Transfers Bulgaria transportation company provide private transfer service from ISTANBUL AIRPORT to SOFIA for 289 euro.

For early and return booking – discount !!! Quoted price is per vehicle not per person !!!

Welcome to Transfers Bulgaria

Transfers Bulgaria is a company who specialise in transporting passengers and goods to all four corners of Bulgaria and beyond. The company was established in 2002 by a team with a very reliable background in the Security and Transportation industry. We offer the highest standard of service from our highly qualified, fully vetted staff. Our employees are multi lingual with English, Russian, German, French, Turkish, and Greek catered for. Our drivers have full training to advanced driving qualification; they also take pride in making your trip a safe, comfortable and relaxing experience.

Meet & Greet

Our very Professional, friendly and approachable drivers will meet you at the designated airport terminal, hotel reception or your requested address holding your name board, they will carefully assist you with your luggage and take you to your destination in the comfort of our very comfortable vehicles at a pre-agreed, one off, FIXED all inclusive price.

Pricing policy

is highly competitive. We are convinced that reliable and low rate private transfer are the key importance to any Traveller, so the price quoted is the price you pay, there are no hidden extras for late arrivals, luggage, tolls, parking charges, fuel or vat. Our customers always receive the highest standard of professional and friendly service at a pre-agreed price. We have built our reputation on quality, reliability and value and our reputation is something you can trust.
We offer easy booking Online or by Phone +359897254232

No credit card required !!! Book now – pay on arrival !!!

For booking and inquiry :

www.transfersbulgaria.com

e mail: info@transfersbulgaria.com

Sofia (Bulgarian: София, pronounced [ˈsɔfija] ( listen)) is the capital and largest city^[2] of Bulgaria and the 12th largest city by population in the European Union, with 1.4 million people living in the Capital Municipality. Sofia is estimated to have over 2.5 million permanent population.^[3] It is located in western Bulgaria, at the foot of Mount Vitosha, and is the administrative, cultural, economic, and educational centre of the country.

Prehistoric settlements were excavated in the centre of the present city, near the royal palace, as well as in outer districts such as Slatina and Obelya.[citation needed] The well-preserved town walls (especially their substructures) from antiquity date back before the 7th century BC, when Thracians established their city next to the most important and highly respected mineral spring, still functioning today. Sofia has had several names in the different periods of its existence, and remnants from the city’s past can still be seen today alongside modern landmarks

Sofia was first mentioned in the sources as Serdica in relation to Marcus Licinius Crassus‘ campaigns in 29 BC. The name Serdica or Sardica (Σερδική, Σαρδική) was popular in Latin, Ancient Greek and Byzantine Greek sources from Antiquity and the Middle Ages; it was related to the local Celtic^[4] tribe of the Serdi. The name was last used in the 19th century in a Bulgarian text, Service and hagiography of Saint George the New of Sofia: ВЪ САРДАКІИ. Another of Sofia’s names, Triaditsa (Τριάδιτζα), was mentioned in Greek medieval sources. The Bulgarian name Sredets (СРѢДЄЦЪ), an adaptation of Serdica, first appeared in the 11th-century Vision of Daniel and was widely used in the Middle Ages. The current name Sofia was first used in the 14th-century Vitosha Charter of Bulgarian tsar Ivan Shishman or in a Ragusan merchant’s notes of 1376; it refers to the famous Hagia Sophia Church, an ancient church in the city named after the Christian concept of the Holy Wisdom. Although Sredets remained in use until the late 18th century, Sofia gradually overcame the Slavic name in popularity.^[5] During the Ottoman rule it was called Sofya by the Turkish population.

The city’s name is pronounced by Bulgarians with a stress on the ‘o’, in contrast with the tendency of foreigners to place the stress on ‘i’. Interestingly, the female given name “Sofia” is pronounced by Bulgarians with a stress on the ‘i’.

Sofia’s development as a significant settlement owes much to its central position in the Balkans. It is situated in western Bulgaria, at the northern foot of the Vitosha mountain, in the Sofia Valley that is surrounded by mountains on all sides. The valley is the largest one in the country with territory of 1,186 square kilometres (458 sq mi) and average altitude of 550 metres (1,804 ft). Three mountain passes lead to the city, which have been key roads since antiquity, connecting the Adriatic Sea and Central Europe with the Black and Aegean Seas.

Thunder storms occur often in Sofia during the summer season.

A number of low rivers cross the city, including the Vladaiska and the Perlovska. The Iskar River in its upper course flows near eastern Sofia. The city is known for its numerous mineral and thermal springs. Artificial and dam lakes were built in the last century.

It is located 130 kilometres (81 mi) northwest of Plovdiv,^[6] Bulgaria’s second largest city, 340 kilometres (211 mi) west of Burgas^[6]380 kilometres (236 mi) west of Varna,^[6] Bulgaria’s major port-cities on the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast. The city is situated at less than 200 kilometres (124 mi) from the borders with three countries: 55 kilometres (34 mi) from Kalotina on the Serbian border, 113 kilometres (70 mi) from Gyueshevo on the frontier with the Republic of Macedonia and 183 kilometres (114 mi) from the Greek border at Kulata.

Climate

Sofia has an oceanic climate (Koppen Cfb)^[7] near the boundary of the humid continental climate with high temperature amplitudes. The hottest month is July while January is the coldest. Up to 1936 the average annual temperature was 10.0 °C (50 °F) and since then it has risen by 0.5 °C (0.9 °F).^[8] The city receives around 650 millimetres (25.6 in) annual precipitation with summer maximum and winter minimum. The temperatures in Sofia generally remain cooler than other parts of Bulgaria in summer, due to the high altitude of the valley in which it is situated. However temperatures can still reach up to 40 °C (104 °F) on occasions.

Sofia was originally a Thracian settlement called Serdica, or Sardica, possibly named after the Celtic tribe Serdi.^[4] For a short period during the 4th century BC, the city was ruled by Philip of Macedon and his son Alexander the Great.

Around BC 29, Serdica was conquered by the Romans. It became a municipium, or centre of an administrative region, during the reign of Emperor Trajan (98-117) and was renamed Ulpia Serdica.

It seems that the first written mention of Serdica was made by Ptolemy (around 100 AD). Serdica (Sardica) expanded, as turrets, protective walls, public baths, administrative and cult buildings, a civic basilica, an amphitheatre – the City Council (Boulé), a large Forum, a big Circus (Theatre), etc. were built.

The Church of St. George, dating back to 4th century

When Emperor Diocletian divided the province of Dacia into Dacia Ripensis (at the banks of the Danube) and Dacia Mediterranea, Serdica became the capital of Dacia Mediterranea. The city subsequently expanded for a century and a half, it became a significant political and economical centre, moreso — it became one of the first Roman cities where Christianity was recognized as a official religion (Еmperor Galerius). So it was only very natural that Constantine the Great called Serdica (Sardica) “My Rome”. In 343 A.D. , the Council of Sardica was held in the city, in a church located where the current 6th century Church of Saint Sofia was later built. Serdica was of moderate size, but magnificent as an urban concept of planning and architecture, with abundant amusements and an active social life. It flourished during the reign of Byzantine Emperor Justinian I, when it was surrounded with great fortress walls whose remnants can still be seen today.

The city was destroyed by the Huns in 447 but was rebuilt by Justinian and for a while called Triaditsa or Sredets by the slavonic tribes.

Middle Ages

Sofia first became part of the First Bulgarian Empire during the reign of Khan Krum in 809, after a long siege.^[10] Afterwards, it was known by the Bulgarian name “Sredets” and grew into an important fortress and administrative centre. After the fall of North-eastern Bulgaria under John I Tzimiskes‘ armies in 971, the Bulgarian Patriarch Damyan chose Sofia for his seat in the next year. After a number of unsuccessful sieges, the city fell to the Byzantine Empire in 1018, but once again was incorporated into the restored Bulgarian Empire at the time of Tsar Ivan Asen I.

From the 12th to the 14th century, Sofia was a thriving centre of trade and crafts. It is possible that it had been called by the common population Sofia (meaning “wisdom” in Ancient Greek) about 1376 after the Church of St. Sofia. However, in different testimonies it was called both “Sofia” and “Sredets” until the end of the 19th century. In 1382, Sofia (Turkish: Sofya) was seized by the Ottoman Empire in the course of the Bulgarian-Ottoman Wars – after a long siege the city was captured with treason. The new name “Sofia” replaced the old one (”Sredets”), after the liberation of the city from Turkish rule in 1878. Quite some time after 1878 there was a strong will, expressed by Bulgarian committees, to keep the name Sredets, but the Russian administration accepted Sofia.

Ottoman rule

After the campaign of Władysław III of Poland in 1443 towards Sofia, the city’s Christian elite was annihilated and became the capital of the Ottoman province (beylerbeylik) of Rumelia for more than 4 centuries, which encouraged many Turks to settle there. In the 16th century, Sofia’s urban layout and appearance began to exhibit a clear Ottoman style, with many mosques, fountains and hamams (bathhouses). During that time the town had a population of around 7,000 which rose to 55,000 by the mid 17th century.

The town was seized for several weeks by Bulgarian haiduks in 1599. In 1610 the Vatican established the See of Sofia for Catholics of Rumelia, which existed until 1715 when most Catholics had emigrated.^[11] In the 16th century there were 126 Jewish households, and there has been a synagogue in Sofia since 967. She was the center of Sofya Eyalet (1826–1864).

Sofia, 1934

End of Ottoman Rule

Sofia was taken by Russian forces on January 4, 1878, during the Russo-Turkish War, 1877-78, and became the capital of the autonomous Principality of Bulgaria in 1879, which became the Kingdom of Bulgaria in 1908. It was proposed as a capital by Marin Drinov and was accepted as such on 3 April 1879. By the time of its liberation the population of the city was 11,649.^[12] For a few decades after the liberation the city experienced large population growth mainly from other regions of the country.

