Pazardzhik ( bg, Пазарджик ) is a city situated along the banks of the

Maritsa Maritsa or Maritza ( bg, Марица ), also known as Meriç ( tr, Meriç ) and Evros ( ell, Έβρος ), is a river that runs through the Balkans in Southeast Europe. With a length of ,Bulgaria Bulgaria (; bg, България, Bǎlgariya), officially the Republic of Bulgaria,, ) is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the eastern flank of the Balkans, and is bordered by Romania to the north, Serbia and North Macedon ...

. It is the capital of

Pazardzhik Province Pazardzhik Province ( bg, Област Пазарджик ''Oblast Pazardzhik'', former name Pazardzhik okrug) is a province in Southern Bulgaria, named after its administrative and industrial centre - the city of Pazardzhik. The territory is ...

and centre for the homonymous

Pazardzhik Municipality Pazardzhik Municipality ( bg, Община Пазарджик) is the second largest municipality in Pazardzhik Province, after Velingrad. It occupies 640 km2 or 14.3% of the province. Its territory encompasses the westernmost parts of the U ...

. The

Tatars The Tatars ()Tatar
in the Collins English Dictionary is an umbrella term for different

founded Pazardzhik in the end of the XIV century, which they named it ''Tatar-Pazardzhik''. The population was predominantly

muslim Muslims ( ar, المسلمون, , ) are people who adhere to Islam, a monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God of Abrah ...

. That provoke an interest to

christians Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...

, which would allow the first church in the small town in the XVII century and also create the first church ''St. Mary''. The economy grew over the centuries with the prosper trading of iron, leather and rice. During the 19th century, a brief siege was made during the

Russo-Turkish War (1806–1812) The Russo-Turkish War (1806–1812) between the Russian Empire and the Ottoman Empire was one of the Russo-Ottoman Wars. Russia prevailed, but both sides wanted peace as they feared Napoleon's moves to the east. Background The war broke ou ...

and the

Russians , native_name_lang = ru , image = , caption = , population = , popplace = 118 million Russians in the Russian Federation (2002 '' Winkler Prins'' estimate) , region1 = , pop1 ...

in the Russo-Turkish War (1877–1878) kicked the Ottomans from the area. Even though undefended, it was spared from massacres, because the

Armenian Armenian may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to Armenia, a country in the South Caucasus region of Eurasia * Armenians, the national people of Armenia, or people of Armenian descent ** Armenian Diaspora, Armenian communities across the ...

Ovanes Sovadzhiyan prevented the Ottomans from carrying out their plan to burn down and murder the inhabitants the small town by that time. In the 20th century, the town grew by a lot. It is located in the

Upper Thracian Plain The Upper Thracian Plain ( bg, Горнотракийска низина, ''Gornotrakiyska nizina'') constitutes the northern part of the historical region of Thrace. It is located in southern Bulgaria, between Sredna Gora mountains to the north ...

and in the Pazardzhik-Plovdiv Fields, a subregion of the plains. It is west of Plovdiv, about 37 kilometres, 112 kilometres southeastern of Sofia and 288 kilometres from Burgas. Located in the

, due to relatively flat and fertile lands, vegetation is also a big part of the economy of Pazardzhik. Industry is also important, as an industrial zone is located at right bank of the river

Maritsa Maritsa or Maritza ( bg, Марица ), also known as Meriç ( tr, Meriç ) and Evros ( ell, Έβρος ), is a river that runs through the Balkans in Southeast Europe. With a length of ,Fall of Communism The Revolutions of 1989, also known as the Fall of Communism, was a revolutionary wave that resulted in the end of most communist states in the world. Sometimes this revolutionary wave is also called the Fall of Nations or the Autumn of Nat ...

and the occurrence of

emigration Emigration is the act of leaving a resident country or place of residence with the intent to settle elsewhere (to permanently leave a country). Conversely, immigration describes the movement of people into one country from another (to permanent ...

in Eastern Europe, including

Bulgaria Bulgaria (; bg, България, Bǎlgariya), officially the Republic of Bulgaria,, ) is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the eastern flank of the Balkans, and is bordered by Romania to the north, Serbia and North Macedon ...

was affected by this cause. This allowed for Pazardzhiklians to emigrate from their homeland due to poor economic performance in many

oblasts An oblast (; ; Cyrillic (in most languages, including Russian and Ukrainian): , Bulgarian: ) is a type of administrative division of Belarus, Bulgaria, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, and Ukraine, as well as the Soviet Union and the Kingdom o ...

okrug An ''okrug, ; russian: о́круг, ókrug; sr, округ, okrug, ; uk, о́круг, о́kruh; be, акруга, akruha; pl, okręg; ab, оқрҿс; mhr, йырвел, '' is a type of administrative division in some Slavic states. Th ...

s by that time.

Geography

Location

The city is located in the southwestern parts of the

, and also in the Pazardzhik-Plovdiv Fields, a subregion of the plains. Pazardzhik also lays on the both right and left banks of the

Maritsa River Maritsa or Maritza ( bg, Марица ), also known as Meriç ( tr, Meriç ) and Evros ( ell, Έβρος ), is a river that runs through the Balkans in Southeast Europe. With a length of ,

Terrain

Pazardzhik is one of the few cities to have a flat

topography Topography is the study of the forms and features of land surfaces. The topography of an area may refer to the land forms and features themselves, or a description or depiction in maps. Topography is a field of geoscience and planetary sc ...

without any elevation increases. The average elevation is 205 m (673 ft) and engulfs the entirety of the city's territory. The only exception is an slight decrease in elevation in the riverbed of

Maritsa Maritsa or Maritza ( bg, Марица ), also known as Meriç ( tr, Meriç ) and Evros ( ell, Έβρος ), is a river that runs through the Balkans in Southeast Europe. With a length of ,Mokrishte Mokrishte ( bg, Мокрище) is a village in Pazardzhik Municipality, Pazardzhik Province, southern Bulgaria. the population is 2,090. It located at an altitude of 210 m, at 2,5 km to the south west of Pazardzhik and at 0,1 km of the r ...

there are many mounds from the time of the

Thracians The Thracians (; grc, Θρᾷκες ''Thrāikes''; la, Thraci) were an Indo-European languages, Indo-European speaking people who inhabited large parts of Eastern Europe, Eastern and Southeast Europe, Southeastern Europe in ancient history.. ...

