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Sliven is a town in southeastern Bulgaria, located near Yambol and Nova Zagora. It is the eighth largest in the country and is the administrative center of Sliven municipality. Sliven is known as the City of the Hundred Voivodes connected with the haidouk movement. According to the latest NSI data as of December 31, 2019, the population of Sliven is 86,505 people, which makes it the eighth largest Bulgarian city.
Sliven is under No. 54 in the 100 national tourist sites of Bulgaria,
compared to: Hadji Dimitar House Museum, National Museum of the Textile
Industry and Dimitar Dobrovich Art Gallery
The old elm
The old
elm tree that grows in the city center (the beginning of the pedestrian
zone on "Tsar Osvoboditel" Blvd.) is a tree of the Polish elm species
(Ulmus kampestris), and is about 1300 years old, it has been declared a
protected site to be guarded from the country. It is a remnant of the
Great Bulgarian Forest (Silva Magna Bulgarica), which stretched from the
Rhodopes to the Black Sea. About 20 such elms are left in the village of
Samuilovo, 7 km from Sliven. All are declared protected sites and care
is taken for their preservation. In order to stop possible putrefactive
processes or the breeding of microorganisms, the cavities are filled
with reinforcing filling, leaving openings for natural ventilation.
According to legend, the Old Elm was used by the Ottoman Turks to hang
captured outlaws:
This tree is known, it is one of the symbols of the
city. A place of worship and a shrine, a monument to the rebellious
indomitability of the people of Sliven, the Old Elm is at the same time
a poignant, tenacious representative of an already dying species. It is
not known whether it was here that the enslaver hanged the heroic
ancestors centuries ago, but the people of the city love this fallen
sage and support him. (Damyan Damyanov) "
In 2014, it was voted
"European Tree of the Year" with 77,526 votes.
In 2018, the
condition of the tree worsened. Main skeletal branches wither. The
municipal authorities, specialists from the country and abroad are
looking for the best opportunity to keep the elm alive, but their
attempts have been unsuccessful.
Tuida Fortress
"Tuida" is an
early Byzantine and medieval fortress, the remains of which are located
on the Hisarlka hill in the north-eastern part of Sliven, from which
there is a unique view of the majestic "Blue Stones" and the city (the
hill is located next to the "Novo Selo" quarter). It is part of the
fortification system of Staroplanin, which had an extremely important
role in the defense of the Roman Empire, later also of the early
Byzantine Empire, and also for the medieval Bulgarian state. After a
certain interruption, the archaeological excavations of the fortress
started again in 2004. Their goal is the final study and conservation of
the architectural-archaeological monuments, the exposition of the
fortress with a view to turning it into one of the remarkable tourist
attractions of the city.
Carandilla area
The locality
"Karandila" is located 10 km from the city of Sliven and is part of the
"Sinite Kamani" nature park.
In the locality there are rest
stations, an artificially created lake, a sports and tourist complex -
"Blue Stones". Here are the TV tower and a platform that is used for
hang gliding and paragliding.
Possibilities for reaching the
locality: by lift, the starting station of which is 1 km from Sliven;
according to the so-called "Haidushka trail" - on foot; on an asphalt
road from the city to the locality.
Clocktower
The old clock
tower is located in the center of Sliven, next to 5 SU "P. Yavorov". It
was built in 1808. It also served as a fire station. In 1936, a strong
storm destroyed the upper wooden part, which was restored about sixty
years later - in the original form of the 19th century.
Blue
Stones Nature Park
The Blue Stones Nature Park is located in the
Eastern Stara Planina. To the south of it, in the immediate vicinity, is
the town of Sliven. The Blue Stones was declared a natural (then
national) park in 1980. In 2002, its scope was expanded.
The park
occupies an area of 11,380.1 hectares, representing springs, peaks,
rocks, forests and meadows.
The highest point of the nature park
is Mount Bulgarka (1181 m).
On the territory of the park there
are many natural attractions, among which the so-called rock phenomena.
The local flora and fauna is represented by various species, some of
which are included in the Red Book of Bulgaria.
Monument to Hadji
Dimitar and the Sliven revivalists
The monument to Hadji Dimitar and
the Sliven revivalists is located on the square of the same name in the
center of Sliven. The monument was built in 1931-1935 and is a 12-meter
pedestal on which is placed the nearly 4-meter sculpture of the Sliven
voivode Hadji Dimitar. In the foundations are sculpted busts of other
prominent freedom fighters from this region, including Dobri Chintulov,
Panayot Hitov, Georgi Ikonomov and others.
