Page update: 01 January 2000

SLIVEN

Sliven is nestling at the foot of the eastern Balkan Range. The town is birthplace of Hadzhi Dimitar, Panayot Hitov, Dobri Chintoulov and many Bulgarian voyvodi and cultural acivists..

Churches, houses and school from the Renaissance have been preserved.

To the north-east of Sliven is the picturesque area Sinite kamani (the Blue Stones). The rocky groups here are called with different names, such as Kouklite (the Dolls), Bachvata (the Butt), Kamilata (the Camel), Zhabcheto (the baby-frog), the tower of Kaloyan, etc.

Sliven municipality is one of the biggest in the country. Its territory is 1366 sq. km and it comprises of 48 settlements. Its population is 148 000 people, 110 000 of whom live in Sliven.

The town of Sliven is situated at the foot of the unique rock massif "Sinite Kamani"(The Blue Stones), very close to mineral springs.

Sliven is famous for its clean fresh air, clean water sources, meak winter and cool summer.

The town is situated on the international highway Å-773 which connects Sofia with Bourgas. Sliven is only 110 km away from the biggest commercial port of Bulgaria - Bourgas. Alongside with this road route, there is a railroad.

The east part of the Balkan Range (Stara Planina), where the town is situated is cut by passages which are very important for the communications between northern and southern Bulgaria. There is an airport with the necessary facilities for passengers and cargo service.

Sliven is one of the oldest settlements in Europe. Here lived Thracians, Romans, Slavs, Ancient Greeks. The first Roman settlement on this place - Tuida ( III century BC) was a famous trade center. Sliven is mentioned as a big town for the first time in 1153 by the Arab traveller Idrisi.

The beautiful nature, mineral water springs and the numerous cultural and historical monuments are an important part of the biggest potential opportunities of Sliven in the sphere of international tourism. The park "Sinite Kamani"("The Blue Stones") comprises of about 7 thousand hectares and it is the third biggest after Pirin and Vitosha. Apart the fact that it is extremely picturesque, the region is remarkable with the preserved in its boundaries rare vegetative and animal species, some of which are under the protection of the country and Europe. The nearest and the most frequently visited part - Karandila - can be reached by a rope lift line.

Sliven is a town with cultural traditions starting from the epoch of the National Revival, with significant contribution in the cultural treasure of the country. Three state Cultural Institutes work in Sliven - a Drama Theatre, a Puppet Theatre and a National Museum of the textile industry. The Municipal professional cultural institutes are: The Historical Museum, The Art Gallery, Folk Song and Dance Ensemble, The Symphony Orchestra, the Universal scientific library and community centres, some of which have over a 100-years history.