In 1925 the St Nedelya Church assault was carried out by the Bulgarian Communist Party which claimed the lives of 170 people and injured another 500.

During World War II, Sofia was bombed by Allied aircraft in late 1943 and early 1944. As a consequence of the invasion of the Soviet Red Army, Bulgaria’s government, which was allied with Germany, was overthrown.

Republic of Bulgaria

The transformations of Bulgaria into a People’s Republic in 1946 and Republic of Bulgaria marked significant changes in the city’s appearance. The population of Sofia expanded at high rates due to migration from province.

Administration

The city of Sofia is one of 28 Provinces of Bulgaria (not to be confused with Sofia Province, which surrounds but does not include the city). Besides the city of Sofia, the capital province encompasses three other cities and 34 villages, being split into a total of 24 districts.^[13] Each of them has its own district mayor^[13] who is elected in a popular election. The head of the Sofia Municipality is its mayor. The assembly members are chosen every four years. The current mayor of Sofia is Yordanka Fandakova.

Transfers Bulgaria transportation company provide transfer service from SOFIA AIRPORT to SVISHTOV for 120 euro.

For early and return booking – discount !!!Quoted price is per vehicle not per person !!!

Meet & Greet

Our very Professional, friendly and approachable drivers will meet you at the designated airport terminal, hotel reception or your requested address holding your name board, they will carefully assist you with your luggage and take you to your destination in the comfort of our very comfortable vehicles at a pre-agreed, one off, FIXED all inclusive price.

Pricing policy

is highly competitive. We are convinced that reliable and low rate private transfer are the key importance to any Traveller, so the price quoted is the price you pay, there are no hidden extras for late arrivals, luggage, tolls, parking charges, fuel or vat. Our customers always receive the highest standard of professional and friendly service at a pre-agreed price. We have built our reputation on quality, reliability and value and our reputation is something you can trust.
We offer easy booking Online or by Phone +359897254232

No credit card required !!! Book now – pay on arrival !!!

For booking and inquiry :

www.transfersbulgaria.com

e mail: info@transfersbulgaria.com

Svishtov Municipality is situated in the northernmost part of Veliko Turnovo District and borders through the Danube River on the Republic of Romania and the following municipalities: Polski Trambesh in Veliko Turnovo District, Tsenovo in Russe District, and Levski in Pleven District. This is where the southernmost point of the Danube River (43° H 37` northern latitude), is located, which means it is the shortest way from the Danube through Stara Planina and the valley of Maritsa River, to the Aegean Sea. There are 1 town – administrative center Svishtov and 15 villages in the are of municipality.
Svishtov is one of the leading industrial and agricultural centers in Veliko Tarnovo District. Svishtov municipality is developing a mixed type of economy.
In the territory of Municipality Svishtov there are presently 120 official archaeological, art, and architectural monuments of culture of local and national significance.

Quick facts about Municipality Svishtov
In Bulgarian Alphabets: Свищов
Location: North-Central Bulgaria
Province: Veliko Turnovo District
Area size of Svishtov municipality: 625.5km²
Population of Svishtov municipality: 43606 people
Total Towns and Cities in Svishtov municipality: 1
Total Villages in Svishtov municipality: 15
Center of Municipality Svishtov: Town of Svishtov

Transfers Bulgaria transportation company provide private transfer service from PLOVDIV AIRPORT to ISTANBUL for 263 euro.

For early and return booking – discount !!! Quoted price is per vehicle not per person !!!

Welcome to Transfers Bulgaria

Transfers Bulgaria is a company who specialise in transporting passengers and goods to all four corners of Bulgaria and beyond. The company was established in 2002 by a team with a very reliable background in the Security and Transportation industry. We offer the highest standard of service from our highly qualified, fully vetted staff. Our employees are multi lingual with English, Russian, German, French, Turkish, and Greek catered for. Our drivers have full training to advanced driving qualification; they also take pride in making your trip a safe, comfortable and relaxing experience.

Meet & Greet

Our very Professional, friendly and approachable drivers will meet you at the designated airport terminal, hotel reception or your requested address holding your name board, they will carefully assist you with your luggage and take you to your destination in the comfort of our very comfortable vehicles at a pre-agreed, one off, FIXED all inclusive price.

Pricing policy

is highly competitive. We are convinced that reliable and low rate private transfer are the key importance to any Traveller, so the price quoted is the price you pay, there are no hidden extras for late arrivals, luggage, tolls, parking charges, fuel or vat. Our customers always receive the highest standard of professional and friendly service at a pre-agreed price. We have built our reputation on quality, reliability and value and our reputation is something you can trust.
We offer easy booking Online or by Phone +359897254232

No credit card required !!! Book now – pay on arrival !!!

For booking and inquiry :

www.transfersbulgaria.com

e mail: info@transfersbulgaria.com

Istanbul (Turkish: İstanbul, historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople;^[6] see the names of Istanbul) is the largest city in Turkey and 5th largest city proper in the world with a population of 12.8 million, also making it the second largest metropolitan area in Europe by population, and the largest metropolitan city proper.^[7] Istanbul is also a megacity, as well as the cultural, economic, and financial centre of Turkey. The city covers 39 districts of the Istanbul province.^[8] It is located on the Bosphorus Strait and encompasses the natural harbour known as the Golden Horn, in the northwest of the country. It extends both on the European (Thrace) and on the Asian (Anatolia) sides of the Bosphorus, and is thereby the only metropolis in the world that is situated on two continents. Istanbul is a designated alpha world city.

In its long history, Istanbul has served as the capital city of the Roman Empire (330–395), the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire (395–1204 and 1261–1453), the Latin Empire (1204–1261), and the Ottoman Empire (1453–1922). The city was chosen as joint European Capital of Culture for 2010. Historic areas of Istanbul were added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1985.^[9]

Byzantium (Greek: Βυζάντιον, Byzántion) is the first known name of the city. Around 660 BC,^{[note 1]} Greek settlers from the city-state of Megara founded a Doric colony on the present-day Istanbul, and named the new colony after their king, Byzas.^[15] After Constantine I (Constantine the Great) made the city the new eastern capital of the Roman Empire in 330 AD, the city became widely known as Constantinopolis or Constantinople, which, as the Latinised form of “Κωνσταντινούπολις” (Kōnstantinoúpolis), means the “City of Constantine”.^[16] He also attempted to promote the name Nea Roma (”New Rome”), but this never caught on.^[17] Constantinople remained the official name of the city throughout the Byzantine period, and the most common name used for it in the West until the establishment of the Republic of Turkey.

By the 19th century, the city had acquired a number of names used by either foreigners or Turks. Europeans often used Stamboul alongside Constantinople to refer to the whole of the city, but Turks used the former name only to describe the historic peninsula between the Golden Horn and the Sea of Marmara. Pera was used to describe the area between the Golden Horn and the Bosphorus, but Turks also used the name Beyoğlu, which is still in use today.^[18] However, with the Turkish Postal Service Law of 28 March 1930, the Turkish authorities formally requested foreigners to adopt İstanbul, a name in existence since the 10th century,^[19] as the sole name of the city within their own languages.^[20]

There are many theories attempting to explain İstanbul’s etymology. One widely accepted theory states that, İstanbul (Turkish pronunciation: [isˈtanbuɫ], colloquially [ɯsˈtambuɫ]) derives from the Medieval Greek phrase “εἰς τὴν Πόλιν“ [is tin ˈpolin] or, in the Aegean dialect, “εἰς τὰν Πόλιν” [is tan ˈpolin] (Modern Greek “στην Πόλη” /stin ˈpoli/), which means “in the city” or “to the city”.^[16][19] In modern Turkish, the name is written “İstanbul”, with a dotted İ, as the Turkish alphabet distinguishes between a dotted and dotless I. Also, while in English the stress is on the first syllable (”Is”), in Turkish it is on the second syllable (”tan”). Like Rome, Istanbul has been called “The City of Seven Hills” because the oldest part of the city is supposedly built on seven hills, each of which bears a historic

Recent construction of the Marmaray tunnel unearthed a Neolithic settlement underneath Yenikapı on Istanbul’s peninsula. Dating back to the 7th millennium BC, before the Bosphorus was even formed, the discovery indicated that the peninsula was settled thousands of years earlier than previously thought.^[22] Thracian tribes established two settlements—Lygos and Semistra—on the Sarayburnu, near where Topkapı Palace now stands, between the 13th and 11th centuries BC. On the Asian side, artifacts have been found in Fikirtepe (present-day Kadıköy) that date back to the Chalcolithic period.^[23] The same location was the site of a Phoenician trading post at the beginning of the 1st millennium BC as well as the town of Chalcedon, which was established by Greek settlers from Megara in 685 BC.^[13]

However, the history of Istanbul generally begins around 660 BC,^{[note 1]} when the settlers from Megara, under the command of King Byzas, established Byzantion (Latinised as Byzantium) on the European side of the Bosphorus. By the end of the century, an acropolis was established at the former locations of Lygos and Semistra, on the Sarayburnu.^[15] The city experienced a brief period of Persian rule at the turn of the 5th century BC, but the Greeks recaptured it during the Greco-Persian Wars.^[24] Byzantium then continued as part of the Athenian League and its successor, the Second Athenian Empire, before ultimately gaining independence in 355 BC.^[25] Long protected by the Roman Republic, Byzantium officially became a part of the Roman Empire in AD 73.