, which are artificial formations. The nearest mountains are the Western

Rhodopes The Rhodopes (; bg, Родопи, ; el, Ροδόπη, ''Rodopi''; tr, Rodoplar) are a mountain range in Southeastern Europe, and the largest by area in Bulgaria, with over 83% of its area in the southern part of the country and the remainder in ...

- about 15 km south, the Eastern

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 Mus ...

- about 30 km southwest and the Sashtinskata

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 ...

about 40 km north of the town.

Vegetation

The vegetation in and around the town is mainly

broad-leaved A broad-leaved, broad-leaf, or broadleaf tree is any tree within the diverse botanical group of angiosperms that has flat leaves and produces seeds inside of fruits. It is one of two general types of trees, the other being a conifer, a tree with ne ...

species -

oak An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus ''Quercus'' (; Latin "oak tree") of the beech family, Fagaceae. There are approximately 500 extant species of oaks. The common name "oak" also appears in the names of species in related genera, notably ''L ...

, linden, poplar, chestnut,

plane Plane(s) most often refers to: * Aero- or airplane, a powered, fixed-wing aircraft * Plane (geometry), a flat, 2-dimensional surface Plane or planes may also refer to: Biology * Plane (tree) or ''Platanus'', wetland native plant * ''Planes' ...

and less often coniferous species - mainly

pine A pine is any conifer tree or shrub in the genus ''Pinus'' () of the family Pinaceae. ''Pinus'' is the sole genus in the subfamily Pinoideae. The World Flora Online created by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and Missouri Botanical Garden accep ...

and fir.

Willow Willows, also called sallows and osiers, from the genus ''Salix'', comprise around 400 speciesMabberley, D.J. 1997. The Plant Book, Cambridge University Press #2: Cambridge. of typically deciduous trees and shrubs, found primarily on moist s ...

birch A birch is a thin-leaved deciduous hardwood tree of the genus ''Betula'' (), in the family Betulaceae, which also includes alders, hazels, and hornbeams. It is closely related to the beech-oak family Fagaceae. The genus ''Betula'' contains 30 ...

ivy ''Hedera'', commonly called ivy (plural ivies), is a genus of 12–15 species of evergreen climbing or ground-creeping woody plants in the family Araliaceae, native to western, central and southern Europe, Macaronesia, northwestern Africa and ...

grow around the rivers. From the 15th century until the 1980s, Pazardzhik was a centre of Bulgarian rice cultivation, which was practiced in the wet lowlands of the

, the yellowish rice grains of Pazardzhik were well known and better regarded than the rice grown around Plovdiv or further south-east along the

Maritsa Maritsa or Maritza ( bg, Марица ), also known as Meriç ( tr, Meriç ) and Evros ( ell, Έβρος ), is a river that runs through the Balkans in Southeast Europe. With a length of ,Egypt Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a transcontinental country spanning the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia via a land bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediter ...

" (in a travel diary from 1786). Today, rice cultivation in the Pazardzhik area no longer plays an important role. After 1989 production was shut down or (in most places) even abandoned in a few years because Bulgarian rice was no longer competitive on the world market.

Hydrography

One of the main rivers,

Maritsa Maritsa or Maritza ( bg, Марица ), also known as Meriç ( tr, Meriç ) and Evros ( ell, Έβρος ), is a river that runs through the Balkans in Southeast Europe. With a length of ,Topolnitsa and

Luda Yana The Luda Yana ( bg, Луда Яна, "Crazy Yana") is a 74 km-long river in southern Bulgaria, a northern tributary of the Maritsa River. It runs through the towns of Panagyurishte and Strelcha, as well as a number of villages, including P ...

, tributaries of Maritsa, adjoin the city from the east and the west.

Climate

Pazardzhik has a

humid subtropical climate A humid subtropical climate is a zone of climate characterized by hot and humid summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between latitudes 25° and 40° ...

(''Cfa'') according to the

Köppen climate classification The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, notabl ...

and a substantial amount of

humid continental climate A humid continental climate is a climatic region defined by Russo-German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1900, typified by four distinct seasons and large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and freezing ...

and

Mediterranean The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean Basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Western Europe, Western and Southern Europe and Anatolia, on the south by North Africa ...

influence on the city.

Name

The name comes from the word , ultimately from the fa, bāzār, "market" + the Turkic diminutive suffix , "small". Called earlier in the town's history, its title thus signified, "small Tatar market".

History

15th-19th Century History

Pazardzhik was founded in 1485 by

Tatars The Tatars ()Tatar
in the Collins English Dictionary is an umbrella term for different

originating from what is today Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi. They sited it on the left bank of the river

Maritsa Maritsa or Maritza ( bg, Марица ), also known as Meriç ( tr, Meriç ) and Evros ( ell, Έβρος ), is a river that runs through the Balkans in Southeast Europe. With a length of ,Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University) ...

