Sliven

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

**Sliven**
Сливен

Province (oblast)	Sliven
Population	106,434 (2006-06-12)
Altitude	243 m
Postal code	8800
Area code	044
License plate province code	CH
Geographic coordinates	42° 41' north, 26° 20' east
Time zone	EET (UTC +2; UTC+3 in summer)
Mayor	Yordan Lechkov (independent)

Sliven (Bulgarian: Сливен) is a town in southeast Bulgaria and the administrative centre of Sliven Province. It is a comparatively large town with 110,000 inhabitants (the 8th largest in Bulgaria). Sliven is famous for its Bulgarian haiduts who fought against the Ottoman Turks in the 19th century. The current mayor of the city is former football star Yordan Letchkov.

In 1834, Dobri Zhelyazkov established the first factory in Bulgarian lands, thus starting industrial development in Bulgaria. Sliven was one of the largest industrial centres in Bulgaria, playing an important role during the Bulgarian National Revival. It has long-lived traditions in textiles, machine-building, glass-making, and the technical аnd food industries.

View of Sliven and the lowlands of Thrace from southern Stara Planina

One of the most significant cultural centres during the Bulgarian National Revival, Sliven has preserved and enriched its heritage and today offers to its citizens and visitors a lot of opportunities for cultural life. A birthplace of many prominent Bulgarians who contributed to the enlightenment, Sliven gave Bulgaria many authors, scientists, intellectuals like Julia Kristeva, Hadzhi Dimitar, Dobri Chintulov, Evgeniy Chapkanov, Ivan Siliminski and many others. Another notable native is the Roma Anton Pann who composes the Romanian national anthem.

Statue of Hadzhi Dimitar in Sliven

The famous rocky massif Sinite Kamani (Сините камъни, "The Blue Rocks") and the associated national park, the fresh air and the mineral springs offer diverse opportunities for leisure and tourism.

Sliven Peak on Livingston Island in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica is named for Sliven.

[edit] Municipality

Sliven is the administrative centre of the eponymous Sliven municipality (part of Sliven Province), which includes the following 49 places (towns in bold):

Bikovo
Binkos
Blatets
Bozhevtsi
Bozadzhii
Byala
Chintulovo
Chokoba
Dragodanovo
Gavrailovo
Gergevets
Glufishevo
Glushnik
Golyamo Chochoveni
Gorno Aleksandrovo
Gradsko
Ichera
Izgrev
Kaloyanovo
Kamen
Kermen
Kovachite
Krushare

Malko Chochoveni
Mechkarevo
Mladovo
Nikolaevo
Novachevo
Panaretovtsi
Rachenitsa
Rakovo
Samuilovo
Seliminovo
Skobelevo
Sliven
Sotirya
Sredorek
Stara Reka
Staro Selo
Strupets
Topolchane
Trapoklovo
Vaglen
Zaychari
Zhelyu Voyvoda
Zlati Voyvoda

[edit] Town twinning

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

[edit] External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Sliven

Cities and towns in Bulgaria
Aytos \| Asenovgrad \| Blagoevgrad \| Botevgrad \| Burgas \| Dimitrovgrad \| Dobrich \| Dupnitsa \| Gabrovo \| Gorna Oryahovitsa \| Gotse Delchev \| Harmanli \| Haskovo \| Karlovo \| Karnobat \| Kazanlak \| Kardzhali \| Kyustendil \| Lom \| Lovech \| Montana \| Nova Zagora \| Panagyurishte \| Pazardzhik \| Pernik \| Petrich \| Pleven \| Plovdiv \| Razgrad \| Rousse \| Samokov \| Sandanski \| Sevlievo \| Shumen \| Silistra \| Sliven \| Smolyan \| Sofia \| Stara Zagora \| Svishtov \| Targovishte \| Troyan \| Varna \| Veliko Tarnovo \| Velingrad \| Vidin \| Vratsa \| Yambol