Byzantium’s decision to side with the usurper Pescennius Niger against Roman Emperor Septimus Severus cost it dearly; by the time it surrendered at the end of 195, two years of siege had left the city devastated.^[26] Still, five years later, Severus began to rebuild Byzantium, and the city regained—and, by some accounts, surpassed—its previous prosperity.^[27]

When Constantine I defeated Licinius at the Battle of Chrysopolis in September 324, he effectively became the emperor of the whole of the Roman Empire.^[28] Just two months later, Constantine laid out the plans for a new, Christian city to replace Byzantium. Intended to replace Nicomedia as the eastern capital of the empire, the city was named Nea Roma (New Rome); however, most simply called it Constantinople (”the city of Constantine”), a name that persisted into the 20th century.^[29] Six years later, on 11 May 330, Constantinople was proclaimed the capital of an empire that eventually became known as the Byzantine Empire or Eastern Roman Empire.^[30]

The establishment of Constantinople served as one of Constantine’s most lasting accomplishments, shifting Roman power eastward and becoming a center of Greek culture and Christianity.^[30][31] Numerous churches were built across the city, including the Hagia Sofia, which remained the world’s largest cathedral for a thousand years.^[32] The Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople developed in the city, and its leader is still one of the foremost figures in the Greek Orthodox Church. Constantinople’s location also ensured its existence would stand the test of time; for many centuries, its walls and seafront protected Europe against invaders from the east as well as from the advance of Islam.^[31] During most of the Middle Ages and the latter part of the Byzantine period, Constantinople was the largest and wealthiest city in the western world.^[33]

Constantinople began to decline after the Fourth Crusade, during which it was sacked and pillaged.^[35] The city subsequently became the center of the Latin Empire, created by Catholic crusaders to replace the Orthodox Byzantine Empire, which was divided into splinter states.^[36] However, the Latin Empire was short-lived, and the Byzantine Empire was restored, weakened, in 1261.^[37] Constantinople’s churches, defenses, and basic services were in disrepair,^[38] and its population had dwindled to forty thousand from nearly half a million during the 9th century.^[39][40]

Various economic and military policies instituted by Andronikos II, such as the reduction of forces, weakened the empire and left it more vulnerable to attack.^[41] In the mid-14th century, the Ottoman Turks began a strategy by which they took smaller towns and cities over time, cutting off Constantinople’s supply routes and strangling it slowly.^[42] Finally, on 29 May 1453, after an eight-week siege (during which the last Roman Emperor, Constantine XI, was killed), Sultan Mehmed II “the Conqueror” captured Constantinople and declared it the new capital of the Ottoman Empire.^[43][44] Hours later, the sultan rode to the Hagia Sofia and summoned an imam to proclaim the Islamic creed, converting the grand cathedral into an imperial mosque.^[45]

Following the fall of Constantinople, Mehmed II immediately set out to revitalize the city, now also known as Istanbul. He invited and forcibly resettled many Muslims, Jews, and Christians from other parts of Anatolia into the city, creating a cosmopolitan society that persisted through much of the Ottoman period.^[46] By the end of the century, Istanbul had returned to a population of two hundred thousand, making it the second-largest city in Europe.^[47] Meanwhile, Mehmed II repaired the city’s damaged infrastructure and began to build the Grand Bazaar. Also constructed during this period was Topkapı Palace, which served as the official residence of the sultan for four hundred years.^[48]

The Ottomans quickly transformed Istanbul from a bastion of Christianity to a symbol of Islamic culture. Religious foundations were established to fund the construction of grand imperial mosques, often adjoined by schools, hospitals, and public baths.^[48] Suleiman the Magnificent’s reign from 1520 to 1566 was a period of especially great artistic and architectural achievements; chief architect Mimar Sinan designed the Süleymaniye Mosque and other grand buildings in the city, while Ottoman arts of ceramics, calligraphy and miniature flourished.^[49] The total population of Istanbul amounted to 570,000 by the end of the 18th century.^[50]

A period of rebellion at the start of the 19th century led to the rise of the progressive Sultan Mahmud II and eventually the Tanzimat period, which produced reforms that aligned the empire along Western European standards.^[51][52] Bridges across the Golden Horn were constructed during this period,^[53] and Istanbul was connected to the rest of the European railway network in the 1880s.^[54] The Tünel, one of the world’s oldest subterranean urban rail lines, opened in 1875;^[55] other modern facilities, such a stable water network, electricity, telephones, and trams, were gradually introduced to Istanbul over the following decades, although later than to other European cities.^[56]

Still, the modernization efforts were not enough to forestall the decline of the Ottoman regime. The early 20th century saw the Young Turk Revolution, which disposed of Sultan Abdul Hamid II, and a series of wars that plagued the ailing empire’s capital.^[57] The last of these, World War I, resulted in the British, French, and Italian occupation of Istanbul. The final Ottoman sultan, Mehmed VI, was exiled in November 1922; the following year, the occupation of Istanbul ended with the signing of the Treaty of Lausanne and the recognition of the Republic of Turkey, which was declared by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk on 29 October 1923.^[58]

In the early years of the republic, Istanbul was overlooked in favor of the country’s new capital, Ankara. However, starting from the late 1940s and early 1950s, Istanbul underwent great structural change, as new public squares (such as Taksim Square), boulevards, and avenues were constructed throughout the city, sometimes at the expense of historical buildings.^[59] The population of Istanbul began to rapidly increase in the 1970s, as people from Anatolia migrated to the city to find employment in the many new factories that were built on the outskirts of the sprawling metropolis. This sudden, sharp rise in the city’s population caused a large demand for housing development, and many previously outlying villages and forests became engulfed into the greater metropolitan area of Istanbul.^[60]

Istanbul is located in northwestern Turkey within the Marmara Region on a total area of 5,343 square kilometers (2,063 sq mi).^{[note 2]} The Bosphorus, which connects the Sea of Marmara to the Black Sea, divides the city into a European side, comprising the historic and economic centers, and an Asian, Anatolian side; as such, Istanbul is the only bi-continental city in the world. The city is further divided by the Golden Horn, a natural harbor bounding the peninsula where the former Byzantium and Constantinople were founded. In the late-19th century, a wharf was constructed in Galata at the mouth of the Golden Horn, replacing a sandy beach that once formed part of the inlet’s coastline.^[61] The confluence of the Sea of Marmara, the Bosphorus, and the Golden Horn at the heart of present-day Istanbul has deterred attacking forces for thousands of years and still remains a prominent feature of the city’s landscape.

The historic peninsula is said to be built on seven hills, each topped by an imperial mosque, surrounded by 22 kilometers (14 mi) of city walls; the largest of these hills is the site of Topkapı Palace on the Sarayburnu.^[62] Rising from the opposite side of the Golden Horn is another, conical hill, where the modern Beyoğlu district is situated. Because of the topography, buildings were once constructed with the help of terraced retaining walls (some of which are still visible in older parts of the city), and roads in Beyoğlu were laid out in the form of steps.^[61] Üsküdar on the Asian side exhibits similarly hilly characteristics, with the terrain gradually extending down to the Bosphorus coast, but the landscape in Şemsipaşa and Ayazma is more abrupt, akin to a promontory. The highest point in Istanbul is Çamlıca Hill (also on the Asian side), with an altitude of 288 meters (945 ft).

Istanbul is situated near the North Anatolian Fault on the boundary between the African and Eurasian plates. This fault zone, which runs from northern Anatolia to the Sea of Marmara, has been responsible for several deadly earthquakes throughout the city’s history. Among the most devastating of these seismic events was the 1509 earthquake, which caused a tsunami that broke over the walls of the city, destroyed over 100 mosques, and killed more than 10,000 people. More recently, in 1999, an earthquake with its epicenter in nearby İzmit left 17,000 people dead, including 1,000 people in Istanbul’s suburbs.^[63] Istanbulites remain concerned that an even more catastrophic seismic event may be in Istanbul’s near future, as thousands of structures recently built to accommodate the city’s rapidly increasing population may not have been constructed properly.^[63] Seismologists say the risk of a 7.6-magnitude earthquake striking Istanbul by 2030 is greater than sixty percent.^[64

Istanbul has a Mediterranean climate according to the Köppen climate classification system,^[66] although its climate becomes more marine toward the northwest.^[67] Microclimates arise due to the hilly, coastal, and inland areas that all compose the topography of the city’s expansive domain.

Temperatures in northwestern Turkey, including Istanbul, are influenced by two competing seafaring winds—the northeasterly Poyraz wind, which brings cool air off the Black Sea, and the southwesterly Lodos wind, which provides warm air from over the Mediterranean.^[68] Summers are generally hot and moderately dry, with July and August averaging 23 °C (73 °F) and only four days of rain.^[69] Extreme heat, however, is uncommon, as temperatures rise above 32 °C (90 °F) just five times each year.^[70] Winters are much colder and wetter averaging 5 °C (41 °F), with about eighteen precipitous days each December and January. The average winter day in Istanbul receives just three hours of sunlight and, unlike most other cities with Mediterranean climates, it has an annual average of 21 days with sub-freezing temperatures and snowfall occurs annually.^[69][70] Snow tends to stay for a few days after each snowfall, as wintry events are often followed by warm, southerly winds and vice versa.^[71]

Istanbul has a constantly high humidity, which can exacerbate the moderate summer heat.^[69] The humidity is especially salient during the morning hours, when humidity generally reaches eighty percent and fog is very common.^[70] The city receives fog an average of 228 days each year, with the highest concentration of foggy days being in the winter months.^[70] Thunderstorms are uncommon, occurring just 23 days each year, but they occur most frequently in the summer and early autumn months.^[70] Istanbul has an annual average of 124 days with significant precipitation, which together generate around 843.9 mm (33 in) of annual precipitation.^[72][73] The city is also quite windy, having an average wind speed of 18 km/h (11 mph).^[70] The highest recorded temperature was 40.5 °C (105 °F) on 12 July 2000, and the lowest recorded temperature was −16.1 °C (3 °F) on 9 February 1927.^[74]