. During the following centuries the town continued to grow and strengthen its position. Trade in iron, leather and rice prospered. The town impressed visitors with its beautiful houses and clean streets. In 1718 Gerard Kornelius Drish visited Pazardzhik and wrote "the buildings here according to construction, size and beauty stand higher than those of

Niš Niš (; sr-Cyrl, Ниш, ; names in other languages) is the third largest city in Serbia and the administrative center of the Nišava District. It is located in southern part of Serbia. , the city proper has a population of 183,164, while ...

Sofia Sofia ( ; bg, София, Sofiya, ) is the capital and largest city of Bulgaria. It is situated in the Sofia Valley at the foot of the Vitosha mountain in the western parts of the country. The city is built west of the Iskar river, and h ...

and all other places". By the mid-19th century Pazardzhik was an important centre of crafts and trade, with a population of about 25,000 people. It hosted two large annual fairs, and a substantial market on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. There was a post office with a telegraph. During this period, it also became an important cultural centre: a school was opened in 1847, a girls' school in 1848, a community centre in 1868, the women's union in 1870. In the course of the

Tanzimat reforms The Tanzimat (; ota, تنظيمات, translit=Tanzimāt, lit=Reorganization, ''see'' nizām) was a period of reform in the Ottoman Empire that began with the Gülhane Hatt-ı Şerif in 1839 and ended with the First Constitutional Era in 1876. ...

in 1834, a Bulgarian community was able to form, which in 1837 had the Church of the Dormition built with its carved altar wall, a work by masters of the famous ''Debar School''.

Stefan Zahariev Stefan may refer to: * Stefan (given name) * Stefan (surname) * Ștefan, a Romanian given name and a surname * Štefan, a Slavic given name and surname * Stefan (footballer) (born 1988), Brazilian footballer * Stefan Heym, pseudonym of German writ ...

reports that in the 1860s it was divided into 33 mahallas . At that time there were 3420 houses, 1200 shops, 19 mosques, 6 churches, 1 synagogue and 4 public baths. There were also 8 Turkish and 6 Bulgarian schools, as well as one Jewish, one

Vlach "Vlach" ( or ), also "Wallachian" (and many other variants), is a historical term and exonym used from the Middle Ages until the Modern Era to designate mainly Romanians but also Aromanians, Megleno-Romanians, Istro-Romanians and other Easter ...

and one Armenian school. During the Ottoman period Pazardzhik had 18 mosques but only Kurshumlu Mosque, built in 1667, survives.

During the Russo-Turkish War

The Russians under Count

Nikolay Kamensky Count Nikolay Mikhailovich Kamensky (russian: Никола́й Миха́йлович Каме́нский; 27 December 1776 – 4 May 1811) was a Russian general who outlived his father, Field Marshal Mikhail Kamensky, by two years. Life and ca ...

took the city after a brief siege in 1810, during the

Russo-Turkish War The Russo-Turkish wars (or Ottoman–Russian wars) were a series of twelve wars fought between the Russian Empire and the Ottoman Empire between the 16th and 20th centuries. It was one of the longest series of military conflicts in European histo ...

of 1806–1812. At the close of the

of 1877–1878, areas of Bulgaria which had been wrested from Ottoman rule had a continuing

Russian Imperial Army The Imperial Russian Army (russian: Ру́сская импера́торская а́рмия, tr. ) was the armed land force of the Russian Empire, active from around 1721 to the Russian Revolution of 1917. In the early 1850s, the Russian Ar ...

presence, commanded by Lt. Gen.

Iosif Gurko Count Iosif Vladimirovich Romeyko-Gurko (russian: Граф Ио́сиф Влади́мирович Роме́йко-Гурко́, Iósif Vladímirovič Roméjko-Gurkó; — ), also known as Joseph or Ossip Gourko, was a prominent Russian ...

. The detachment of Russian troops stationed in Pazardzhik were withdrawn on 14 January 1878 (new style). Unlike many other Bulgarian towns, where there were massacres during the course of the war or its aftermath, the unprotected Pazardzhik was spared from planned depredations. Elsewhere along the

Maritsa Maritsa or Maritza ( bg, Марица ), also known as Meriç ( tr, Meriç ) and Evros ( ell, Έβρος ), is a river that runs through the Balkans in Southeast Europe. With a length of ,Süleyman Hüsnü Pasha Süleyman Hüsnü Pasha ( tr, Süleyman Hüsnü Paşa; 1838–1892) was an Ottoman field marshal, who participated in the Russo-Turkish War of 1877–78. Biography Born in Istanbul, his father was a candy merchant. He was graduated from the ...

, had burnt multiple settlements, killing or mistreating the inhabitants. The Armenian-born telegraph operator, Ovanes Sovadzhiyan, saved the town from total annihilation. The ciphered order arrived at the railway station telegraph when there were Turkish military leaders in the office of Sovadzhiyan. Putting his life to risk, he interpreted the telegram in the opposite sense. Namely, that the city and its inhabitants should be spared. To avoid any checking, Sevadjian swallowed the printed text of the original message. After some time, the Russian troops entered the city saved from destruction by the courage and resourcefulness of an Armenian.

Modern History

From the early 20th century, on people built factories, stores and houses, and thus the industrial quarter of the town. The notable British travel writer,

Patrick Leigh Fermor Sir Patrick Michael Leigh Fermor (11 February 1915 – 10 June 2011) was an English writer, scholar, soldier and polyglot. He played a prominent role in the Cretan resistance during the Second World War, and was widely seen as Britain's greates ...

, visited Pazardzhik in the late summer of 1934. From 1959 to 1987 Pazardzhik was again an administrative centre for the region, and is again since the 1999 administrative division of Bulgaria.

