlak. According to ''The Ultimate Visual Encyclopedia'', Bulgaria is the major supplier of a certain type of rose oil in the world and Kazanlak's rose gardens are the largest rose gardens in the whole world.


Rose Festival

The Rose Festival is one of the most remarkable events in Bulgaria, dedicated to beauty and flowers, to spring and the fragrance of the priceless Kazanlak rose. The beautiful celebrations for the blossom of the roses there take place in the first week of June. The whole week is filled with different attractions every day. That week is also interesting, because there is a beauty pageant and on the last day of the celebrations, for the most beautiful girl in the city is chosen. They call her "The Queen Of Roses". The Rose Festival was celebrated for the first time in 1903 and since then it has traditionally been held during the first weekend of June. This is the season when the gentle oleaginous Kazanlak rose comes to bloom, filling the air with its scent. Nowadays the Rose Festival has evolved into an international event where thousands of tourists and guests of the town are entertained. The official 201
rose festival program


Other industries

Prominent among Kazanlak's manufacturers i
Arsenal Corp
Founded in 1924, it manufactures and develops a wide range of military equipment, including
small arm A firearm is any type of gun designed to be readily carried and used by an individual. The term is legally defined further in different countries (see Legal definitions). The first firearms originated in 10th-century China, when bamboo tubes c ...
s (especially AK models), anti-aircraft missiles, and heavy
machine guns A machine gun is a fully automatic, rifled autoloading firearm designed for sustained direct fire with rifle cartridges. Other automatic firearms such as automatic shotguns and automatic rifles (including assault rifles and battle rifles) a ...
. Also located in the city are M+S Hydraulic an
Caproni JSC
manufacturers of hydraulic components. Kazanlak has three textile factories, one for woolen cloth, the second producing thread of different types and the last producing cloth from synthetic materials. In Kazanlak is located for more than 90 years one of the biggest factories for musical instruments in the country Kremona.


Education

Kazanlak is home to the following schools: * Exarch Anthim I Secondary School * Paisiy Hilendarski Primary School * Nikola Obreshkov High School of Science * Sts. Cyril and Methodius High School * Bulgarska Roza Secondary School * Ivan Hadjienov Professional High School * Mati Bolgaria * Technical School of Transportation * Vocational School of Hydraulics * National High School of Plastic Arts and Design


Famous people

*
Hristo Yanev Hristo Yanev ( bg, Христо Янев; born 4 May 1979 in Kazanlak) is a Bulgarian football manager and former player. Yanev played as a midfielder. Career Early years Born in Kazanluk, Yanev was picked as a youth to play for local side R ...
, football player of CSKA SOFIA *
Todor Yanchev Todor Dimitrov Yanchev ( bg, Тодор Янчев; born 19 May 1976) is a former Bulgarian footballer, who played as a midfielder. Career Playing career Born in Kazanlak, Yanchev's first club was local club F.C. Rozova Dolina, before he moved ...
, football player of CSKA SOFIA *
Chudomir Chudomir () (March 25, 1890 – December 26, 1967), born Dimitar Hristov Chorbadjisky (), was a Bulgarian writer and painter. He is famous for his short stories, such as "I'm not One of Them" ("Не съм от тях") and "Locals" ("Нашен ...
, writer *
Ivan Enchev-Vidyu Ivan Enchev-Vidyu (Bulgarian: Иван Енчев-Видю; 29 March 1882, Kazanlak - 27 August 1936, Burgas) was a Bulgarian painter, art critic, illustrator, decorator, cartoonist, scenographer, archaeologist and folklorist. Biography He obta ...
, painter and folklorist *
Emanuil Manolov Emanuil Manolov () (7 January 1860 – 2 February 1902) was a Bulgarian composer. Born at Gabrovo, Manolov is thought to be one of the founders of the Bulgarian professional musical culture. He composed the first Bulgarian opera '' Siromahkinia'' ...
, composer *
Petko Staynov Petko Staynov ( Bulgarian: Петко Стайнов; December 1, 1896 in Kazanlak – June 25, 1977) was a Bulgarian composer and pianist. He enriched the Bulgarian musical culture and contributed considerably to its development. A composer of ...
, composer *
Dechko Uzunov Dechko Uzunov ( bg, Дечко Узунов) (February 22, 1899 – April 26, 1986) was a Bulgarian painter. He was born in Kazanluk and died in Sofia at the age of 87. His work was part of the painting event in the art competition at the ...
, artist * Nenko Balkanski, artist *
Svetla Ivanova Svetla ( bg, Светла) is a feminine given name. It may refer to: * Svetla Bozhkova (born 1951), retired female discus thrower, who competed for Bulgaria at two Summer Olympics: 1972 and 1980 * Svetla Dimitrova (born 1970), Bulgarian athlete wh ...
, pop singer * Elvira Georgieva, estrada and
chalga Chalga (; often referred to as pop-folk, short for "popular folk" or ethno-pop, short for "ethnic pop") is a Bulgarian music genre. Chalga or pop-folk is essentially a folk-inspired dance music genre, with a blend of Bulgarian music (Bulgarian ...
singer * Petko Orozov, philanthropist, Rose Oil industrialist and innovator *
Ivan Milev Ivan Milev Lalev ( bg, Иван Милев Лалев; 18 February 189725 January 1927) was a Bulgarian painter and scenographer regarded as the founder of the Bulgarian Secession and a representative of Bulgarian modernism, combining symbolism, ...
, artist * Borislav Sabchev, religious philosopher / academic * Petya Pendareva, athlete, 60 m silver medallist at the 2000 European Indoor Athletics Championships


International relations


Twin towns – Sister cities

Kazanlak is twinned with:


Honour

Kazanlak Peak on
Livingston Island Livingston Island (Russian name ''Smolensk'', ) is an Antarctic island in the Southern Ocean, part of the South Shetlands Archipelago, a group of Antarctic islands north of the Antarctic Peninsula. It was the first land discovered south of 60 ...
in the
South Shetland Islands The South Shetland Islands are a group of Antarctic islands with a total area of . They lie about north of the Antarctic Peninsula, and between southwest of the nearest point of the South Orkney Islands. By the Antarctic Treaty of 195 ...
,
Antarctica Antarctica () is Earth's southernmost and least-populated continent. Situated almost entirely south of the Antarctic Circle and surrounded by the Southern Ocean, it contains the geographic South Pole. Antarctica is the fifth-largest contine ...
is named after Kazanlak.


References


External links


Official website for Kazanlak

Rose Festival Kazanlak

Kazanlak news

Kazanlak info

FC Rozova dolina (Kazanlak)

kazanlak.start.bg





Pictures from Kazanlak Info

Pictures from Kazanlak

History of Kazanlak

Official tourism portal of Bulgaria by The Ministry of Economy, Energy and Tourism
{{Authority control Populated places in Stara Zagora Province Place names of Turkish origin in Bulgaria