Istanbul has thirty-nine districts administered by the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (MMI).^[3] The district of Fatih, which includes the neighborhood and former district of Eminönü, is among the most central of these, residing on the historic peninsula south of the Golden Horn. The district corresponds to what was until the Ottoman conquest the whole of the city, across from which stood the Genoese citadel of Galata in the late Byzantine era. Those Genoese fortifications were largely demolished in the 19th century, leaving only the Galata Tower, to make way for northward expansion of the city.^[76] Galata is now a part of the Beyoğlu district, which forms Istanbul’s commercial and entertainment center and includes İstiklal Avenue and Taksim Square.^[77]

Dolmabahçe Palace, the seat of government during the late Ottoman period, is located in Beşiktaş, just north of Beyoğlu, across from BJK İnönü Stadium, home to Turkey’s oldest football club.^[78] The former village of Ortaköy is situated within Beşiktaş and provides its name to the Ortaköy Mosque, along the Bosphorus near the First Bosphorus Bridge. Lining the shores of the Bosphorus north of there are yalıs, luxurious chalet mansions originally built by 19th-century aristocrats and elites as summer homes.^[79] Today, some are homes within the city’s most exclusive neighborhoods, including Bebek. Further inland, between the Bosphorus Bridge and the Fatih Sultan Mehmet (Second Bosphorus) Bridge, are Levent, Maslak, and Mecidiyeköy, Istanbul’s primary economic centers. Officially part of the Beşiktaş and Şişli districts, they contain Istanbul’s tallest buildings and the headquarters of Turkey’s largest companies.

Like Beyoğlu, the districts of Üsküdar and Kadıköy on the Asian side were originally separate cities, Chrysopolis and Chalcedon, respectively. During the Ottoman period, they continued to remain outside the scope of urban Istanbul, serving as tranquil outposts with seaside yalıs and gardens. However, during the second half of the 20th century, the Asian side experienced massive urban growth, owning in part to the development of Bağdat Avenue into an upscale shopping hub similar to İstiklal Avenue on the European side. The fact that these areas were largely empty until the 1960s also provided the chance for developing better infrastructure and tidier urban planning when compared with most other residential areas in the city. While now officially parts of Istanbul, much of the Asian side of the Bosphorus, which accounts for one third of the city’s population, functions as a suburb of the economic and commercial centers in European Istanbul.

As a result of Istanbul’s exponential growth during the 20th century, a significant portion of the city’s outskirts comprises gecekondus (a Turkish term meaning built overnight), referring to the illegally constructed squatter buildings run rampant outside the centers of the country’s largest cities. At present, some gecekondu areas are being gradually demolished and replaced by modern mass-housing compounds.

Istanbul is primarily known for its Ottoman architecture, but its buildings reflect the various peoples and empires that have ruled its predecessors. Genoese, Byzantine, Roman, and even Greek forms of architecture remain visible in Istanbul alongside their Ottoman counterparts. Similarly, while imperial mosques dominate much of the city’s skyline, the city is also home to a number of historic churches and synagogues

More than two thousand years following the departure of the Greeks, few examples of Istanbul’s Greek architecture have survived. Remains of Byzantium’s acropolis are still visible within the confines of Topkapı Palace, but perhaps the most prominent relic of the Greek era is Maiden’s (Leander’s) Tower. Residing on an islet in the Bosphorus just off the coast of Üsküdar, Maiden’s Tower was first built by the Greeks in 408 BC to guide ships within the strait. Since then, however, the tower has undergone a number of enlargements and restorations, most notably by Byzantine Emperor Alexius Comnenus in 1104 AD, thereby rendering its connection to Greek architecture tenuous. Either way, despite serving as a lighthouse for several centuries, Maiden’s Tower today merely serves as a popular vantage point from which to view the historic city.

Examples of Roman architecture have proved themselves to be more durable. Obelisks from the Hippodrome of Constantinople, modeled after the Circus Maximus in Rome, are still visible in Sultanahmet Square. A section of the Valens Aqueduct, constructed in the late 4th century to carry water to the city, stands relatively intact over 920 meters (3,000 ft) in the west of the Fatih district. Similarly, the Walls of Constantinople, which were erected in stages well into the Byzantine period, are still visible along much of their original 22-kilometer (14 mi) course. Finally, the Column of Constantine, erected in 330 AD to mark the new Roman capital, still stands not far from the Hippodrome.

Early Byzantine architecture followed the classical Roman model of domes and arches, but further improved these architectural concepts, as in the Church of the Saints Sergius and Bacchus, which signaled an improvement in the design of domed buildings. The oldest surviving Byzantine church in Istanbul that has preserved its original form through the centuries (albeit partially in ruins) is the Stoudios (İmrahor) Monastery, which was built in 462. Other extant structures from the early Byzantine period include the Hagia Irene, initially the first church in the new capital, and the Prison of Anemas, which was incorporated into the city walls at the western suburb of Blachernae. After the recapture of Constantinople in 1261, the Byzantines constructed two of their most important churches, Chora Church and Pammakaristos Church. Across the Golden Horn, the Genoese contributed Galata Tower, then the highest point in the citadel of Galata and today a landmark in the neighborhood of the same name.

Still, the pinnacle of Byzantine architecture, and one of Istanbul’s most iconic structures, is the Hagia Sophia, built between 532 and 537. Topped by a dome 31 meters (102 ft) in diameter, the Hagia Sofia stood as the largest cathedral for more than a thousand years, until the completion of the Cathedral of Seville. The Ottomans later covered its Christian mosaics and added Islamic elements, including four minarets, converting the magnificent cathedral into a mosque. Today, it is neither, as its mosaics were uncovered and the impressive edifice converted into a museum in the 1930s.

Among the oldest extant examples of Ottoman architecture in Istanbul are the Anadoluhisarı and Rumelihisarı fortresses, which helped block sea traffic aimed at assisting the Byzantines during the Turkish siege of the city.^[80] Over the next four centuries, the Ottomans continued to make an indelible impression on the skyline of Istanbul, building towering mosques and ornate palaces. These grand imperial mosques include Sultan Ahmed Mosque (the Blue Mosque), Süleymaniye Mosque, and Yeni Mosque, all of which were built at the peak of the Ottoman Empire, in the 16th and 17th centuries.

In the following centuries, and especially after the Tanzimat reforms, Ottoman architecture was supplanted by European styles. In contrast to the traditional elements of Topkapi Palace and the mosques on the historic peninsula, Dolmabahçe Palace, Yıldız Palace, and Ortaköy Mosque in Beşiktaş and Beylerbeyi Palace across the Bosphorus in Üsküdar are clearly of Neo-Baroque style. At the same time, the areas around İstiklal Avenue were filled with grandiose European embassies and rows of buildings in European (mostly Neoclassical and, later, Art Nouveau) style started to appear along the avenue. Istanbul was one of the major centers of the Art Nouveau movement in the late-19th and early-20th centuries, with famous architects of this style building palaces and mansions in the city.

The urban landscape of Istanbul is shaped by many communities. The religion with the largest community of followers is Islam. Religious minorities include Greek Orthodox Christians, Armenian Christians, Catholic Levantines and Sephardic Jews. According to the 2000 census, there were 2,691 active mosques, 123 active churches and 26 active synagogues in Istanbul; as well as 109 Muslim cemeteries and 57 non-Muslim cemeteries. Some districts used to have sizeable populations of these ethnic groups, such as the Kumkapı district, which had a sizeable Armenian population; the Balat district, which had a sizeable Jewish population; the Fener district, which had a sizeable Greek population; and some neighbourhoods in the Nişantaşı and Beyoğlu districts that had sizeable Levantine populations. Very few remain in these districts, as they either emigrated or moved to other districts. In some quarters, such as Kuzguncuk, an Armenian church sits next to a synagogue, and on the other side of the road a Greek Orthodox church is found beside a mosque.

The seat of the Patriarch of Constantinople, spiritual leader of the Greek Orthodox Church and first patriarch of the Eastern Orthodox communion, is located in the Fener (Phanar) district. Also based in Istanbul are the archbishop of the Turkish-Orthodox community, an Armenian archbishop, and the Turkish Grand-Rabbi. A number of places reflect past movements of different communities into Istanbul, most notably Arnavutköy (Albanian village), Polonezköy (Polish village) and Yenibosna (New Bosnia

The Muslims are by far the largest religious group in Istanbul. Among them, the Sunnis form the most populous sect, while a number of the local Muslims are Alevis. In 2007 there were 2,944 active mosques in Istanbul.^[88]

Istanbul was the final seat of the Islamic Caliphate, between 1517 and 1924, when the Caliphate was dissolved and its powers were handed over to the Turkish Parliament. On 2 September 1925, the tekkes and tarikats were banned, as their activities were deemed incompatible with the characteristics of the secular democratic Republic of Turkey; particularly with the secular education system and the laicist state’s control over religious affairs through the Religious Affairs Directorate. Most followers of Sufism and other forms of Islamic mysticism practiced clandestinely afterwards, and some of these sects still boast numerous followers. To avoid the still active prohibition, these organisations represent themselves as “cultural associations.”

The city has been the seat of the Ecumenical Patriarchate since the 4th century AD, and continues to serve as the seat of some other Orthodox churches, such as the Turkish Orthodox Church and the Armenian Patriarchate. The city was formerly also the seat of the Bulgarian Exarchate, before its autocephaly was recognised by other Orthodox churches.