Population

In the 1880s the population of Pazardzhik numbered about 15,000 and it was one of the largest of Bulgaria. 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 the period 1985–1992 exceeding 80,000. After this time, the population has started decreasing 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. As of February 2011, the city has a population of 71,979 inhabitants, while the

of 114,817 inhabitants.Bulgarian National Statistical Institute – towns in 2009

/ref>

Ethnic linguistic and religious composition

According to the latest 2011 census data, the individuals declared their ethnic identity were distributed as follows: According to some reports, as of the middle of the 19th century the city was composed by 33 neighborhoods – 18 Turkish, 12 Bulgarian and 3 Gypsy. Although the Bulgarian neighborhoods were numerically smaller they were more densely populated, while there were Bulgarians in the Turkish neighborhoods too. In 1865 the population of the city was 25.000,

Bulgarians Bulgarians ( bg, българи, Bǎlgari, ) are a nation and South Slavic ethnic group native to Bulgaria and the rest of Southeast Europe. Etymology Bulgarians derive their ethnonym from the Bulgars. Their name is not completely understo ...

comprised 57% of it and the

Turks Turk or Turks may refer to: Communities and ethnic groups * Turkic peoples, a collection of ethnic groups who speak Turkic languages * Turkish people, or the Turks, a Turkic ethnic group and nation * Turkish citizen, a citizen of the Republic ...

28,5%. As a trading town the city was attractive for other peoples and sizable minorities of

Jews Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""The ...

Armenians Armenians ( hy, հայեր, ''hayer'' ) are an ethnic group native to the Armenian highlands of Western Asia. Armenians constitute the main population of Armenia and the ''de facto'' independent Artsakh. There is a wide-ranging diaspora ...

and other peoples remained for decades, they are currently present although in much smaller numbers. Some Aromanian families inhabit Pazardzhik too.

Politics

City-hall-town-pazardzhik-southern-bulgaria-situated-168222440

The mayor of Pazardzhik is the head of the administration in the city. The incumbent mayor is

Todor Popov Todor ( Bulgarian, and sr, Тодор/Todor) is a Bulgarian, Macedonian and Serbian given name, a local rendering of the name Theodore. The Hungarian form of the name is rendered similarly as ''Tódor''. It is the most common name in Bulgarian vil ...

, who won his first election in 2007, then subsequently in 2011, 2015 and 2019 concluding a second, third and a current fourth mandate.

Economy

In Pazardzhik, there are many branches of retail chains scattered across the city. There are sporting goods, electronics and other. * For sporting Goods -

Adidas Adidas AG (; stylized as adidas since 1949) is a German multinational corporation, founded and headquartered in Herzogenaurach, Bavaria, that designs and manufactures shoes, clothing and accessories. It is the largest sportswear manufactur ...

Nike Nike often refers to: * Nike (mythology), a Greek goddess who personifies victory * Nike, Inc., a major American producer of athletic shoes, apparel, and sports equipment Nike may also refer to: People * Nike (name), a surname and feminine give ...

* For textile - KiK * For lectronics - Technopolis,

Technomarket Technomarket (Cyrillic: Техномаркет) is a Bulgarian retailer of consumer electronics that operates stores in Bulgaria, Kosovo, Serbia, North Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Slovakia, Montenegro and Romania. It also used to operate in ...

* For food -

LIDL Lidl Stiftung & Co. KG (; ) is a German international discount retailer chain that operates over 11,000 stores across Europe and the United States. Headquartered in Neckarsulm, Baden-Württemberg, the company belongs to the Schwarz Group, whi ...

Kaufland Kaufland is a German hypermarket chain, part of the Schwarz Gruppe which also owns Lidl. The hypermarket directly translates to English as 'buy-land'. It opened its first store in 1984 in Neckarsulm and quickly expanded to become a major chain ...

BILLA Billa may refer to: Films *Billa (1980 film), ''Billa'' (1980 film), 1980 Indian Tamil film *Billa (2002 film), ''Billa'' (2002 film), 2002 Pakistani Punjabi film *Billa (2007 film), ''Billa'' (2007 film), 2007 Indian Tamil film, remake of ''Bil ...

, Tarita * For kids - Hippoland * For furniture - Yavor, Brilyant, Iveli, Mebeli Mondo * For building materials -

Praktiker Praktiker AG was a German hardware store chain which operated in Europe. It was based in Hamburg and opened its first store in 1978 in Luxembourg under the name bâtiself. Initially owned by ASKO, the chain became a division of Metro AG after ...

, Krez Central Mall (formerly GUM) is a shopping and entertainment complex has been built in the city centre. There are numerous wholesale warehouses that are located in the industrial zone. BASA-3K-7-334-10-Pazardzhik Railway Station, 1928

BASA-3K-7-334-10-Pazardzhik Railway Station, 1928

Transport

The main transportation for the city are

trolleybus A trolleybus (also known as trolley bus, trolley coach, trackless trolley, trackless tramin the 1910s and 1920sJoyce, J.; King, J. S.; and Newman, A. G. (1986). ''British Trolleybus Systems'', pp. 9, 12. London: Ian Allan Publishing. .or trol ...

es, buses, taxis and trains. The city transport network in Pazardzhik consists of 16 bus lines (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 13A, 14, 14A) and 6 trolleybus lines (1, 1E, 2, 2E, 4, 5) covering the most important areas of the city.

Education

In Pazardzhik there are 2 higher educational institutions (University Agricultural College and College for Primary Pedagogues) and a branch of the Plovdiv University "Paisii Hilendarski", 4 elementary, 7 primary, 4 secondary schools, 10 specialized high schools, 1 interschool center for vocational training after 6th and 7th grade, and one children's complex for extracurricular forms.

