SLIVEN lies at the feet of craggy mountains that once sheltered so many bands of haiduti that Bulgarians called it the “town of the hundred voivods” after the number of their chieftains. The heyday of famous haiduti such as Hadzhi Dimitar and Panayot Hitov coincided with the industrialization of Sliven, where Bulgaria`s first textile factory was established in 1834 – its founder, Dobri Zhelyazkov (known as Fabrikadzhiyata, “the gaffer”), acquired parts and plans of looms by smuggling them back from Russia in bags of wool. The industry grew rapidly, and Sliven was soon likened to a “Bulgarian Manchester”. Nowadays, Sliven makes a good stop-off between Sofia and Burgas on the coast – not so much for the town itself as for the Blue Rocks on its outskirts, and the lure of travelling over the mountains to Zheravna and Kotel, two “heritage” villages at the end of a wonderful bus ride. Arrival and accommodation Arriving at the train station at the far, southern end of bul. Hadzhi Dimitar, catch a minibus or trolleybus #1 up bul. Tsar Simeon and alight at the market, near the main square. It`s a fifteen-minute walk into the centre from the bus station, further up Hadzhi Dimitar, which brings you out on bul. Tsar Osvoboditel. With the demise of two hotels in the vicinity, the 2-star Hotel Sliven (044/ 27065) now has a monopoly, though its tourist services desk might arrange private rooms. The only alternatives are outside town, notably the stylish Hotel Alpina (044/73016 or 89215), by the foot of the chairlift to the Blue Rocks; and Aglika campsite (mid-May to Sept; with chalets) near the Turkish-built thermal baths of Slivenski Bani, 9km southwest of town (bus #6 from the market). The Town A sprawl of apartments and red-roofed houses, Sliven converges on a leafy plaza where the high-rise Hotel Sliven and a modernistic theatre-nightclub complex fail to provide the focal point that the planners have evidently been groping for. The square is named pl. Hadzhi Dimitar after Sliven`s most famous son (1840-68), a statue of whom stands to the northeast of the hotel. To learn more about Dimitar, head off past the Deboya or “Depot” – once an arsenal and then a caravanserai – through the c`overed market beside the River Asenovska, crossed by a rickety footbridge. Down a sideroad, the Hadzhi Dimitar House-Museum (Tues-Sun 9am-noon & 2-5pm) honours the man who became Panaiot Hitov`s standard-bearer by the age of twenty, later teaming up with Stefan Karadzha in Romania to form a cheta that made guerrilla raids into Bulgaria. Eventually Turkish troops caught up with them at Mt Buzludzha, where Dimitar fell in battle, and Karadzha was clapped in irons and taken to be hanged in Ruse. The building itself used to be an inn, run by Dimitar`s father; today you can see everything set up as it was when he lived here. Frugal bedding on the floor denotes the guests` sleeping quarters: the family lived in the more comfortable rooms to the rear, dining on a balcony carpeted with rush mats. Along bulevard Tsar Osvoboditel and ulitsa Rakovski Sliven`s other sights can be found along two streets running eastwards from the main square. Bulevard Tsar Osvoboditel is an attractive pedestrian zone of shops and cafes, ending in a flourish of banks and fountains. Notice the thouВ¬sand-year-old oak tree that survived the burning of medieval Sliven by the Turks. Among the best of the collection at the History Museum at no. 18 (Tues-Sun 9am-noon & 2-5pm) are funerary relics from Kaloyanovo – where a Thracian chieftain was buried with his favourite horse and Greek pottery – and a collection of superbly intricate shishane rifles, showing the artistry of nineteenth-century local gunsmiths. There`s an Exhibition of Religious Art (Tues-Sun l0am-noon & 2-5pm) further on, across the road. Ulitsa G.S. Rakovski is a lot longer; hop on a bus to avoid the one-kilometre walk to the confluence of the Selishtna and Novoselka rivers, from which the town`s name (literally “confluence”) derives. En route, you`ll skirt Sliven`s nineВ¬teenth-century residential suburbs, characterized by narrow alleys and low whiteВ¬washed houses with pantiled roofs, behind high garden walls. 123►

The Panagyurishte gold treasure (Bulgarian: Панагюрско златно съкровище) is a Thracian treasure excavated in Bulgaria. It was excavated by Bulgarians in the 20th century near the town of Panagyurishte in the Pazardzhik Province. It consists of a phial, an amphora and seven rhytons with total weight of 6,164 kg of pure gold. All of the objects are richly decorated with scenes of the Thracian myths, customs and life. It is dated from the 4th-3th centuries BC. It is kept in the Plovdiv Archaeological Museum, if not in a temporary exhibition in the country or abroad.