The everyday life of the Christians, particularly the Greeks and Armenians living in Istanbul changed significantly following the bitter conflicts between these ethnic groups and the Turks during the fall of the Ottoman Empire, which began in the 1820s and continued for a century. The conflicts reached their culmination in the decade between 1912 and 1922; during the Balkan Wars, the First World War and the Turkish War of Independence. The Christian population declined from 450,000 to 240,000 between 1914 and 1927.^[89] Today, most of Turkey’s remaining Greek and Armenian minorities live in or near Istanbul. The number of the local Turkish Armenians in Istanbul today amount to approximately 45,000^[90] (not including the nearly 40,000 Armenian workers in Turkey who came from Armenia after 1991 and mostly live and work in Istanbul);^[91] while the Greek community, which amounted to 150,000 citizens in 1924,^[92] currently amounts to approximately 4,000 citizens.^[90] There are also 60,000 Istanbulite Greeks who currently live in Greece but continue to retain their Turkish citizenship.^[90]

The Sephardic Jews have lived in the city for over 500 years. They fled the Iberian Peninsula during the Spanish Inquisition of 1492, when they were forced to convert to Christianity after the fall of the Moorish Kingdom of Andalucia. The Ottoman Sultan Bayezid II (1481–1512) sent a sizable fleet to Spain under the command of Kemal Reis to save the Sephardic Jews. At that point in the Caliphate’s history it was a beacon of tolerance compared to most of Christendom. More than 200,000 Jews fled first to Tangier, Algiers, Genova, and Marseille, later to Salonica, and finally to Istanbul. The Sultan granted over 93,000 of these Spanish Jews to take refuge in the Ottoman Empire. Another large group of Sephardic Jews came from southern Italy, which was under Spanish control. The İtalyan Sinagogu (Italian Synagogue) in Galata is mostly frequented by the descendants of these Italian Jews in Istanbul, where more than 20,000 Sephardic Jews still remain today. There are about 20 synagogues, the most important of them being the Neve Shalom Synagogue inaugurated in 1951, in the Beyoğlu quarter.

Apart from being the largest city and former political capital of the country, Istanbul has always been the centre of Turkey’s economic life because of its location as a junction of international land and sea trade routes. Istanbul is also Turkey’s largest industrial centre. It employs approximately 20% of Turkey’s industrial labour and contributes 38% of Turkey’s industrial workspace. Istanbul and its surrounding province produce cotton, fruit, olive oil, silk, and tobacco. Food processing, textile production, oil products, rubber, metal ware, leather, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, electronics, glass, machinery, automotive, transport vehicles, paper and paper products, and alcoholic drinks are among the city’s major industrial products. According to Forbes magazine, Istanbul had a total of 35 billionaires as of March 2008, ranking fourth in the world.^[93]

Originally established as the Ottoman Stock Exchange (Dersaadet Tahvilat Borsası) in 1866, and reorganised to its current structure at the beginning of 1986, the Istanbul Stock Exchange (ISE) is the sole securities market of Turkey.^[94] During the 19th and early 20th centuries, Bankalar Caddesi (Banks Street) in Galata was the financial centre of the Ottoman Empire, where the headquarters of the Ottoman Central Bank (established as the Bank-ı Osmanî in 1856, and later reorganised as the Bank-ı Osmanî-i Şahane in 1863)^[95] and the Ottoman Stock Exchange (1866) were located.^[96] Bankalar Caddesi continued to be Istanbul’s main financial district until the 1990s, when most Turkish banks began moving their headquarters to the modern central business districts of Levent and Maslak.^[96] In 1995, the Istanbul Stock Exchange moved to its current building in the Istinye quarter.^[97]

Today, the city generates 55% of Turkey’s trade and 45% of the country’s wholesale trade, and generates 21.2% of Turkey’s gross national product. Istanbul contributes 40% of all taxes collected in Turkey and produces 27.5% of Turkey’s national product. In 2005 the City of Istanbul had a GDP of $133 billion.^[98] In 2005 companies based in Istanbul made exports worth $41,397,000,000 and imports worth $69,883,000,000; which corresponded to 56.6% and 60.2% of Turkey’s exports and imports, respectively, in that year.^[99]

Istanbul is one of the most important tourism spots of Turkey. There are thousands of hotels and other tourist oriented industries in the city, catering to both vacationers and visiting professionals. In 2006 a total of 23,148,669 tourists visited Turkey, most of whom entered the country through the airports and seaports of Istanbul and Antalya.^[100] The total number of tourists who entered Turkey through Atatürk International Airport and Sabiha Gökçen International Airport in Istanbul reached 5,346,658, rising from 4,849,353 in 2005.^[101] Istanbul is also one of the world’s major conference destinations and is an increasingly popular choice for the world’s leading international associations.^[102]

Istanbul has two international airports: The larger one is the Atatürk International Airport located in the Yeşilköy district on the European side, about 24 kilometres (15 mi) west from the city centre. When it was first built, the airport was situated at the western edge of the metropolitan area but now lies within the city bounds. The smaller one is the Sabiha Gökçen International Airport located in the Kurtköy district on the Asian side, close to the Istanbul Park GP Racing Circuit. It is situated approximately 20 kilometres (12 mi) east of the Asian side and 45 kilometres (28 mi) east of the European city centre.

Transfers Bulgaria transportation company provide private transfer service from SOFIA AIRPORT to VELINGRAD for 83 euro.

For early and return booking – discount !!! Quoted price is per vehicle not per person !!!

Welcome to Transfers Bulgaria

Transfers Bulgaria is a company who specialise in transporting passengers and goods to all four corners of Bulgaria and beyond. The company was established in 2002 by a team with a very reliable background in the Security and Transportation industry. We offer the highest standard of service from our highly qualified, fully vetted staff. Our employees are multi lingual with English, Russian, German, French, Turkish, and Greek catered for. Our drivers have full training to advanced driving qualification; they also take pride in making your trip a safe, comfortable and relaxing experience.

Lets enjoy a pleasant trip together!

Meet & Greet

Our very Professional, friendly and approachable drivers will meet you at the designated airport terminal, hotel reception or your requested address holding your name board, they will carefully assist you with your luggage and take you to your destination in the comfort of our very comfortable vehicles at a pre-agreed, one off, FIXED all inclusive price.

Pricing policy

is highly competitive. We are convinced that reliable and low rate private transfer are the key importance to any Traveller, so the price quoted is the price you pay, there are no hidden extras for late arrivals, luggage, tolls, parking charges, fuel or vat. Our customers always receive the highest standard of professional and friendly service at a pre-agreed price. We have built our reputation on quality, reliability and value and our reputation is something you can trust.
We offer easy booking Online or by Phone +359897254232

No credit card required !!! Book now – pay on arrival !!!

For booking and inquiry :

www.transfersbulgaria.com

e mail: info@transfersbulgaria.com

Velingrad (Bulgarian: Велинград) is a town in Bulgaria and one of the most popular Bulgarian balneological resorts. It lies at the western end of Chepino Valley, part of the Rhodope Mountains in Southern Bulgaria

The region was inhabited by the Slavs. According to Bulgarian academics, the Dragovichi tribe lived there. The Dragovichi accepted many Thracian customs, but gave them typical Slavic characteristics. Soon after the Bulgar invasion on the Balkans, the whole region was annexed to the First Bulgarian Empire by tsar Malamir.

At the times of the Turkish rule, the Turks converted many Slavs in this region to Islam, according to Vasil Kanchov, the terror was ordered by the Greek bishop Gavril (Gabriel)^[1].

Velingrad is situated at 750-850 m above sea level. Summers are warm and winters are mild. The average annual temperature is 10°C, while the average July temperature is 19°C. The annual duration of sunshine is about 2,000 hours. The relative air humidity ranges from 65 to 75%. Surrounded by age-old pine tree woods, the town favors abundant sunshine. This exclusively rare and valuable combination has a beneficial influence on the process of ionization (negative ions are prevailing) and is of definite therapeutic importance

There are 70 sources of mineral water with curative and preventive properties in and around the town. The mineral waters (from springs and wells) vary considerably in temperature, mineralization, radon, silicic acid and fluorine content, and are suitable for treatment of a wide range of diseases. 9000 litres of water per minute spring from the five thermal and mineral deposits in Ladzhene, Kamenitsa, Chepino, Rakitovo and Kostandovo.

Together with the numerous mineral waters, Velingrad boasts another natural phenomenon as well — the Kleptuza, the biggest Karst spring in Bulgaria, with an average discharge of 1200 litres of ice-cold water per second.

Transfers Bulgaria transportation company provide private transfer service from PLOVDIV AIRPORT to TRYAVNA for 104 euro.

For early and return booking – discount !!! Quoted price is per vehicle not per person !!!

Welcome to Transfers Bulgaria

Transfers Bulgaria is a company who specialise in transporting passengers and goods to all four corners of Bulgaria and beyond. The company was established in 2002 by a team with a very reliable background in the Security and Transportation industry. We offer the highest standard of service from our highly qualified, fully vetted staff. Our employees are multi lingual with English, Russian, German, French, Turkish, and Greek catered for. Our drivers have full training to advanced driving qualification; they also take pride in making your trip a safe, comfortable and relaxing experience.

Meet & Greet

Our very Professional, friendly and approachable drivers will meet you at the designated airport terminal, hotel reception or your requested address holding your name board, they will carefully assist you with your luggage and take you to your destination in the comfort of our very comfortable vehicles at a pre-agreed, one off, FIXED all inclusive price.

Pricing policy

is highly competitive. We are convinced that reliable and low rate private transfer are the key importance to any Traveller, so the price quoted is the price you pay, there are no hidden extras for late arrivals, luggage, tolls, parking charges, fuel or vat. Our customers always receive the highest standard of professional and friendly service at a pre-agreed price. We have built our reputation on quality, reliability and value and our reputation is something you can trust.
We offer easy booking Online or by Phone +359897254232

No credit card required!!! Book now – pay on arrival!!!