Culture and pedestrian areas

Kurshumlu Mosque from 1667 is one of the oldest mosques in Europe. It is one of the highlights of Pazardzhik. The Church of the Dormition preserves the most impressive icons in Bulgaria by master artists of the

Debar Debar ( mk, Дебaр ; Albanian: ''Dibër''/''Dibra'' or ''Dibra e Madhe;'' ) is a city in the western part of North Macedonia, near the border with Albania, off the road from Struga to Gostivar. It is the seat of Debar Municipality. Debar has ...

School,

wood-carving Wood carving is a form of woodworking by means of a cutting tool (knife) in one hand or a chisel by two hands or with one hand on a chisel and one hand on a mallet, resulting in a wooden figure or figurine, or in the sculptural ornamentation ...

s of

New New is an adjective referring to something recently made, discovered, or created. New or NEW may refer to: Music * New, singer of K-pop group The Boyz Albums and EPs * ''New'' (album), by Paul McCartney, 2013 * ''New'' (EP), by Regurgitator ...

and Old Testament scenes, and icons by

Stanislav Dospevski Stanislav Dospevski ( bg, Станислав Доспевски) is the name assumed by Zafir Zograf (Зафир Зограф), the son of Dimitar Zograf and nephew of the famed Bulgarian icon and mural painter, Zahari Zograf. He is a notable repr ...

. Among the town's landmarks are also the

Pazardzhik Clock Tower Pazardzhik Clock Tower () is a clock tower located in Pazardzhik, Bulgaria. History From the founding to the demolition The tower was built in the 18th century in Tatar Pazardzhik and was demolished in 1928 due to the serious 1928 Chirpan– ...

, the ethnographic and history museums. As with most Bulgarian cities, Pazardzhik has developed a significant pedestrian center, in which several central squares typify the European coffee house society and pedestrian culture. In Bulgaria the café culture is particularly prominent, with many downtown squares easily providing up to a half dozen cafés, with ample outside seating. R-orig-orig-pazardzhik-ostrov-svoboda-park-dali-pikaso-van-gog-dinozavri-kolodrum

R-orig-orig-pazardzhik-ostrov-svoboda-park-dali-pikaso-van-gog-dinozavri-kolodrum

Pazardzhik has a level of pedestrian streets (or network of carfree areas) even above the relatively high Bulgarian standard. There are several longer pedestrian streets, and at one point there is even an intersection where five different pedestrian streets converge. A few of these do not continue for very long, but most do, or are connected to the rest of the pedestrian areas of the city, and thus could be said to form the pedestrian network of the city. Kurshumlu Mosque Pazardzhik Bulgaria

During the warmer seasons, most afternoons of the week and especially weekends find a large number of people strolling about or sitting in cafés. Island-park ''''Svoboda'''' is a pedestrian area, where people can walk freely. The park includes a football field, a basketball court in a stadium and also different sport areas. In 2009, a zoo was established, where various animals are kept. There is a lion, tigers, llamas, raccoons, horse and others. There is a monument of

Aleko Konstantinov Aleko Konstantinov ( bg, Алеко Константинов) (1 January 1863 – 11 May 1897) ( NS: 13 January 1863 – 23 May 1897) was a Bulgarian writer, best known for his character Bay Ganyo, one of the most popular characters in Bulgarian ...

, and an iron cross which was built in 2005. Pazardzhik Point on Snow Island 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 1 ...

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 Pazardzhik.

Sports

In the

Pazardzhik History Museum The Pazardzhik History Museum ( bg, Регионален исторически музей - Пазарджик) is a history museum in Pazardzhik, Bulgaria. It is located at 15 Konstantin Velichkov Square. History is the first to recognize t ...

, the items, documents and photos exhibited there tell about the development of the individual sports: cycling, football, swimming, weightlifting, wrestling, modern pentathlon, athletics, rhythmic gymnastics, volleyball, etc.

Museums and Theaters

Konstantin Velichkov Konstantin Velichkov (full name Konstantin Velichkov Petkov; in bg, Констaнтин Величков; 1855 – 3 November 1907) was a Bulgarian writer and public figure. Biography He was born in the town of Pazardzhik. Velichkov received hi ...

Drama Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance: a play, opera, mime, ballet, etc., performed in a theatre, or on radio or television.Elam (1980, 98). Considered as a genre of poetry in general, the dramatic mode has been ...
and Puppet Theatre

The city is home to one of the oldest

theaters Theatre or theater is a collaborative form of performing art that uses live performers, usually actors or actresses, to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place, often a stage. The perform ...

in the country, built with funds raised voluntarily by citizens. Today the theater is united with the

puppet theater A puppet is an object, often resembling a human, animal or mythical figure, that is animated or manipulated by a person called a puppeteer. The puppeteer uses movements of their hands, arms, or control devices such as rods or strings to mov ...

under the name Drama and Puppet Theater "Konstantin Velichkov". The theatre has a big 470-seat auditorium and a 100-seat chamber hall. The theatre stages titles from world classic, from the Bulgarian classical literary heritage and from the contemporary national and foreign dramaturgy. It also presents its plays not only on home stage, but across the country. The theatre was founded in 1870 first performance "''Mnogostradalna Genoveva''" takes place on the stage center "Videlina" situated in one of the rooms of class school. In 1899 a new building of the

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 ...

was constructed - a new spacious lounge and theatre scene. In 1937 the theatre was professionalized. Funds are allocated for salaries of all artists are conducted training courses . In 1942 the theater was closed. Since 1945, the theatre in Pazardzhik again began to function and develop and strengthen one of the major cultural institutions in the city. In 1964, due to reorganization of the theater is closed again. On 1 August 1969, the theatre restores the status of a state theater. 133 years of theatrical tradition and over 40 years of state theater; 35 theatrical seasons. The first production of the State Drama Theater in Pazardzhik is ''

Albena Albena ( bg, Албена) is a major Black Sea resort in northeastern Bulgaria, Balchik Municipality, situated from Balchik and from Varna. Albena is served by Varna Airport. Since 2005 is considered as a settlement by the National Statistic ...