The native house of
the voivode, from the end of the 18th, beginning of the 19th century, is
currently a house museum at the RIM - Sliven. It is a cultural monument
and is open to visitors.
Theaters
Theatrical traditions in Sliven began 140 years ago, when
the first theater stage was opened in the city. In 1918, the first
professional theater troupe was created in the "Zora" community center.
Currently, the Stefan Kirov Drama Theater is a professional state
theater. The new theater building was built in 1986 and has a large hall
(484 seats), a chamber hall (121 seats), a ballet hall, a spacious lobby
on two levels with a bar for spectators, an administrative part. In
2008, the theater celebrated its 90th anniversary.
The State
Puppet Theater - Sliven was established in 1961 (then independent, since
1971 it has been state-owned), it is located in the renovated building
of the former "Balkan" cinema in the 1980s.
Museums
Regional
History Museum "Simeon Tabakov"
The Hadji Dimitar House Museum
National Museum of the Textile Industry
Dobri Chintulov House Museum
The house museum of Sliven city life from the 19th century
Galleries
Orphan Tramp Hall
Dimitar Dobrovich Art Gallery
May
Gallery
Reading centers and cultural centers
Sava Dobroplodni
Regional Library
People's community center "Hadji Dimitar"
People's community center "Zora" has a long history and it houses the
oldest book in Sliven, dating from the beginning of the Ottoman rule for
the Bulgarians. Its first page is inscribed OPERVM/ 'ARISTOTELIS' TOMVS
II/ LIRORVMAPI, and the year 1597 is modestly marked at the bottom.
The book was printed 200 years after the fall of Bulgaria under
Ottoman rule and its age is 410 years. An interesting fact is that this
book was published only 141 years after the Gutenberg Bible. The owner
of the antique is unknown. There is an assumption that it is from the
collection of Dr. Ivan Seliminski or someone else from the revivalists
who donated all their archives to the community library "Zora". Its
binding is of thin, well-finished lambskin that looks like the old
papyri that people once wrote on. The pages number about 1,500 and are
handmade from paper that has survived to this day. The printed font is
the work of a jeweler.
Club of cultural workers
Sliven Hall
Music
Symphony Orchestra - Sliven is a classical symphony
orchestra in the city of Sliven. Together with the orchestras in Ruse
and Shumen, the symphony orchestra in Sliven is one of the earliest
established classical orchestras in post-liberation Bulgaria. The
orchestra was founded by the prominent public figure, violinist and
conductor Mikhail Todorov, better known as Misho Todorov.
Mixed Choir
"Dobri Chintulov" at the People's Community Center "Zora 1860" is a
classical (schooled) choir in the city of Sliven.
The military brass
band at the Specialist Training Center - Sliven was established in 1886
as the band of the "11th Infantry Regiment". Iosif Kolomatti was
appointed as its first conductor.
Ensemble for folk songs and dances
- Sliven was created in 1959 in the city of Sliven to search for and
creatively recreate Bulgarian folklore, to transform the beauty of
authentic folklore samples on stage and on air, as well as creating
works based on folklore with the participation of contemporary artists -
composers, choreographers, musicians, artists, poets. In 1977, it
received the status of a professional ensemble. Its repertoire contains
many songs and dances from the vast folklore heritage of the Sliven
region, as well as musical and dance compositions from all regions of
the country.
In the creative activity of the ensemble there are
unique music and dance compositions: "Kotlenska sedyanka" - theater and
dance performance; "Sliven rhythms"; "Thracian Suite"; "Wedding Tunes";
choral compositions and compositions based on the dance and song
richness of other regions, such as the "Shop Suite", "Pirin Suite" and
"Dobrudzhan Suite".
The ensemble has had 5,000 concert
appearances in Bulgaria and abroad during its 50-year history. He
participated in various programs in Russia, Ukraine, North Korea,
Germany, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Romania, France, Spain, Yugoslavia,
Turkey, Moldova, Tunisia, Jordan. Audio and video recordings of the
ensemble can be seen and heard on Bulgarian National Television,
Bulgarian National Radio and other media.
Since its creation, the
"Sliven" Ensemble has been awarded many honors and awards, the most
important of which are: 1986 - Holder of the Order of "Kyril and
Methodius" - 1st degree for active creative and performing activity and
in connection with 25 years since its creation . 1999 - "Golden Lira" -
award of the Union of Bulgarian Music and Dance Artists and the Ministry
of Culture for the 40th anniversary. 2009 - "Crystal Lyre" - award of
the Union of Bulgarian Music and Dance Artists and the Ministry of
Culture for the performances "Haidushka Kletva" and "Horo se vie sred
Sliven" and the 50th anniversary.