For information and  inquiry: http://www.transfersbulgaria.com

e mail:  info@transfersbulgaria.com

Tryavna (Bulgarian: Трявна) is a town in central Bulgaria, situated in the north slopes of the Balkan range, on the Tryavna river valley, near Gabrovo. It is famous for its textile industry and typical National Revival architecture, featuring 140 cultural monuments, museums and expositions. Tryavna is the birthplace of Bulgarian writer Pencho Slaveykov and revolutionary Angel Kanchev. The village was founded as early as the Thracian Era. However, the first documents of its existence date back to the 12th century. During Ottoman Bulgaria period locals defended the pass and enjoyed privileges for this reason. Only Bulgarians lived in the town;. During the period of Bulgarian National Revival, the town was heavily involved in the development of crafts. Houses from this period feature their own architectural design. The ground floors had irregular forms and housed craftsmen and traders. The upper floors featured wooden bow-windows, the roofs were covered with well arranged rocks.

The town square, named Capitan Diado Nikola, with the clock tower, dating from 1814, are among the landmarks. Another tourist attraction is the “kivgireniyat” bridge, built above the river behind the clock tower. One of the first secular schools in Bulgaria was built on Capitan Diado Nikola Square. Another symbol of Tryavna is the St. Archangel Mihael Church, situated in the town center and built in the late 12th century after Bulgarian tzar Asen defeated Byzantine emperor Isaac II. The wood-carved iconostasis and the bishop’s throne in the church are real masterpieces of the woodcarving in Tryavna. Next to the school, is the Raykov house with its ethnographic collection, which is the birthplace of the first Bulgarian chemist, Pencho Nikolov Raikov. Not far away from it is the museum-house of Angel Kanchev who was Vassil Levski’s compatriot. One of the most visited museums in Tryavna is the Daskalov house built in the year of 1808. The museum features the famous wood carved suns. The house is a museum of woodcarving and icon painting art. The remarkable ceilings were made after a bet between two of the best masters of wood carving — Dimitar Oshanetsa and Ivan Bochukovetsa. Тhe two masters worked hard for six months in the two largest rooms in the house without having a possibility to see each other’s work.

The Petko and Pencho Slaveykov museum-house, situated in the old part of the town, features an exposition of the poetical works of the two authors. The son, Pencho, was nominated for the Nobel Prize but died before having a chance to win it. The Kalinchev house, also in the old part, has been transformed into an art gallery, offering the collection, donated by Totio Gybenski. The Museum of icon painting and woodcarving with its collection of over 160 original icons, painted by well-known masters, is housed in the Tsar’s chapel at a distance of the town center.

The unique Museum of Asian and African Art is housed in the old public bath, on the riverside. Tryavna is proud with its great samples of the woodcarving, icon painting and original architecture.

Today the town is a preferable tourist spot, featuring modern hotels, private lodgings and villas, restaurants and taverns.

There is also an Art school where successors of the old icon painters and woodcarvers master these crafts.

The Voneshta voda village resort, famous for its healing mineral springs, is located 20 km away from Tryavna.

The town is well connected with the whole country thanks to its excellent road network and railway station.

Besides Bulgarian National Revival figures, another native is former Bulgarian NBA player Georgi Glouchkov

Transfers Bulgaria transportation company provide private transfer service from PLOVDIV AIRPORT to TROYAN for89 euro.

For early and return booking – discount !!! Quoted price is per vehicle not per person !!!

Welcome to Transfers Bulgaria

Transfers Bulgaria is a company who specialise in transporting passengers and goods to all four corners of Bulgaria and beyond. The company was established in 2002 by a team with a very reliable background in the Security and Transportation industry. We offer the highest standard of service from our highly qualified, fully vetted staff. Our employees are multi lingual with English, Russian, German, French, Turkish, and Greek catered for. Our drivers have full training to advanced driving qualification; they also take pride in making your trip a safe, comfortable and relaxing experience.

Lets enjoy a pleasant trip together!

Meet & Greet

Our very Professional, friendly and approachable drivers will meet you at the designated airport terminal, hotel reception or your requested address holding your name board, they will carefully assist you with your luggage and take you to your destination in the comfort of our very comfortable vehicles at a pre-agreed, one off, FIXED all inclusive price.

Pricing policy

is highly competitive. We are convinced that reliable and low rate private transfer are the key importance to any Traveller, so the price quoted is the price you pay, there are no hidden extras for late arrivals, luggage, tolls, parking charges, fuel or vat. Our customers always receive the highest standard of professional and friendly service at a pre-agreed price. We have built our reputation on quality, reliability and value and our reputation is something you can trust.
We offer easy booking Online or by Phone +359897254232

No credit card required !!! Book now – pay on arrival !!!

For booking and inquiry :

www.transfersbulgaria.com

e mail: info@transfersbulgaria.com

Troyan (also spelled Troian, Bulgarian: Троян) is a town in central Bulgaria with population of about 30,000 and territory of 888,850 m². It is located 160 km from Sofia. The nearest civilian airport is Gorna Oryahovitsa, 105 km away. The river of Beli Osam passes through the heart of the town.

Minko Akimov of Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria has been the town’s mayor since 2007.

Troyan was named a town in 1868, when it developed as a craft center for the region. After the liberation it grows slowly. A spark in the town growth was the creation of a small water electrical plant and textile factories. In 1948, the town was connected to the railway Lovech – Levski – Svishtov. Later in time factories producing electrical motors, electrotechnical products, building machines, wool and furniture developed in the town.

The Troyan region is home to the cultural and historical site of the Troyan Monastery. August 15 is the day of the Monastery’s Patron Saint, when thousands of people from the country gather to celebrate and see a unique icon of Mary. The icon is unique in that Mary has three hands made of silver. The origins of the icon are unknown but there are many stories, some of which involve miracles.

The town is famous for its traditional pottery, probably developed partly as a result of the qualities of the local clay soil. Pottery was a main source of income for the local craftsmen during the Bulgarian Renaissance age. Now handmade pottery items are sold as souvenirs to tourists. Fine examples of traditional pottery can be seen in the town’s museum, across from the municipal building.

Also notable are the Nunki Complex and the St Paraskeva Church, both built in the first half of the 19th century.

The production of premium quality plum brandy (rakia) has become a part of the local culture. In connection with this, the town holds the annual Festival of the Plum in the autumn. Plum brandy from Troyan has gained national and international acclaim at major showcases.

The official day of Troyan is October 14, the day of the town’s patron saint, St Petka Paraskeva.

The Troyan region is home to three National Reserves: Kozia Stena, Steneto and Severen Jendem, part of the larger Central Balkan National Park. The reserves are rich in interesting rock formations, waterfalls and wild life. Most of the interesting spots are tourist-accessible.

Troyan is the home of the large Actavis [1] generic pharmaceuticals plant as well as the light machinery factories Elma and Mashstroi[2]. Another major industry is the famous plum brandy (slivova rakia) production brewery Vinprom-Troyan

Transfers Bulgaria transportation company provide private transfer service from PLOVDIV AIRPORT to TRIGRAD for 80 euro.

For early and return booking – discount !!! Quoted price is per vehicle not per person !!!

Welcome to Transfers Bulgaria

Transfers Bulgaria is a company who specialise in transporting passengers and goods to all four corners of Bulgaria and beyond. The company was established in 2002 by a team with a very reliable background in the Security and Transportation industry. We offer the highest standard of service from our highly qualified, fully vetted staff. Our employees are multi lingual with English, Russian, German, French, Turkish, and Greek catered for. Our drivers have full training to advanced driving qualification; they also take pride in making your trip a safe, comfortable and relaxing experience.

Lets enjoy a pleasant trip together!

Meet & Greet

Our very Professional, friendly and approachable drivers will meet you at the designated airport terminal, hotel reception or your requested address holding your name board, they will carefully assist you with your luggage and take you to your destination in the comfort of our very comfortable vehicles at a pre-agreed, one off, FIXED all inclusive price.

Pricing policy

is highly competitive. We are convinced that reliable and low rate private transfer are the key importance to any Traveller, so the price quoted is the price you pay, there are no hidden extras for late arrivals, luggage, tolls, parking charges, fuel or vat. Our customers always receive the highest standard of professional and friendly service at a pre-agreed price. We have built our reputation on quality, reliability and value and our reputation is something you can trust.
We offer easy booking Online or by Phone +359897254232

No credit card required!!! Book now – pay on arrival!!!

For information and  inquiry: http://www.transfersbulgaria.com

e mail:  info@transfersbulgaria.com

Every season of the year Trigrad receives his guests, who enjoy of the magnificent nature, rich cultural heritage and Rodopian hospitality. In the area of the village you can take a trip walking, on bike or on Enduro motorcycle.Also there is a horse riding base, conditions for rock climbing and deltaplanerism. The most visited places are Trigradskoto zhdrelo (Trigrad gorge) which reaches 290 m height, Devilish throat (Dyavolsko garlo) with its 12 underground waterfalls and the longest cave in Rodopi mountain – Yagodinska. There are more than 150 caves in the area, 7 of them inhebited in prehistoric time. Welcome to Trigrad village and sense the melody of Orpheuses song, even the nature have listen it hushed!

Distance from Sofia: 234 km

Near by: Smolyan

Transfers Bulgaria transportation company provide private transfer service from PLOVDIV AIRPORT to THESSALONIKI for 229 euro.

For early and return booking – discount !!! Quoted price is per vehicle not per person !!!