'' by

Yordan Yovkov Yordan Stefanov Yovkov ( bg, Йордан Стефанов Йовков) (November 9, 1880 – October 15, 1937) was a prominent Bulgarian writer from the interwar period. Biography Born in the village of Zheravna, Yovkov studied at First Sofia M ...

. From '' January'' by

Radichkov Yordan Radichkov ( bg, Йордан Радичков; 24 October 1929 – 21 January 2004) was a Bulgarian writer and playwright. Literary critics Adelina Angusheva and Galin Tihanov called him "arguably the most significant voice of Bulgarian ...

, directed by

Krikor Azaryan Krikor Stepan Azaryan ( bg, Крикор Степан Азарян) (15 March 1934 – 14 December 2009) was a Bulgarian director. A Bulgarian Armenian, Azaryan was born in Plovdiv. He graduated from what is today the Krastyo Sarafov National Ac ...

, to '' Epic Times'' again by Radichkov, directed by

Petrinel Gochev A petronel is a 16th and 17th century black powder muzzle-loading firearm, defined by Robert Barret (''Theorike and Practike of Modern Warres'', 1598) as a '' horsemans peece''. It was the muzzle-loading firearm which developed on the one hand in ...

, from '' As You Like It'' by Shakespeare directed by Leon Daniel to '' The Storm'' by

Alexander Ostrovsky Alexander Nikolayevich Ostrovsky (russian: Алекса́ндр Никола́евич Остро́вский; ) was a Russian playwright, generally considered the greatest representative of the Russian realistic period. The author of 47 origina ...

directed by Vladlen Alexandrov. From ''

Vampire A vampire is a mythical creature that subsists by feeding on the Vitalism, vital essence (generally in the form of blood) of the living. In European folklore, vampires are undead, undead creatures that often visited loved ones and caused mi ...

'' by Anton Strashimirov, directed by Vili Tsankov, through '' Roman Bath'' by

Stanislav Stratiev Stanislav Stratiev ( Bulgarian: Станислав Стратиев) (9 September 1941 – 20 September 2000) was a Bulgarian playwright, screenwriter, and author. Biography He began his career as a journalist while studying for an MA in litera ...

, to '' The Backyard'' by Bilgesu Erenus, directed by Iskender Alton. Some of the greatest

directors Director may refer to: Literature * ''Director'' (magazine), a British magazine * ''The Director'' (novel), a 1971 novel by Henry Denker * ''The Director'' (play), a 2000 play by Nancy Hasty Music * Director (band), an Irish rock band * ''D ...

have worked on the Pazardzhik stage:

Asen Shopov Asen may refer to: Places * Asen (state), a polity involved in late 17th-century wars in modern Ghana * Asen, Stara Zagora Province, a village in Pavel Banya Municipality, Bulgaria Other * Asen dynasty, a dynasty which ruled the Second Bulgarian ...

, Leon Daniel, Nikolay Polyakov, Zdravko Mitkov, Nikolay Lyutskanov and others, some of the most famous

actors An actor or actress is a person who portrays a character in a performance. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as film, radio, and television. The analogous Greek term is (), lite ...

Nevena Kokanova Nevena Kokanova ( bg, Невена Коканова) (12 December 1938 – 3 June 2000) was a Bulgarian film actress. She was known as the "first lady of Bulgarian cinema." Her mother was from a well-known Austrian aristocratic family, and he ...

, Georgi Georgiev - Getz,

Georgi Kaloyanchev Georgi Todorov Kaloyanchev ( bg, Георги Калоянчев; January 13, 1925 – December 18, 2012) was a Bulgarian actor. He was born in the city of Burgas. He studied in the former theatrical school in Sofia. Immediately after graduati ...

Katya Paskaleva Katya Paskaleva ( bg, Катя Паскалева) was a Bulgarian film and stage actress, born in 1945, deceased in 2002. She is best known for her performance as Maria in the Bulgarian film classic ''The Goat Horn'' (1972), for which she recei ...

, Ilka Zafirova, Zlatina Todeva, Leda Taseva,

Georgi Cherkelov Georgi Cherkelov (Георги Черкелов); 25 June 1930 – 19 February 2012) was Bulgarian stage and film actor. One of the most prominent names in the Bulgarian theater and cinema in the last decades. He became widely popular after the r ...

and more, and more... of text, theme, direction, with always spiritually young actors and directors.

Regional History Museum

The

is one of the leading and oldest museums in

. It was established in 1911 by a decision of the management board of Chitalishte " Videlina". In 2000 it was transformed into a Regional Historical Museum with territory of activity in the towns of Pazardzhik and Plovdiv. The profile of the museum is general history and has the following main departments: Archeology;

History of Bulgaria The history of Bulgaria can be traced from the first settlements on the lands of modern Bulgaria to its formation as a nation-state, and includes the history of the Bulgarian people and their origin. The earliest evidence of hominid occupation d ...

from the 15th - 19th century;

Ethnography Ethnography (from Greek ''ethnos'' "folk, people, nation" and ''grapho'' "I write") is a branch of anthropology and the systematic study of individual cultures. Ethnography explores cultural phenomena from the point of view of the subject o ...