Many of the performers of the
Ensemble are winners of the individual awards of the Union of Bulgarian
Music and Dance Artists - gold, silver and bronze lyre.
The
ensemble is the winner of prestigious awards from national and
international folklore festivals and competitions. He performed concerts
with the participation of famous guest performers such as: Teodosii
Spasov, Dinka Ruseva, Elena Gramatikova, Krasimir Stanev, Zhechka
Slaninkova, Danislav Kehaiov, Vanya Valkova, Pepi Hristozova, Todor
Kozhuharov, Hristina Anastasova, Desi Slava, Tsvetelina and the Dinevi
sisters. He also took part in theater productions under the direction of
Nikolay Aprilov.
With its repertoire, the "Sliven" ensemble can
successfully present Bulgarian folklore in the country and abroad. Over
50 dance performances and suites, 30 orchestral compositions and 100
folk songs from different regions of Bulgaria are included in a program
lasting between 15 minutes and 2 hours. Ensemble for folk songs and
dances "Sliven" consists of a director, an orchestra, a choir and a
dance group.
Bravo Youth Dance Group,
Children's folklore
dance troupe "Bulgarian",
Representative children's dance ensemble
"Trakiiche", led by Mircho Dermenski and Violina Petkova
Children's
Choir "Friendly Song" at the Center for Support for Personal Development
- Children's Complex - Sliven was founded in 1969 by Metodiy Grigorov.
United School of Arts "Misho Todorov" at the People's Community Center
"Dawn 1860"
The town of Sliven is located at the foot of the southern slopes of
the Sliven mountain range, where the Eastern Stara mountain range
begins. The borders of the Sliven Mountain are determined by the
"Vratnik" Pass and the Sliven Pass. It is characterized by steep and
rocky slopes and deep cuts from the Tundzha and Luda Kamchia
tributaries. Parvenets is Mount Bulgarka with a height of 1181 m. To the
north and northeast of the city is the "Blue Stones" nature park, which
covers nearly eleven thousand and a half hectares of the Sliven Balkan.
The Sliven field is the last of the Sub-Balkan fields in the eastern
direction, since what we call Sredna gora, in orographic terms, curves
south near Sliven. Its morphographic continuations are the Bakadjitsi,
the St. branch. The Ilia Heights, the Monastery Heights and Sakar on the
territory of Bulgaria. Until the first quarter of the 19th century, the
Sliven field was part of the Rose Valley, but waves of emigration from
the city after the Russo-Turkish wars of 1806-1812 and 1828-1829 led to
the decline of rose oil production. To the east of the city is the
"Valley of Peaches", whose huge fruit orchards underwent renewal in the
first decade of the 21st century.
Sliven is located 308 km from
the capital Sofia, 178 km from Plovdiv, 221 km from Varna, 114 km from
Burgas and 130 km from the borders with the Republic of Greece and the
Republic of Turkey. It is planned that the route of the Pan-European
Transport Corridor 8 will pass through Sliven.
The location of
Sliven is favorable because it is at a crossroads - it is close to
Prohoda na Republika, also to the "Petolatchka" road junction,
connecting North and South Bulgaria, the connection to the built Trakia
highway is 15 km in the south direction (toward Yambol), and the main
road between Burgas and Sofia connects Burgas Port and Burgas Airport
with the central part of the country.
The city falls into the transitional-continental climate zone and is geographically located in the sub-Balkan Sliven field. There is a pronounced four-seasonality – winter is mild, summer is relatively warm, autumn is longer than spring. The falling pine wind, which blows at lower temperatures in Northern Bulgaria, is characteristic.
Three rivers flow through Sliven: Asenovska, also known as Asenovitsa or Korucha, Manastirska reka and Novoselska reka, with Manastirska being a tributary of Novoselska. All of them flow into the Tundzha, and through it into the White Sea. The largest river that flows near Sliven is Tundzha.
Old forms of the name Sliven are Savulen, Tsoida, Tuida, Islimie,
Istlifanos, Selimno, Svilne, Slivno, Slivne.
Named Sliwno, it can
be seen on an ethnological map of the spread of Hellenism compiled by
Prof. Georgios Soteriadis of the University of Athens. It dates from the
beginning of the 20th century, probably around 1916.
In his book
"Origin and meaning of the names of our cities, villages, rivers,
mountains and places", Vasil Mikov derives the name of Sliven as the
name of a place where three rivers merge.