Welcome to Transfers Bulgaria

Transfers Bulgaria is a company who specialise in transporting passengers and goods to all four corners of Bulgaria and beyond. The company was established in 2002 by a team with a very reliable background in the Security and Transportation industry. We offer the highest standard of service from our highly qualified, fully vetted staff. Our employees are multi lingual with English, Russian, German, French, Turkish, and Greek catered for. Our drivers have full training to advanced driving qualification; they also take pride in making your trip a safe, comfortable and relaxing experience.

Lets enjoy a pleasant trip together!

Meet & Greet

Our very Professional, friendly and approachable drivers will meet you at the designated airport terminal, hotel reception or your requested address holding your name board, they will carefully assist you with your luggage and take you to your destination in the comfort of our very comfortable vehicles at a pre-agreed, one off, FIXED all inclusive price.

Pricing policy

is highly competitive. We are convinced that reliable and low rate private transfer are the key importance to any Traveller, so the price quoted is the price you pay, there are no hidden extras for late arrivals, luggage, tolls, parking charges, fuel or vat. Our customers always receive the highest standard of professional and friendly service at a pre-agreed price. We have built our reputation on quality, reliability and value and our reputation is something you can trust.
We offer easy booking Online or by Phone +359897254232

No credit card required !!! Book now – pay on arrival !!!

For booking and inquiry :

www.transfersbulgaria.com

e mail: info@transfersbulgaria.com

Thessaloniki (Greek: Θεσσαλονίκη, IPA: [θesaloˈnici]), Thessalonica, or Salonica is the second-largest city in Greece and the capital of Macedonia. Its honorific title is Συμпρωτεύουσα (Symprotévousa), literally “co-capital”, a reference to its historical status as the Συμβασιλεύουσα (Symvasilévousa) or “co-reigning” city of the Byzantine Empire, alongside Constantinople. According to the 2001 census, the municipality of Thessaloniki had a population of 363,987, its Urban Area 800,764 and the Larger Urban Zone (LUZ) of Thessaloniki has an estimated 995,766 residents (2004).^[2].

Thessaloniki is Greece’s second major economic, industrial, commercial and political centre, and a major transportation hub for the rest of southeastern Europe; its commercial port is also of great importance for Greece and its southeast European hinterland. The city hosts an annual International Trade Fair, the Thessaloniki International Film Festival, and the largest bi-annual meeting of the Greek diaspora.^[3]

Thessaloniki is home to numerous notable Byzantine monuments, including the Paleochristian and Byzantine monuments of Thessalonika, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, as well as several Ottoman and Sephardic Jewish structures

All variations for the city’s name derive from the original (and current) appellation in Greek: Θεσσαλονίκη, literally translating to “Thessaly-victory” and in origin the name of a princess, Thessalonike of Macedon, who was so named because she was born on the day of the Macedonian victory at the Battle of Crocus Field.^[4] The alternative name Salonica, formerly the common name used in some western European languages, is derived from a variant form Σαλονίκη (Saloníki) in popular Greek speech. The city’s name is also rendered Thessaloníki or Saloníki with a dark l typical of Macedonian Greek.^[5][6] Names in other languages prominent in the city’s history include سلانيك in Ottoman Turkish and Selânik in modern Turkish, Solun (Cyrillic: Солун) in the South Slavic languages, Sãrunã in Aromanian, and Selanik/Salonika in Ladino. It is also known as ‘Thess’ by Anglophonic diaspora Greeks who returned to Greece and by the troops of the international forces stationed in the various ex-Yugoslav territories who visit the city for their breaks from duty

The city was founded around 315 BC by the King Cassander of Macedon, on or near the site of the ancient town of Therma and twenty-six other local villages^[7] He named it after his wife Thessalonike, a half-sister of Alexander the Great (Thessalo-nikē means the “Thessalian victory”)^[8] (See Battle of Crocus field). It was an autonomous part of the Kingdom of Macedon. After the fall of the kingdom of Macedon in 168 BC, Thessalonica became a city of the Roman Republic. It grew to be an important trade-hub located on the Via Egnatia and facilitated trade between Europe and Asia. The city became the capital of one of the four Roman districts of Macedonia.

When in 379 the Roman Prefecture of Illyricum was divided between East and West Roman Empires, Thessaloníki became the capital of the new Prefecture of Illyricum.^{[citation needed]} The economic expansion of the city continued through the twelfth century as the rule of the Komnenoi emperors expanded Byzantine control to the north. Thessaloniki passed out of Byzantine hands in 1204, when Constantinople was captured by the Fourth Crusade. Thessaloníki and its surrounding territory—the Kingdom of Thessalonica—became the largest fief of the Latin Empire. It also was ruled by the Despotate of Epirus between 1224 and 1246, and was a vassal state of the Second Bulgarian Empire between 1230 and 1246.

The city was recovered by the Byzantine Empire in 1246. In the 1340s, it was the scene of the anti-aristocratic Commune of the Zealots. In 1423, the Despot Andronicus who was in charge of the city handed it over to the Republic of Venice in the hope that it could be protected from the Ottomans (there is no evidence to support the oft-repeated story that he sold the city to them). The Venetians held Thessaloniki until it was captured by the Ottoman Sultan Murad II on 29 March 1430.^[9] Murad II took Thessaloniki with a brutal massacre^[10] and enslavement of roughly one-fifth of the native inhabitants.^[11] Upon the capture and plunder of Thessaloniki, many of its inhabitants escaped,^[12] including intellectuals Theodorus Gaza “Thessalonicensis” and Andronicus Callistus.^[13]

Theodorus Gaza (c. 1400–1475) called “Thessalonicensis”^[14] was a Thessaloniki born Greek Macedonian humanist of the 15th century.^[15]

During the Ottoman period, the city’s Muslim and Jewish population grew. By 1478 Selânik (سلانیك) – as the city came to be known in Ottoman Turkish – had a population of 4,320 Muslims and 6,094 Greek Orthodox, as well as some Catholics, but no Jews. By ca. 1500, the numbers had grown to 7,986 Greeks, 8,575 Muslims, and 3,770 Jews, but by 1519, the latter numbered 15,715, 54% of the city’s population. The invitation to Sephardic Jews expelled from Spain by Ferdinand and Isabella, was an Ottoman demographic strategy to prevent the Greek element from dominating the city.^[16]

By the 1680s, about 300 families of Sephardic Jews, followers of Sabbatai Zevi, had converted to Islam, becoming a sect known as the Dönmeh (convert), and migrated to majority-Jewish Salonika. There they established an active community that thrived for about 250 years. Many of their descendants later became prominent in trade.^[17]

Selanik was a sanjak capital in Rumeli Eyaleti (Balkans) until 1826, and subsequently the capital of Selanik Vilayeti (between 1826 and 1864 Selanik Eyaleti) This consisted of the sanjaks of Selanik, Serez and Drama between 1826 and 1912^{[citation needed]}. Thessaloniki was also a Janissary stronghold where novice Janissaries were trained. In June 1826 regular Turkish soldiers attacked and destroyed the Janissary bases, an event known as the The Auspicious Incident in Turkish history.

From 1870, driven by economic growth, the city’s population expanded by 70%, reaching 135,000 in 1917.^{[citation needed]}

During the First Balkan War, on 26 October 1912 (Old Style), the feast day of the city’s patron saint, Saint Demetrius, the Greek Army accepted the surrender of the Ottoman garrison at Thessalonika.

In 1915, during World War I, a large Allied expeditionary force landed at Thessaloniki as the base for operations against pro-German Bulgaria. This culminated in the establishment of the Macedonian or Salonika Front.^{[citation needed]} In 1916, pro-Venizelist Greek army officers, with the support of the Allies, launched the Movement of National Defence, which resulted in the establishment of a pro-Allied temporary government that controlled northern Greece and the Aegean, against the official government of the King in Athens.^{[citation needed]} This led the city to be dubbed as symprotévousa (”co-capital”).^{[citation needed]} Most of the old town was destroyed by a single fire on 18 August [O.S. 5 August] 1917,^{[citation needed]} which was accidentally sparked by French soldiers in encampments at the city. The fire left some 72,000 homeless, many of them Turkish, of a population of approximately 271,157 at the time.^{[citation needed]}

The Metropolitan Church of Thessaloniki, Saint Gregory Palamas.

During World War II, Thessaloniki fell to the forces of Nazi Germany on April 22, 1941, and remained under German occupation until October 30, 1944. The city suffered considerable damage from Allied bombing. In 1943, 50,000 of the city’s Jews were deported to concentration camps, where most were murdered in the gas chambers.^[18] Eleven thousand Jews were deported to forced labor camps, most of whom perished.^[18] One survivor was Salamo Arouch, a boxing champion, who lived at Auschwitz by entertaining the Nazis with his boxing skills.^[18]

Thessaloniki was rebuilt after the war with large-scale development of new infrastructure and industry throughout the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s. On 20 June 1978, the city was hit by a powerful earthquake, registering a moment magnitude of 6.5.^{[citation needed]} The tremor caused considerable damage to several buildings and ancient monuments; forty people were crushed to death when an entire apartment block collapsed in the central Hippodromio district.^{[citation needed]}

Early Christian and Byzantine monuments of Thessaloniki were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list in 1988. Thessaloniki was the European Capital of Culture in 1997, when it sponsored events across the city and region. In 2004 the city hosted a number of the football (soccer) events, forming part of the 2004 Summer Olympics.

Transfers Bulgaria transportation company provide private transfer service from PAMPOROVO  to BANSKO for 140 euro.

For early and return booking – discount !!! Quoted price is per vehicle not per person !!!

Welcome to Transfers Bulgaria

Transfers Bulgaria is a company who specialise in transporting passengers and goods to all four corners of Bulgaria and beyond. The company was established in 2002 by a team with a very reliable background in the Security and Transportation industry. We offer the highest standard of service from our highly qualified, fully vetted staff. Our employees are multi lingual with English, Russian, German, French, Turkish, and Greek catered for. Our drivers have full training to advanced driving qualification; they also take pride in making your trip a safe, comfortable and relaxing experience.