; Modern history; Funds and scientific archive; Public Relations. The historical expositions are housed in a specially built building with an area of 1200 m². The museum has its own specialized library, restoration studio and photo laboratory, has a stand for the sale of

advertising Advertising is the practice and techniques employed to bring attention to a product or service. Advertising aims to put a product or service in the spotlight in hopes of drawing it attention from consumers. It is typically used to promote a ...

materials and

souvenirs A souvenir (), memento, keepsake, or token of remembrance is an object a person acquires for the memories the owner associates with it. A souvenir can be any object that can be collected or purchased and transported home by the traveler as a ...

and a cafe.

Ethnographic Museum

The ethnographical exhibition of the

is set up in the biggest

Baroque The Baroque (, ; ) is a style of architecture, music, dance, painting, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished in Europe from the early 17th century until the 1750s. In the territories of the Spanish and Portuguese empires including t ...

house from the

Bulgarian National Revival The Bulgarian National Revival ( bg, Българско национално възраждане, ''Balgarsko natsionalno vazrazhdane'' or simply: Възраждане, ''Vazrazhdane'', and tr, Bulgar ulus canlanması) sometimes called the Bu ...

period in Pazardzhik constructed in 1850 by master builders from Bratsigovo. The house belonged to Nikola Hristovich, a rich merchant from Pazardzhik. It was declared a national monument of architecture and culture by virtue of publication in State Gazette, issue No 25 of 1998. The building is declared monument of culture of national importance. The presented exhibition illustrates different aspects of the traditional national lifestyle (typical for Pazardzhik region) some of which were practiced up to the middle of the 20th century. Pazardzhik region covers parts of

, the

and

and is characterized by widely varied

ethnographic Ethnography (from Greek ''ethnos'' "folk, people, nation" and ''grapho'' "I write") is a branch of anthropology and the systematic study of individual cultures. Ethnography explores cultural phenomena from the point of view of the subject ...

and

folklore Folklore is shared by a particular group of people; it encompasses the traditions common to that culture, subculture or group. This includes oral traditions such as tales, legends, proverbs and jokes. They include material culture, ranging ...

traditions.

Stanislav Dospevski Art Gallery

Stanislav Dospevski House Museum, Pazardzhik, Bulgaria

The Gallery was established in 1963 as a department of the General People's Museum in the city. In 1966 it united with the

House Museum with decision No 50 / 02.08.1966 of PNA in the gallery. The founder and first director of the gallery is the artist Tsvetan Radulov. It is named after the Samokov school artist and

public figure A public figure is a person who has achieved notoriety, prominence or fame within a society, whether through achievement, luck, action, or in some cases through no purposeful action of their own, In the context of defamation actions (libel and ...

(1823-1878), who worked in the field of the portrait genre. The current gallery building was opened in 1980. Later in 1911 it housed the Regional History Museum. The total exhibition area is 800 m². The art fund of the gallery exceeds 10,000 works. The building was constructed by builders from

Bratsigovo Bratsigovo ( bg, Брацигово ) is a town in Southern Bulgaria. It is located in the foothills of the Rhodope Mountains, on the banks of the Umishka River in Pazardzhik oblast, and is close to the towns of Peshtera and Krichim. Bratsig ...

in 1864. Its a two-storey high, made of sun-dried bricks, with six rooms and a parlor, typical for the period of Revival. The exposition presents the Bulgarian fine arts from the end of the last century to the present day. It consists of 731 works by 204 authors and is located in 5 exhibition halls. All genres (

portrait A portrait is a painting, photograph, sculpture, or other artistic representation of a person, in which the face and its expressions are predominant. The intent is to display the likeness, personality, and even the mood of the person. For this r ...

, landscape and still life) are presented, as well as the different currents in the Bulgarian fine arts: Revival realism,

romanticism Romanticism (also known as the Romantic movement or Romantic era) was an artistic, literary, musical, and intellectual movement that originated in Europe towards the end of the 18th century, and in most areas was at its peak in the approximate ...

, academism,

realism Realism, Realistic, or Realists may refer to: In the arts *Realism (arts), the general attempt to depict subjects truthfully in different forms of the arts Arts movements related to realism include: *Classical Realism *Literary realism, a move ...

symbolism Symbolism or symbolist may refer to: Arts * Symbolism (arts), a 19th-century movement rejecting Realism ** Symbolist movement in Romania, symbolist literature and visual arts in Romania during the late 19th and early 20th centuries ** Russian sym ...

impressionism Impressionism was a 19th-century art movement characterized by relatively small, thin, yet visible brush strokes, open Composition (visual arts), composition, emphasis on accurate depiction of light in its changing qualities (often accentuating ...

expressionism Expressionism is a modernist movement, initially in poetry and painting, originating in Northern Europe around the beginning of the 20th century. Its typical trait is to present the world solely from a subjective perspective, distorting it rad ...

, socialist realism, abstractionism and others. Stanislav Dospevski Art Gallery has two branches: Stanislav Dospevski House Museum and Georgi Gerasimov House Museum, as well as the open-air exhibition of Velichko Minekov. KonstantinVelichkovHouseMuseum

Konstantin Velichkov Konstantin Velichkov (full name Konstantin Velichkov Petkov; in bg, Констaнтин Величков; 1855 – 3 November 1907) was a Bulgarian writer and public figure. Biography He was born in the town of Pazardzhik. Velichkov received hi ...
House Museum

Birth house of

Konstantin Velichkov Konstantin Velichkov (full name Konstantin Velichkov Petkov; in bg, Констaнтин Величков; 1855 – 3 November 1907) was a Bulgarian writer and public figure. Biography He was born in the town of Pazardzhik. Velichkov received hi ...