Traces of the oldest settlements on the territory of Sliven are dated
to the Neolithic Age - the sixth millennium BC. Remains of primitive
stone tools were found in the area of Hisarlaka. Traces of a Thracian
settlement from the V-III centuries BC were also found there, including
Thracian ceramics and Hellenistic coins. The surroundings of today's
city of Sliven were settled by the Thracian tribes Asti, Kabileti and
Seleti. Their independence lasted until the time of Philip of Macedon
and Alexander the Great, who subdued them, but not for long. In the same
era, Persians, Celts and Bastarni carried out campaigns through
Slivensko.
In the II century BC the Roman conquests in Northeast
Thrace begin. The area of Sliven became part of the Roman Empire, most
likely around 72-71 BC, when Kabyle and Apollonia were conquered. In 46
B.C. the land of the city was included in the newly created Roman
province of Thrace.
A new stage of the habitation of Hisarluk is
from the beginning of the new era - II - IV century. The first written
sources for the name of the then settlement - Tuida - were also found
from this period. The name is most likely Thracian, with an unclear
meaning. It is also mentioned by Hierocles, who identifies it as one of
the four cities in the East Roman province of Hemimontus, created as
part of the Diocese of Thrace under Diocletian, besides its capital
Adrianople, and also by Procopius of Caesarea in On the Constructions.
For the needs of this city, the Roman road from Anchialo along the upper
course of the Tunja to Serdica in the west was also built.
In an
inscription found from the beginning of the 3rd century, the settlement
was called a "marketplace" and it most likely belonged to the territory
of the city of Augusta Traiana (now Stara Zagora). The good economic
opportunities of the settlement are also visible from the sanctuary of
Zeus and Apollo, which was discovered on its territory.
After the
transfer of the capital of the Roman Empire to Constantinople, the
settlement was strengthened by erecting a fortress on the hill. The
technique used was three-row brick belts and wall pillars, which ended
with brick arches. There was also a secret passage to the river to the
west.
The fortress escaped the invasion of the Goths in 378, but
was destroyed during the invasions of the Huns in the 5th century. It
was rebuilt during the reign of Emperor Anastasius I (491 – 518), and
the new fortress kept the plan of the old one, but was significantly
stronger. The brick belts are now five-row, and stone staircases have
been added on the eastern and southern walls. Construction has also
begun on an additional protective wall one meter and eighty centimeters
outside the main one.
In the interior of the ancient fortress,
near its eastern wall, the remains of a basilica with a baptistery,
which functioned in the V-VI centuries, have been excavated. It was
destroyed most likely by the Huns and rebuilt at the time of Justinian
I. A larger church was discovered south of the fortress, in today's Novo
Selo district - it was built in the 5th century and expanded in the 6th
century. This testifies that the settlement was not limited only to the
territory of the fortification - about 40 acres, but also extended into
the surrounding area.
From the "List of Epiphanes" it is clear
that the city of Thuida/Zoida was the seat of a bishop subordinate to
the Metropolitanate of Adrianople. Related to the latter is the curious
fact that until that time the episcopal seat was the larger and richer
city of Kabyle. In the 4th century, most likely due to the proximity of
the two cities, which are in different provinces, Kabyle was abandoned,
and its population moved to Diospol - today's Yambol. However, for
unknown reasons, the seat of the bishop was moved to Tuida, which very
likely started the proverbial rivalry between Sliven and Yambol.
Tuida/Zoida ceased to exist around 598-599 when it was destroyed again,
most likely by Avars and Slavs. There is a hypothesis that this happened
as part of a big battle between the Avars and the Byzantine general
Comentius.
The region of Sliven entered the borders of the First Bulgarian
State around 705 as part of the Slavic-inhabited region of Zagore,
given to Tervel according to his treaty with the Byzantine Emperor
Justinian II Rinotmet. In place of Tuida arose an old Bulgarian
settlement, whose name is unknown. Its beginning is not dated, but
it is before 870, when a lead seal of Prince Boris-Mikhail was
found. The Bulgarians are repairing the fortress walls, even the
water supply system at the northern gate. New buildings are being
built inside, some of which are lined with marble slabs made in
stone studios in Preslav. From this period were found several bricks
engraved on them the proto-Bulgarian sign "epsilon", flanked by two
hasti.
Bone remains of 14 species of wild and domestic birds
from the 10th to the 12th century were found in the early Bulgarian
settlement in the Hisarlaka locality by the paleoornitologist Prof.
Zlatozar Boev. the country. Poultry farming was based on raising a
domestic hen (Gallus gallus f. Domestica) and a domestic goose
(Anser anser f. Domestica). Finding the remains of 4 copies. of a
large hawk (Accipiter gentilis) suggests that the villagers
practiced hawking - hunting with trained birds of prey. This is
indirect evidence of their high material status.