Lets enjoy a pleasant trip together!

Meet & Greet

Our very Professional, friendly and approachable drivers will meet you at the designated airport terminal, hotel reception or your requested address holding your name board, they will carefully assist you with your luggage and take you to your destination in the comfort of our very comfortable vehicles at a pre-agreed, one off, FIXED all inclusive price.

Pricing policy

is highly competitive. We are convinced that reliable and low rate private transfer are the key importance to any Traveller, so the price quoted is the price you pay, there are no hidden extras for late arrivals, luggage, tolls, parking charges, fuel or vat. Our customers always receive the highest standard of professional and friendly service at a pre-agreed price. We have built our reputation on quality, reliability and value and our reputation is something you can trust.
We offer easy booking Online or by Phone +359897254232

No credit card required !!! Book now – pay on arrival !!!

For booking and inquiry :

www.transfersbulgaria.com

e mail: info@transfersbulgaria.com

Bansko (Bulgarian: Банско) is a town and ski resort in southwestern Bulgaria, located at the foot of Pirin at an altitude of 925 m above sea level.

Bansko is the birthplace of 20th century Bulgarian poet Nikola Vaptsarov and Bulgarian enlighteners Paisiy Hilendarski and Neofit Rilski.

There are several legends about who founded Bansko. According to one of them, Bansko was founded by people who lived in Dobarsko, a village in Rila, itself according to a legend founded by the blinded army of Tsar Samuil. Another legend claims that Bansko was founded by an Italian painter by the name of Ciociolino, hence the existence of the name Chucholin in Bansko.

Still according to another version it was a Slavic tribe called the Peruns, who lived in Pirin and worshiped Perun, that founded the village later to become a town. There are a number of ethnographic texts, legends, prayers and oratories, which lend credence to this legend

The archeological traces of the inhabitants of Bansko and the Razlog Valley in general date to the early periods of the Roman Empire. There are several housing structures at the outskirts of the town, which date to 100 BC. However, there is no consensus nor credible theory on who these people were.

The Bulgarian Evangelical Church Community, the first Protestant church in Bulgaria, was founded in Bansko on 6 August 1868.[1]

Until 5 October 1912, Baniçka (Bansko’s former name) was a part of the Ottoman Empire, but enjoyed a quasi self-rule autonomy granted by the sultan. The town was ruled by an assembly of the elders, while justice was administered by the Ottoman judge in Razlog. It was incorporated in Bulgaria in 1912 as a result of the First Balkan War.

Bansko, once mainly a stockbreeding and travelling merchant community, has nowadays become a centre of winter and summer tourism. The mountain peaks near the town, the numerous lakes and the old pine woods make it a popular site for recreation. In recent years, the town has gained international popularity after the start of the annual Bansko Jazz Festival and consequently the annual Bansko pop-star concert featuring top pop stars. The nearby village of Banya, located only 5 km from the town, is known for its 27 thermal mineral springs.

A new gondola lift was built in 2003 to replace a minibus ride up to the ski slopes of Todorka. The slopes are suitable for all level skiers – from the very beginners to ones who love extreme slopes. A few competitions take place annually alpine ski disciplines and also biathlon competitions. In Bansko will take part – the women’s world cup for the alpine ski discplines. It is expected that the world cup for summer biathlon will also take part in the resort of Bansko. The town is served by a scenic narrow gauge railway from Septemvri to Dobrinishte.

Since the 2008–2009 season, Bansko has been hosting ladies’ races from the Alpine Skiing World Cup.[2]

PAMPOROVO

Pamporovo (Bulgarian: Пампорово) is a popular ski resort in Smolyan Province, southern Bulgaria, one of the best-known in Southeastern Europe. It is set amongst magnificent pine forests and is primarily visited during the winter for skiing and snowboarding. It is also a popular tourist place in summer. The hub of Pamporovo comprises a number of excellent hotels and bars. It is also one of the southernmost skiing resorts in Europe. It is a family-friendly resort and suited for complete beginners and intermediates.

The resort is set in the southern Rhodope Mountains at an altitude of 1620 meters above sea level. The highest peak in the area, Snezhanka (Bulgarian: Снежанка) at 1928 m, is several hundred meters above the resort. Pamporovo is around 260 km away from Sofia, 85 km south of Plovdiv, 15 km north of Smolyan, and 10 km south of Chepelare.

The resort has 25 km of ski-runs and 38 km of cross-country skiing tracks served by 18 lifts with a total capacity of 8500 persons per hour. Four snow-levelling machines and six snow cannons guarantee skiers comfortable and enjoyable downhill rides. More than 100 highly qualified ski instructors, fluent in various languages, are available to aid both beginners and intermediate skiers as well as snowboarders. Some new runs have been created and there is now another chairlift in operation.

The winters in Pamporovo tend to be mild, but have around 150 days of snowfall each year. This combination allows for a long skiing season at the resort. Pamporovo is renowned for its large number of sunny days during the winter, often topping 120 days from December to May. The average January temperature is −3 degrees Celsius (or 26.6 F).

Much of the older development of the Pamporovo resort lies to the northeast of Snezhanka. Now, to the south there is an up-market residential development called the Pine Lodge, conveniently adjacent to the Smolyan Lakes ski lift. There are plans afoot to build two golf courses and to extend the whole skiing area to the Perelik mountain. The Pine Lodge faces the south towards the land of Spartacus, within neighbouring Greece; and a new EU-funded highway will make the Greek coast accessible by car.

In January 2010 a new passport control point was opened between Bulgaria and Greece which is just half an hour away from Pamporovo, allowing everybody who is skiing to get to the Greek sea in no more than an hour by car. This brought considerable attention by tourists and media to the resort as being the only one in Europe to allow for such a short time to switch from skiing to swimming

Transfers Bulgaria transportation company provide private transfer service from PLOVDIV AIRPORT to SHUMEN for 179 euro.

For early and return booking – discount !!! Quoted price is per vehicle not per person !!!

Welcome to Transfers Bulgaria

Transfers Bulgaria is a company who specialise in transporting passengers and goods to all four corners of Bulgaria and beyond. The company was established in 2002 by a team with a very reliable background in the Security and Transportation industry. We offer the highest standard of service from our highly qualified, fully vetted staff. Our employees are multi lingual with English, Russian, German, French, Turkish, and Greek catered for. Our drivers have full training to advanced driving qualification; they also take pride in making your trip a safe, comfortable and relaxing experience.

Lets enjoy a pleasant trip together!

Meet & Greet

Our very Professional, friendly and approachable drivers will meet you at the designated airport terminal, hotel reception or your requested address holding your name board, they will carefully assist you with your luggage and take you to your destination in the comfort of our very comfortable vehicles at a pre-agreed, one off, FIXED all inclusive price.

Pricing policy

is highly competitive. We are convinced that reliable and low rate private transfer are the key importance to any Traveller, so the price quoted is the price you pay, there are no hidden extras for late arrivals, luggage, tolls, parking charges, fuel or vat. Our customers always receive the highest standard of professional and friendly service at a pre-agreed price. We have built our reputation on quality, reliability and value and our reputation is something you can trust.
We offer easy booking Online or by Phone +359897254232

No credit card required !!! Book now – pay on arrival !!!

For booking and inquiry :

www.transfersbulgaria.com

e mail: info@transfersbulgaria.com

Shumen (Bulgarian: Шумен) is a city in the northeastern part of Bulgaria, capital of Shumen Province. From 1950–1965 it was called Kolarovgrad, after Vasil Kolarov. Other English variants include Shoumen and Šumen. The city has a population of 103,016 by permanent address (2006).

The city lies 80 km west of Varna and is built within a cluster of hills, northern outliers of the eastern Balkans, which curve round it on the west and north in the shape of a horse-shoe. A rugged ravine intersects the ground longitudinally within the horse-shoe ridge. From Shumen roads radiate northwards to the Danubian cities of Rousse and Silistra and to Dobruja, southwards to the passes of the Balkans, and eastwards to Varna and Balchik.

In 811 Shumen was burned by the emperor Nicephorus, and in 1087 it was besieged by Alexius I. During the golden age of Bulgarian culture under Simeon the Great (866-927), Shumen was a centre of cultural and religious activity, and may have born the name Simeonis. Until the 15th century, the city was located around the Shumen Fortress, a sophisticated complex of defensive installations, religious and civil buildings.

In 1388 the sultan Murad I forced it to surrender to the Ottoman Turks. After Władysław Warneńczyk’s unsuccessful crusade in 1444, the city was destroyed by the Ottomans and moved to its present location. It was known by the Ottomans as Şumnu. In the 18th century it was enlarged and fortified. Three times, in 1774, 1810 and 1828, it was unsuccessfully attacked by Russian armies. The Turks consequently gave it the name of Gazi (”Victorious”). In 1854 it was the headquarters of Omar Pasha and the point at which the Turkish army concentrated

During the 19th century Shumen was an important centre of the Bulgarian National Revival, with the first celebration of Cyril and Methodius in the Bulgarian lands taking place on 11 May 1813 and the first theatre performance. A girls’ religious school was established in 1828, a class school for girls and a chitalishte (community centre) followed in 1856. The first Bulgarian symphony orchestra was founded in the city in 1850. In the same year, influential Hungarian politician and revolutionary leader Lajos Kossuth spent a part of his exile in the then-Ottoman town of Shumen. The house he lived in is still preserved as a museum.

On the 22nd June 1878 Shumen finally capitulated to the Russians and became part of the newly-independent Principality of Bulgaria. In 1882 the Shumen Brewery, one of the first breweries in Bulgaria, was founded