(1855 - 1907) - a prominent Revival activist, active participant in the national liberation struggle, politician and statesman in post-

liberation Bulgaria Liberation or liberate may refer to: Film and television * ''Liberation'' (film series), a 1970–1971 series about the Great Patriotic War * "Liberation" (''The Flash''), a TV episode * "Liberation" (''K-9''), an episode Gaming * '' Liberati ...

poet A poet is a person who studies and creates poetry. Poets may describe themselves as such or be described as such by others. A poet may simply be the creator ( thinker, songwriter, writer, or author) who creates (composes) poems (oral or writte ...

writer A writer is a person who uses written words in different writing styles and techniques to communicate ideas. Writers produce different forms of literary art and creative writing such as novels, short stories, books, poetry, travelogues, p ...

translator Translation is the communication of the Meaning (linguistic), meaning of a #Source and target languages, source-language text by means of an Dynamic and formal equivalence, equivalent #Source and target languages, target-language text. The ...

and artist. The house is located on Vl. Gyoshev ”4. One-storey and with a veranda, it was built around 1850 and is now declared architectural, artistic and historical monument of culture of national importance. In 1964 - 1965 the house was completely repaired and restored. Since 1967, the urban living conditions from the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century have been arranged in it. In the native house of

in 1876 his sister Teofana sewed the flag of the Pazardzhik Revolutionary Committee. There is also kept an icon depicting the town of Jerusalem from 1856 that has been family heritage. Vasil Petleshkov was the first to announce in Pazardzhik the outbreak of the April Uprising. The house is a branch of the Regional History Museum. It has been open for visits since 2 March 1967.

Twin towns – sister cities

Pazardzhik is twinned with: * Aerodrom (Skopje), North Macedonia *

Chekhov Anton Pavlovich Chekhov (; 29 January 1860 Old Style date 17 January. – 15 July 1904 Old Style date 2 July.) was a Russian playwright and short-story writer who is considered to be one of the greatest writers of all time. His career ...

, Russia * Salerno, Italy *

Al-Salt Al-Salt ( ar, السلط ''As-Salt'') is an ancient salt trading city and administrative centre in west-central Jordan. It is on the old main highway leading from Amman to Jerusalem. Situated in the Balqa (region), Balqa highland, about 790–1, ...

, Jordan *

Stavropol Stavropol (; rus, Ставрополь, p=ˈstavrəpəlʲ) is a city and the administrative centre of Stavropol Krai, Russia. As of the 2021 Census, its population was 547,820, making it one of Russia's fastest growing cities. It was known as ...

, Russia *

Thái Bình Thái Bình City () is a city in the Red River Delta of northern Vietnam. It is the capital of Thái Bình Province. The city is located 110 km from Hanoi. The city area is 67.7 square km, with a population of 210,000 people (2006). History ...

, Vietnam * West Bend, United States

Notable people

*Stefan Zahariev (1810–1871), revival, educationalist *

(1855–1905), enlightener, poet, politician * Zaharina Dimitrova (1873-1940), Bulgarian doctor,

Order of Civil Merit The Order of Civil Merit ( es, Orden del Mérito Civil) was established by King Alfonso XIII of Spain in 1926. The order recognizes "the civic virtue of officers in the service of the Nation, as well as extraordinary service by Spanish and fore ...

recipient, philanthropist. *

Ivan Batakliev Ivan Batakliev ( bg, Иван Батаклиев; 1891–1973) is a Bulgarian geographer, historian and geopolitician. Professor, Head of the Department of General Geography and Cultural and Political Geography, Dean of the Faculty of Histo ...

(1891–1973), geographer, historian *Nicolas Digests (1903–1968), poet *

Artine Artinian Artine Artinian (December 8, 1907 – November 19, 2005) was a distinguished French literature scholar of Armenian descent, notable for his valuable collection of French literary manuscripts and artwork. He was immortalized as a fictional characte ...

(1907–2005), scholar of French literature * Violeta Gindeva (1946–2019), actress, deputy mayor of Pazardzhik in 2003–2007 *

Ekaterina Mihaylova Ekaterina Ivanova Mihaylova ( bg, Екатерина Иванова Михайлова, born 24 October 1956) is a Bulgarian politician, who was the leader of the Union of Democratic Forces (Bulgaria), UDF between 2001 and 2002. Life Mihaylova w ...

(born 1956), politician *

Serafim Todorov Serafim Simeonov Todorov ( bg, Серафим Симеонов Тодоров; born 6 July 1969) is a former Bulgarian Olympic amateur boxer. He won three consecutive gold medals at both the World and European Championships, and silver at the 1 ...

(born 1969), boxer *

Ekaterina Zakharieva Ekaterina Spasova Gecheva-Zaharieva ( bg, Екатерина Спасова Гечева-Захариева; born 8 August 1975) is a Bulgarian politician who served as the Foreign Minister of Bulgaria 2017 to 2021. She was interim Deputy Prime ...

(born 1975), politician * Georgi Petkov (born 1976), footballer

Gallery

File:Old Post Office Tower - Pazardzhik.jpg, Old post building File:Pazardzhik 032.JPG, Street scene File:Pazardzhik Stanislav Dospevski House.jpg, Stanislav Dospevski's house File:Dormition of the Theotokos Church - Pazardzhik.jpg, Dormition of the Theotokos Church

References

External links

Pazardzhik municipality
* {{Coord, 42, 12, N, 24, 20, E, region:BG_type:city, display=title Populated places in Pazardzhik Province 1485 establishments in Europe Populated places established in the 1480s Place names of Turkish origin in Bulgaria