The city
continues to exist after the destruction of the First Bulgarian
State. In the middle of the tenth century it was briefly in the
possession of the Pechenegs, after which it began to decline. In
1153, Sliven was first mentioned by its current name by the Arab
geographer Al Idrisi, who wrote that it had been "famous since
ancient times". The fortress was abandoned and ceased to be used as
a defensive structure in the XIII century.
During the Second
Bulgarian State it was a center of spiritual life. Twenty-four
monasteries were built in its vicinity, forming a complex called
"Little Holy Mountain".
During the Ottoman invasion the
medieval city and fortresses were destroyed and in 1388 the
monasteries were burned. There is information about Sliven under the
name Islimie in Turkish registers from 1609 and 1668.
In the
notebook of Moshe Alevi Nazir from 1668 it is stated that in the
places where he passed, Sliven stands out as a Jewish center. As of
1859, there were 30 Jewish families living in Sliven, for the needs
of which a synagogue and a Jewish school were built.
In 1848
the town passed from the Silistra to the Edirne vilayet.
The city was a settlement of a strong bandit movement
against the Ottoman conquerors and became known as the "city of a
hundred voivodes". Among them are Hadji Dimitar, Zlati Voyvoda and
Panayot Hitov. In his capacity as high priest of the Bulgarian
militia, Father Amfilohiy from Sliven consecrated the Samara flag in
Ploiesti. Famous sites in the Sliven Mountains, related to the
haidouk movement, are: Kushbunar locality, Balgarka peak, Gabrova
polyana locality, Djendem dere locality, Ravna polyana locality,
Gunchov izvor locality, Haidushko kladenche locality, Haidushki dol,
m. Haramiyata, Ceremidenata kashla, Matei, Ramadana, Futula (cave),
Kalna usoya, Haidushka path
In the XVII century Sliven
developed as a craft center and became famous for the production of
rifles, pistols, iron tools. One hundred workshops produce five
hundred pipes a day. 984 shops open in the bazaar every day. 35 inns
accommodate guests of the city.
During the Revival Sliven was
formed as an important trade, craft and cultural-educational center.
The city part is divided into residential, commercial and
administrative. With the efforts of Dobri Chintulov and other Sliven
leaders in 1860 the community center "Zora" was founded. The founder
of the Bulgarian theatrical work is the public figure and cultural
figure Sava Dobroplodni, born in Sliven, who wrote the first play in
our history - "Michal Mishkoed". In 1843 in Sliven was established
the first textile industrial enterprise within the Ottoman Empire,
headed by Dobri Zhelyazkov. In 1864 a second one was opened, and in
1872 tobacco and alcohol factories were established.
Since
the beginning of the 16th century Sliven has been the center of a
kaaza, which territorially remained almost unchanged until the
middle of the 19th century.
In 1738 the population of Sliven was predominantly Turkish. The
Sliven Sandzak is mentioned for the first time in a register with
inventories of timars from 1792. Many Sliven residents took part in
the Greek national liberation uprising from 1821 to 1829. For
example, Hadji Hristo was promoted to the rank of general and led
the Christian armies of Bulgarians, Albanians and Greeks, and was
later elected a member of the Greek parliament. The inhabitants of
the town also supported the Braille riots, the Crimean War of
1853-1856, and participated in the Second Bulgarian Legion. Like
many of his fellow citizens, Kondo Bimbashi Voivode of Sliven joined
the Serbian uprising of 1804-1813 and, thanks to his decisive
actions, the rebels captured the Belgrade fortress in 1806. His
exploits were sung by Sima Milutinovic in the epic Serbian. Dr. Ivan
Seliminski, one of the theorists of Bulgarian nationalism, created a
secret patriotic society in Sliven similar to the Greek Filiki
Eteria.
During the Russo-Turkish War of 1828-1829, the troops
of General Ivan Dibich-Zabalkanski entered Sliven. The conquest of
the city was followed by prolonged massacres of the Muslim
population and the desecration of mosques involving both Bulgarian
and Russian soldiers and crowds of locals. In April 1830, after the
end of the war, the first Russian consulate in the Bulgarian lands
was opened here. After the withdrawal of Russian troops, more than
15,000 people from the city and surrounding villages emigrated to
southern Russia, Bessarabia and Wallachia, leaving only 2-3 thousand
Bulgarians in the city. With this, Sliven region suffered a severe
demographic and economic blow, which blunted the momentum of its
previous development and deprived the city of a leading position in
the Bulgarian lands south of the Balkan Mountains.
