BH Towns and regions
STARA ZAGORA AND ENVIRONS

Stara Zagora (170 000 inhabitants) is located in the central part of Southern Bulgaria (Upper Thracia). It is situated in the fertile Thracian plain at the foothills of Sredna Gora Mountain, 197 m above sea level. The climate of the town is temperate under Mediterranean influence with hot summers and mild winters.

Major roads pass across the town:

  • from Sofia and Plovdiv to Burgas;
  • from Bucharest (Romania) - Ruse (Bulgaria) – Veliko Tarnovo to Alexandroupolis (Greece) and Istanbul (Turkey);
  • Eurocorridor 8: Italy– Albania– Macedonia – Bulgaria – Caucasian countries;
  • Eurocorridor 9: Finland – Russia – Ukraine – Moldova – Romania – Bulgaria – Greece.

You may reach Stara Zagora from:

  • Sofia (220 km) - the capital of Bulgaria and an international airport by bus, train or car (app. 3 hrs);
  • Plovdiv (90 km), the second largest Bulgarian city and the nearest international airport by bus, train or car (app. 1 hour);
  • Varna (290 km), the largest city on the Black Sea Coast, an international airport and a sea harbor by bus, train or car (app. 4 hrs);
  • Burgas (200 km), the second largest city on the Black Sea Coast, an international airport and a sea harbor by bus, train or car (app. 2 ½ hrs);
  • Russe (235 km), the largest Bulgarian city and an international river port on the Danube by bus, train or car (app. 4 ½ hrs).

 

 

The first inhabitants (7th- 6th millennia B. C.) established five prehistoric settlements in the modern town area. Two dwellings from that period are preserved and might be visited in the Neolithic Dwellings’ Museum (in UNESCO’s heritage tentative list) – they are considered to be the best preserved dwellings from New stone age in Europe. Here is located also one of the Europe biggest prehistoric Tells – Bereketska mogila. One of World’s earliest copper mines exploited in the 5th millennium B.C. is situated some 5 km. away from the town. Between 5th - 4th centuries B.C. and 2nd century A.D. here existed a large Thracian town called Beroe. In 107 A.D., not far from it, the Roman emperor Marcus Ulpius Traian established the splendid city of Ulpia Avgusta Traiana (nowadays under the Stara Zagora town center). Much of the Roman city remnants can be seen in the very centre of Stara Zagora: the forum of the antique city with the remains of an amphitheatre, city baths, fortification walls, and gates, part of the main trading streets, aristocratic residential buildings with preserved floor mosaics, early Christian martyrion and Episcopal residence. It survived the turbulent time of Great migration of people but loosing its Roman name and reviving the Thracian one – Beroe (written also as Veroia, Vereia etc.). In 708 A.D. it was conquered by Bulgarians and in Middle Ages changed frequently its position from both sides of the shifting Bulgarian-Byzantine border. Its medieval Bulgarian name is Borui. Around 1360s the town became part of Ottoman Empire and stays there until Liberation of Bulgaria in 1878. In Ottoman period it is known under Turkish name Eski Zaara and Bulgarian Zheleznik. In 1871 the contemporary name of Stara Zagora was officially recognized. During Russian-Turkish liberation war (1877-1878) town was set on fire by Ottoman troops and completely ruined. Only the half of 30 000 inhabitants and 1 building (the Old mosque, built in 1409) survived the war apocalypse. The heroism of town defenders is commemorated by 1970s Samara’s Flag Memorial (the defenders’ major flag from 1877) – a large expression of “communist” contemporary art.

On 5th of October 1879 the first foundation stone of the large-scale Stara Zagora restoration project was placed. With its completely new Hippodamic plan the town resembles Hellenistic cities of Antiquity. The Museum of Nineteenth Century Town Life is a house that exhibits a rich collection of household belongings from this period. Although Stara Zagora lost its economic primacy in comparison with other towns in the beginning of 20 century, it kept the position of a major cultural center with several theaters (drama (est.1909), opera (est. 1925) and puppet (est. 1957), radio station (est.1932) and active culture institutions and associations such as Historic Society and Museum (est. 1907).

Second half of 20 century compensated Stara Zagora with stable industrial growth and cultural development due to Hi-Techs and power production. The town became university center in 1960s. The image of Stara Zagora is associated with shadowy summer streets covered by linden-trees, artistic ambiance of cultural life thank to generations of famous artists and poets born or lived here as well as Cypress hill of Ayazmoto.

The town offers all connections and services required for your pleasant stay as well as nice shopping areas, crowded streets with town cafes and attractive opportunities for nightlife and sports.

Detailed tourist info about the town at: tour.starazagora.net

In the vicinity of town among nice oak, hazel bush and pine forests is situated Starozagorski bani - thermal bath resort. The ruins around the public bath date back to Prehistoric (6-4th millennia), Roman (3-4 century A.D.) and Ottoman (16-17 century A.D.) times. The town is also close to:

  • Veliko Tarnovo (120 km) - an architectural jewel and the last medieval capital of Bulgaria (12-14 century A.D.).
  • World famous Valley of Roses and Thracian Kings (30 km). UNESCO heritage site.
  • Recently discovered great temples of Dionysus and Orpheus in Rhodopi Mountain (90 km).