ABOUT THE TOWN OF YAMBOL

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The town of Yambol has population of 94 345 inhabitants and it is at 135 meters above the sea level. It is situated in the eastern part of the Gornotrakiiska valley. It is at 37 km. north of Elhovo, 106 km. west of Bourgas, 28 km. south – east of Sliven, 304 km. east of Sofia. It is one of the oldest Bulgarian towns.
HISTORY

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The earliest traces of communal life were discovered in the dozens of pre – historic living mounds. The so called Racheva and Marcheva mounds are located on the territory of the present day town. Some of the finds recovered there are kept in the Archeological museum in Sofia, and predominantly in the Museum of History in Yambol. The ancient town sprang up as a Thracian settlement called “Kabile” at an important crossroads. Later it became a significant fortress. During the Roman domination the town reached its prime. On his way trough the town in 293 emperor Diokletian gave it the name of “Disopolos”. It existed till 378 when the Goths destroyed it. The first written information dates back to 6 th century. Since 11 – 14 th centuries it was mentioned as a Bulgarian town having different names – “Diosopolis”, “Dublino”, etc. The town was among the first to put up resistance to the Ottomans. It was conquered in 1373 after a long siege. Part of the imposing fortress walls and towers of medieval, Yambol have been preserved till this very day. During the Turkish rule many Turks settled to live here, and after the Russian – Turkish war of 1829 many Bulgarians from the town and the vicinity emigrated to Russia. The town is a native place of the revolutionaries Radi Kolesov, Zahari Velichkov, etc. The Russian armies liberated the town in January 1878. In memory of this act the people built and inaugurated the St. Alexandar Nevski Temple – the first monument of the Bulgarian – Russian friendship in Bulgaria.
LANDMARKS

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The “St. George” church (45, “St. Georgi” str.) dates back to 1737 and it was the center of cultural and religious life. A monastery school was opened in 1805, and in 1857 a class school where Dobri Chintolov was a teacher in the period between 1857 and 1862.
Eski Mosque from 15 th century is the only preserved Muslim worship place in Yambol. The Museum of History ( 2 “Byalo More” str.) – working hours: 8.00 – 12.00 a.m. and 1.00 – 5.00 p.m.
The “George Papazov” Art Gallery, housed in an interesting antique building it is one of the richest galleries in the country. It possesses more than 3 000 works of dozens of outstanding Bulgarian and foreign painters. The town park of Yambol is very beautiful. It is an island in the Tundja river.
TRANSPORT

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There are bus lines to Sliven, Nova Zagora, Elhovo, Sredets, etc. The bus station is situated near the market place (+359 46/23654, 24417). The town is a point on the railway line Sofia –Plovdiv –Bourgas. The railway station (+359 46/22626, 22254) is in the eastern part of the town. There is a railway bureau for reservations in the town (+359 46/22121).
SURROUNDING AREAS

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The Archaeological reserve “Kabile” is situated north of the town. It preserves the ruins of the most significant antique Thracian town of Kabile which has been investigated for more than 25 years. The remains are really impressive. The St.St.Spas and Alexander Nevski temple on the peak of Bakadjik, 14 km. south – east of Yambol. Its construction was suggested by General Skobelev, and realized with the help of the voluntary donations from Bulgaria and Russia. A favorite place of the inhabitants of Yambol for having a rest is the wood Ormana near the Tundja River, 5 km north to the town. The lowlands of Bakadjitsite are a wonderful sight for tourism because of the deciduous woods.

Provadia is located on 55 km. from the town of Varna. Provadia is a settlement with above 15 century history. The archaeological date refer to the oldest traces from a human activity in the area of the town about V century before Christ. It is considering that the town is established as a fortress of Byzantium against the invading from North martial tribes. The Byzantium called it Provat (pass;narrow). About the end of XI century the Bulgarians put the name Ovech, probably because of well developed sheep-breeding.

During 1388 year after a continuous siege, Ovech is affected by the Turkish people. The conqueror called it Provadia, also Tash Hissar. The emancipation of Bulgaria from Ottoman slavery leaves Provadia with about 3500 citizens. For a short term of time Provadia is a regional center in Principality Bulgaria. In 1881 year it became a country town.