The
inhabitants of Sliven are actively involved in the church-national
struggle. In 1859, the people of Sliven expelled the Greek bishop,
and the Sliven diocese became part of the Bulgarian Exarchate,
established on February 28, 1870. The first spiritual leader of the
diocese was Metropolitan Seraphim of Sliven, who was greeted
enthusiastically in the city on July 3, 1873.
During the
April Uprising, Sliven was the center of the Second Revolutionary
District with Chief Apostle Ilarion Dragostinov and Assistant
Apostles Stoil Vuchkov, Georgi Obretenov and Georgi Ikonomov. The
chairman of the district is Neno Gospodinov, vice-chairman - Dimitar
Kukumyavkov, cashier - Petar Karakostov, secretary - Georgi
Kiryakov. Stefan Sertkostov was chosen as the flag bearer of the
insurgents, and Petrana Obretenova embroidered the insurgent flag.
Although battles were fought near the city during the Russo-Turkish
War of Liberation of 1877-1878, 800 shops and 100 houses in its
center were set on fire. Metropolitan Seraphim has special merits
for saving Sliven and a number of settlements and farms in the
region from complete pogrom. The historical truth makes it necessary
to mention the intercession of the Sliven mutesarif before the
commander-in-chief of the Turkish troops in Thrace. On January 4
(January 16 in a new style) in 1878, Russian troops liberated Sliven
from five centuries of Ottoman rule.
PR Slaveykov edited the
first issue of the Sliven newspaper "Bulgarian Flag" in 1879. In the
XIX century the city was a district center and was one of the
largest cities in Bulgaria with over 20,000 people, most of whom
were Bulgarians. . There are the neighborhoods Mangarska, Deli
Balta, Kaftandzhiyska, Kokosharska, Slavchova, Koruchanska,
Dragoychova, Ovcharska, Hadji Valkova, Popska, Eskinamazgyah, Hadji
Yahya and others.
In 1884 the
population of the city amounted to 20,248 inhabitants, and in 1934
it was already 30,600.
In the municipal elections in
September 1911, the BRSDP won the most seats, but failed to take
over the management of the municipality until August 1912, when Dr.
Yordan Danchev was elected mayor. The party won the elections again
in 1915 and 1919. A social care bureau, a labor bureau, and
municipal housing for the homeless were established. Binding
regulations have been issued for the relations between workers and
employers, for salaries, for weekends and holidays. The
administration was dissolved on January 31, 1923 by a decision of
the Sliven District Court, dominated by the Bulgarian Agrarian
Union.
Sliven during the communist rule from 1944 to 1990.
From the beginning of the Industrial Revolution on Bulgarian lands
to the beginning of the socialist economy, industry was concentrated
in the northern parts of the city - in the gorges of the rivers that
flow through it.
The new government gradually began consolidating existing
factories and building new ones, with industry centered around the
newly built station. At a given time, the number of employees in the
industry was 20,000, and 1/2 of them were in the textile industry -
wool and cotton textiles. Second in importance is the food industry,
and in third place is mechanical engineering (ZMM - Sliven, Dynamo
Plant, etc.).
The population grew, and in 1946 it had 34,291
inhabitants, in 1956 - 46,383, and in 1975 - 90,137.
The municipality of Sliven is dominated by the Christian religion. It
accounts for 4/5 of the answers given. Within its framework, the most
numerous are Eastern Orthodox (76.67%), followed by Protestants (4.32%)
and Catholics (0.46%). 2.84% of those who responded to the census
identified themselves as Muslims. The rest either did not identify
themselves or indicated that they were non-religious.
There is a
congregational church community in the city, part of the Union of
Evangelical Congregational Churches.
Saint Dimitar Cathedral,
Hadji Dimitar Square 3 1831
Saint Nicholas Church, 12 Moskovska St.,
1834
Saint Sophia Church, 25 Dobri Voivoda Street, 1836
Church
"Holy Trinity" Rechitsa district 1924/2003
Church of the Holy Virgin,
st. St. Cyril and Methodius 19 1896
Temple "Sveta Petka" Yunak park
The first sod June 2008
Mayors from BSP headed the Municipality of Sliven in the period
1990-91 /Temporary Administration/, 1995-2003 and 2011-2015. For his
second term (2007 – 2011), at the head of the Municipality, Yordan
Lechkov was appointed by the PP GERB. Since 2015, the mayor of Sliven
Municipality is Stefan Radev. In the local elections in 2015 and 2019,
he was nominated by GERB (he also won in 2019). Hristin Petkov was mayor
from SDS from 1991 to 1995.
In the local elections in 2011, in
the second round, BSP candidate (and non-party member) General Kolyo
Milev won with 52.94% of the counted votes over GERB candidate (also
non-member) Yordan Lechkov.
