Location

Haskovo is the name of a town and administrative centre of the region of the same name in Southern Bulgaria, not far from both the borders with Greece and Turkey. Its population (as of December 2005) is 83,755.

Haskovo celebrated its 1000th anniversary in 1985. To mark the event, a new clock tower was erected in the centre of the town. In Medieval years it was known for the nearby Uzundzhovo fair, famous in whole Bulgaria.

The region of Haskovo is situated in the south-eastern part of Bulgaria on a territory of 5 541 sq.km. It includes the valley of the Maritza River, the Haskovo hills and parts of the Upper Thracian lowlands, Sakar Mountain and the Eastern Rhodopes. To the Southeast it borders on the Republic of Greece and the Republic of Turkey. The region is characterised by fertile land and moderate continental climate. The rivers Maritza, Arda and Tundzha flow through the territory of the region. Roads connecting the Mediterranean with Thracia and the Rhodopes have been built along the rivers since ancient times. Many monuments from the Thracian epoch, the Greek antiquity, the Roman times, the Middle ages and the Renaissance are preserved in the region.

Transportation

Haskovo offers convenient city bus service to and from the city's quarters and major firms in the area. The centrally located Haskovo Bus Station offers many connections both within the country and abroad. The Haskovo Train Station is located on the east-end of Boulevard Sednenie (approximately 20 minutes walk from the center), and offers both national and international connections.

History

According to the archeologists, the area of Haskovo was originally settled about seven thousand years ago. In and around Haskovo, evidence has been preserved that confirms its long history during the prehistoric, Thracian, Roman, late ancient and medieval periods.

During the First Bulgarian Empire in the 9th century, a fortress was built in Haskovo that soon was transformed into a town. This town was located at the center of a sizeable region between the Klokotnitsa, Harmanliyska, and Maritsa rivers.

Most Bulgarians began to settle in Haskovo at the beginning of the nineteenth century. At this time, the settlement was a trading centre for merchants from Edirne, Enos, and Istanbul. Slowly, the area acquired a strong reputation for producing cotton materials, silk fabrics, and carpets.
After the liberation in 1878 Haskovo became a centre of high-quality tobacco region (Bulgaria's largest cigarette manufacturing facilities are based in the town). Nowadays there are some enterprises producing food, machinery and fabric.

Culture

The cultural life in the town is presented by the newly renovated Ivan Dimov Drama Theatre, the historical museum and an art gallery. The annual Colourful Thrace Sings and Dances folk festival takes place in the nearby park Kenana.
A 32-metre-high statue of the Mother of God and the Infant Jesus was erected on the Hill of Youth near Haskovo in 2003. The monument was inaugurated on 8 September on the occasion of the Nativity of Holy Virgin Mary, when the day of the town of Haskovo is celebrated. It entered the Guinness Book of Records as the highest monument to Our Lady in the world.
The town centre has recently been the subject of many investments, such that one would be hard pressed to tell the difference to Western Europe, in terms of street cafes, restaurants, shops, etc.

Tourism

The geographical location on the border of Greece and Turkey and our complicated history has designated this region as a crossroad of different cultures, religions and ethnic traditions. This combination has created a cultural richness to a land full of natural beauty that makes the region of Haskovo one of the most attractive for tourists in Bulgaria.

Remains from Thracian settlements have been found dating back to 1000 BC. Acropolises, sanctuaries, rock drawings and megalithic and monolithic monuments such as tombs, dolmens, and cromlechs serve as relics of the Thracian culture. Strong fortress walls, towers and ramparts from the times of the Roman Empire and the Middle ages can be seen on each mountain peak in the region. They were part of the fortification system of the Roman Empire and later the Byzantine Empire, and served to defend the roads to the capital Constantinopol. From the 14th to the 19th century, the region was included in the Ottoman Empire and many Islamic mosques have been preserved from these times. Magnificent architectural structures from the Bulgarian Renaissance period have also been retained in the region.

The city of Haskovo was founded 1000 years ago; however, there is evidence of a settlement here from the Neolithic period 7,000 years ago.

Near the village of Aleksandrovo, a beehive Thracian tomb has been found with unique frescoes that are well-preserved. It was constructed from large stones and contains two chambers: a rectangular antechamber and a round chamber. The tomb dates back to 4th century BC.

In Haskovo's old town, Rennaissance period architecture exists from the 18th and 19th centuries. Noteworthy houses include Paskalova, Shishmanova, Gurkova, and Kirkovo school, now known as the Blue House. Also of note are the beautiful and authentic houses of Chorbadzhi Zaprian, Hadzhi Angel, Boyadzhiolu, Chorbadhzi Dimitrak. Ethnographic collections from the Bulgarian Renaissance period and a great number of archaeological exhibits are kept in the History Museum in the city center. The Shishmanova and Paskalova houses contain permanent ethnographic exhibitions, and tours may be arranged through the museum.

Spectacular stone churches, The Church of Virgin Mary (1837) and the Archangel Michael and Gabriel Church (1861), are reminders of the spirituality from the Renaissance. They are basilicas with three naves, decorated with exquisite wall paintings and wooden carvings and icons. Prominent in the city center is the oldest mosque in the Balkans, "Eski Dzhamia" that was built in 1395, the interior of the which has been beautifully reconstructed.

Competitive Advantages of Haskovo Municipality

• Easy access to Asian and Middle East markets
• Close location to Turkish and Greek borders (80 km )
• Modern infrastructure linked directly to major European highways (E-80 & E-85)
• Developed wine, beer, tobacco and textile markets
• Agriculturally developed region with major companies utilizing farming co-ops for food production
• Investor orientation program offered by the Municipality
• Investor incentives program include municipal rent discounts and industrial zone planning

Internet resources: www.haskovo.bg