Since 2015, the mayor of Sliven is
Stefan Radev, nominated by the PP GERB (2015 and 2019), re-elected with
64.75% in the second round of the local elections in 2019. On November
11, 2019, he officially took office.
Municipality
According to
the Law on Local Self-Government and Local Administration, the
management of the city of Sliven is composed of a mayor and a municipal
council of forty-one councilors. A new municipal council and mayor are
elected every four years.
In January 2021, the municipal
councilor from MK "Movement TOGETHER for Change" Rumen Bozukov became a
member of the Bulgarian Socialist Party and joined the group of
municipal councilors from the "BSP for Bulgaria" C in the Sliven
Municipal Council. In this way, the councilors from "BSP for Bulgaria"
become 11 in number.
Industry
In Sliven, light industry and, to a lesser extent, heavy
industry are strongly represented. In the past it was known as a major
center of the woolen textile industry. The traditions in this economic
branch have been preserved. Today, the main manufactured goods are
woolen yarn, carpets, flooring, terry fabrics and products, socks and
clothing. Second place in importance is occupied by food production.
Wine production, milk processing, meat and meat products production,
fruit and vegetable canning and nut processing and packaging are
represented.
Under socialism, other branches of industry also
developed, but above all machine building. Then mainly metal cutting
machines and lighting fixtures are assembled. Today, turning machines,
column drilling machines, woodworking machines, metal cutting machines,
agricultural machinery are produced. As of 2018, the Yazaki Bulgaria
plant produces electrical installations for the Ford Transit minibuses
assembled in Turkey, and about 1,500 people work there. In recent years,
the share of construction in the industrial sector has been gradually
increasing.
Agriculture
Agricultural lands occupy 1,827
thousand decares, of which 257 thousand decares are available for
irrigation. Plant breeding ensures the production of products necessary
to feed the population and basic raw materials for processing
enterprises and productive animal husbandry. Cereal crops (more than
half of the arable land in the district), vineyards and peaches are
grown. Large areas around the city are known collectively as the "Peach
Valley". Animal husbandry is the second main subsector of agriculture in
the district - mainly cattle and pig breeding, and where there are
pastures and sheep and beef cattle breeding.
Commerce
Hypermarket chains / incl. supermarkets/: "Billa" (hypermarket and two
supermarkets), "Kaufland" 1: 30 Georgi Danchev Blvd., Kaufland 2: 39
Tsar Simeon Blvd., Lidl 1: Tsar Simeon Blvd. 37, 2 Lidl: 10 Stefan
Stambolov Blvd., Technopolis, Technomarket.
Universities
In Sliven there is a unified base of the Technical
University - Sofia. Its composition includes the Faculty of Engineering
and Pedagogy, which includes four departments, and College - Sliven,
which includes one section and one department.
In 2013, a branch
of Medical University - Varna was opened in Sliven, which provides
training in the specialties "Nurse" and "Midwife".
General
education schools
On the territory of the city of Sliven there is 1
primary school, 8 primary and 4 secondary schools, and the secondary
school "Argira Zhechkova" functions at the Sliven prison
Primary
schools
Hristo Botev Primary School
"Dr. Ivan Seliminski" Primary
School
Dimitar Petrov Primary School
Miladinov Brothers Primary
School
Panayot Hitov Primary School
Yuri Gagarin Primary School
Primary School "St. St. Cyril and Methodius"
"Elisaveta Bagryana"
Primary School
Secondary schools
Hadji Mina Pashov
Secondary School
Peyo Yavorov Secondary School
Yordan Yovkov
Secondary School
"Konstantin Konstantinov" Secondary School
Fifth
SU "Peyo K. Yavorov" was popular with the introduction during the time
of socialism of the so-called "Sendov system" of education. A 11
"Konstantin Konstantinov" Secondary School - with the creation of music
classes in which students have the opportunity to professionally study
classical and folk musical instruments, as well as to sing in a
classical (schooled) choir.
Elementary schools
In the central
part of the city, at 9 "Yosif Strosmeier" Street, there is "Vasil
Levski" elementary school.
Kindergartens
There are 14
kindergartens in Sliven.
Popular electronic media are "OBSERVER BG", "SEDMITSA" Agency - Sliven, Sliveninfo, SlivenPress. Printed editions - 1 - in "Slivenski Novini". Television – Channel 6.
Hadji Dimitar Stadium (municipally owned) is a multifunctional
stadium located in Sliven. It was built in the 1950s and has a capacity
of 9,000 seats and measures 105 m in length and 68 m in width. It was
reconstructed in the period 1984 - 1989. In 2004, the "Hadji Dimitar"
sports complex was given a concession for 30 years, continuing the work
on its modernization. In its finished form, the complex includes a
hotel, a restaurant, two grass training fields, tennis courts, and a
swimming pool. The stadium itself is basically being rebuilt according
to all FIFA and UEFA criteria. The stadium has 3 auxiliary fields, two
of which are grassed and one with an artificial surface), and the
athletics track with a tartan surface complies with all the requirements
for holding international IAAF competitions.
"Mladost" sports hall is
a hall for athletics. It is located behind the Hadji Dimitar football
stadium.
"Asenovets" sports hall is a volleyball hall. Built in 1971.
It is located at the western end of Sliven, in the "Klutsohor" district.
"Vasil Levski" sports hall is a basketball hall. It is located behind
the Hadji Dimitar football stadium.
Sports hall for SK wrestling
"Stanka Zlateva". It is located behind the Hadji Dimitar football
stadium.
Sports clubs
POFC Sliven 2000.
Volleyball club
"Sliven" - established in 2003, actively participates (at all ages) in
the championships of the Bulgarian Volleyball Federation, multiple
finalists in the state championships.
Basketball club "Tony 7" -
established in 2000, champion of the "A" group for women in the
2009/2010 season, multiple medalist of the girls' championships of
Bulgaria.
Sliven Basket Basketball Club.
Architecture
The
building of the Sliven Metropolis (cultural monument) on Hadji Dimitar
Square was built in the 1930s. The architect is Zahari Iliev. The PGHT
building is the old building (also a cultural monument) of the Sliven
Male High School (in the beginning it resembled an ancient Greek
temple).
Urban transport in Sliven is managed by "Passenger Transport" EOOD.
The enterprise is 100% municipal property.
Bus transport
The
bus fleet has buses of the brands SOR BN 9.5, SOR BN 10.5, Mercedes O405
and Iveco Otoyol. The SOR brand buses are from the Czech bus
manufacturer SOR Libchavy.
Lines
2 m. Dyuleva river, former
glass enterprise "Quartz" (Industrial zone)
3 m. Dyuleva river
Trolleybus depot
4 sq. Kolyo Ficheto ŽPG
5 Tanyo voivoda square
"Uspeh" PP (Rechitsa district)
7 Commune Substation Sports Complex
Asenovets
9 DKC 2 "E.Mirolio" EAD (new workshop)
11 "Merkanto"
supermarket (Druzhba quarter) Bulair street
14 Tanyo voivoda square,
Debela koria quarter
22 m. Dyuleva river, former glass enterprise
"Quartz" (Industrial zone)
22D m. Dyuleva Reka "ASTRATRANS" JSC
(Industrial zone)
24 sq. Stoil voivoda New cemetery
110 sq. Kolyo
Ficheto ŽPG
116 m. Dyuleva Reka square, 17th of January
201 m.
Dyuleva River Sports Complex "Asenovets"
Trolleybus transport
Trolleybus transport in the city of Sliven was opened on May 24, 1986.
The trolleybus depot has Škoda 14Tr trolleybuses.
Lines
201 m.
Dyuleva River Sports Complex "Asenovets"
PVL "Sliven - Karandila"
Designed, delivered and put into operation by the Bulgarian-Hungarian
company "Intransmash" - Sofia in 1974.
Length along the slope –
1895 m;
Elevation – 597 m; elevation of lower station – 390 m;
elevation of upper station – 987 m;
Transport capacity in each
direction – 270 people/hour;
Speed – 1.6 m/s;
Travel time – 20
minutes.
Exit point to the lower lift station (Kaptazha area):
From the information center of the "Sinite Kamani" nature park - 10 min.
From the city of Sliven - by city bus or on foot.
Exit point from
the upper lift station (Sunnya Polyana area):
From "Karandila" hut
and "Karandila" hotel - 30 min.
Work time
Passenger cable car
(PVL) operates every day from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., boarding at 3:30
p.m. is one-way.
The opening hours vary according to the season -
during the summer season the PVL works until 6:00 p.m. with the last
boarding at 5:30 p.m.
On Monday, PVL works in the afternoon from
12:00 to 16:00 due to maintenance until noon.
Among the prominent people born in Sliven are Dobri Chintulov, Konstantin Konstantinov, Sirak Skitnik, Damyan Damyanov, Radoy Ralin, Margarita Hranova, Violeta Gindeva, Ivan Slavov, Kevork Kevorkian, Stanka Pencheva, Georgi Kalaidjiev, Vasil Vasilev - Zueka.