Razgrad district – Cities

The town of Razgrad is the centre of the district and has a population of 37 000 inhabitants. The town lies at a distance of 342 km northeast of Sofia. Razgrad is situated in the central part of the Northeastern Bulgaria. It is located along the Beli Lom River on the northern slope of the Razgrad Hills.

Life has existed in the picturesque valley of the Beli Lom River since Thracian times. An evidence of that are the three prehistoric settlement mounds, thirty tomb-mounds and the historic findings of the Hissarlaka site to the east of Razgrad. Centuries later the Romans built the strategic town of Abritus whose name was associated with the bloodshed battle between the Romans and the Goths in 251 in which the Emperor Decius died. The biggest gold treasure found in Bulgarian dates back to the time of this civilization and is preserved in the Razgrad history museum. The local history museum also owns the Gold Pegas, Thracian bronze relieves and other objects. Razgrad was a significant military, trade and cultural centre during the Ottoman domination. From the period of the Ottoman yoke is the mosque of Ibrahim pasha. The construction of the mosque started after an order from the great vizier Ibrahim pasha.

A complex of Revival period houses is preserved in the Varosha quarter. With their traditional style they remind of the authentic atmosphere of the town from XIX c. The clock tower in Razgrad was built in 1764. The church "St. Nikolai Chudotvoretz" was built in 1860. It is a telling example of the church architecture from the middle of XIX c. It is located in the Varosha quarter.

The tourist sights of the town are: the history museum, the art gallery, the church "St. Nikolai Chudotvoretz" (1860), the ethnographic museum, the clock tower, the mosque, the building of the "Ekzarh Yosif" high school.

On the territory of Razgrad there are more than 100 findings from the Halkolith and the Bronze Age, Thracian tomb-mounds by the villages of Sveshtari, Malak Porovetz and Samuil, remains of ancient fortresses and settlements. In the region is located the world-famous Sveshtari Thracian Tomb, which was included in the UNESCO Cultural Heritage List and the archaeological complex Sboryanovo.

The natural landmarks in the region of Razgrad are: the "Beli Lom" reserve ad the "Voden" forestry. Important ornithological sites are the "Beli Lom" dam-lake and the Malki Lom River and Beli Lom River.

The most popular wineries of the district are: Razgrad and Kubrat.

Tourist sights

Abritus Archaeological Reserve, town of Razgrad

Abritus Archaeological Reserve, town of Razgrad

The archaeological reserve "Abritus" lies at a distance of 1 km from the district centre. There are remains of a Roman camp and an ancient town. The military camp was built in I c. over the remains of a Thracian settlement. The camp occupied 15 hectares. The ancient town was established by the Romans in I c. During the Roman Empire the town flourished until VI c. when it was plundered and demolished by the invasions of the barbarians. In 251 during a battle between Romans and Goths here died the Roman emperor Decius. At the time of the Byzantine Emperor Justinian (527-565) its fortified walls were reconstructed. The town occupied an area of 3 hectares as 1,5 hectares and had defensive fortified walls with 35 towers and 4 gates. It was built in the style of the Roman towns with straight streets, public buildings and water supplied by a clay water-conduit. The biggest gold late-ancient-times coin treasure was discovered in Abritus consisting of 835 coins weighing 4 kg. The coins were minted by 10 emperors who ruled the Eastern Roman Empire and one who ruled the Western Roman Empire. Both the relieves and the inscriptions on the coins are exceptionally well-preserved. Abritus was discovered in 1954. In 2002 an open lapidarium was exhibited in the region of Abritus. It consists of about 60 monuments - epigraphic, tomb stones and architectural details.

The ethnographic complex "Pobit kamak" lies at a distance of 18 km from the district centre. The village of Pobit kamak was named after a high rocky monolith lying in the middle of the village. The ethnographic complex in the village occupies an area of 4 000 m2 and consists of three restored houses from the Revival period. The complex reveals the lifestyle of the local people from the end of the XIX c. and the beginning of the XX c. There are sections in the houses formed to represent the local crafts such as blacksmithery, wheelwright-ironsmithery, weaving and others. The exhibits were donated by the local people.

The town of Razgrad - the ethnographic complex "Topchii"

The town of Razgrad - the ethnographic complex "Topchii"

The Ethnographic Museum of Razgrad represents the most attractive and typical moments of the lifestyle, the beliefs and rituals of the ethnographic group of Kapanatzi. It is believed that they are the apparent heirs of the pre-Bulgarian ethnic group. The museum is located in restored XIX c. houses with a beautifully designed yard space.

The Ibrahim Mosque in Razgrad is the second biggest mosque in Bulgaria. It is a unique architectural monument with precious inscriptions and frescoes. The mosque was built in 1614. According to the Turkish traveller Evliya Chelebi, who visited Razgrad in XVII c. the Ibrahim mosque can be compared only to the Rustem pasha mosque in Istanbul in grandeur.

The clock tower in Razgrad was built in XVIII c. It has characteristic cornices and a dome roof which are more typical for the churches' architecture. The Dutch engineer Kasten Nibur who visited the town in 1767 said about the clock tower: "On June 22 about 5:30 I arrived in the town of Razgrad. I haven't seen a clock on a tower neither in Egypt, nor Arabia, nor India nor the whole Turkey from the Bosporus to the Balkan and finally I found such a one in Razgrad."


The town of Isperih - Archaeological reserve "Sboryanovo"

The town of Isperih - Archaeological reserve "Sboryanovo"

The town of Isperih has a population of 10 000 inhabitants and lies at a distance of 35 km northeast of Razgrad. The town is a municipal centre of 22 settlements.

The old name of the town is Kemallar under which it was known until 1934. The name comes from the first settler Kemal and his kin. In 1960 the settlement was proclaimed for a town and was named after the founder of the Bulgarian state - Khan Asparuh (Isperih). In the vicinities of the town there are findings from the Bronze, the Iron and Middle Ages as well as from the ancient times. Near the town is situated the historical-archaeological complex Sboryanovo. In the village of Belentzi in the Municipality of Isperih is the only functional wind mill in Northeastern Bulgaria. The wind mill dates from the XIX c. In 1990 it was proclaimed for a national monument of culture. The town of Isperih is known for the deposits of kaolin.

Tourist sights

The archaeological reserve "Sboryanovo" is one of the main centres of the Ancient Thracians. In the Ancient Times here existed the ancient town of Dausava (Helis) described by the Roman topographer Ptolemy. Here was the residence of Dromihet - a Getty ruler. The complex consists of 108 mounds which are located as mirror images of the castellations the Plough and the Hair of Berenika. The complex also includes the Thracian Tomb Sveshtari which was included in the UNESCO Cultural Heritage List. The first archaeological materials were found in 1930 and the excavations began in 1982. After a restoration of 15 years the tomb was opened for visitors in 2000. This is the tomb of a Getty ruler and his wife dating back to III c. B. C. It consists of a corridor, a narthex, a central chamber and a side room. The total length of the tomb is 6 m, its height is 5 m and it is 6,75 m wide at the façade. The decoration of the tomb is very rich. The walls are decorated with the statues of 10 women figures of 1,20 m height. Their hairs are painted in dark brown and yelllow and their belts - in blue and red. The tomb has a unique architecture, sculptural and picturesque decoration.

Demir baba teke in the municipality of Isperih is a monument of culture. The Muslim temple was built over the stone altar of a Thracian sanctuary dating from I millennia B.C. Some of the rocky blocks of the sanctuary's sacrificial altar were built into the walls of the temple. By the spring there are remains of a church dedicated to St. Iliya which was demolished during the Ottoman yoke. The Muslim temple was built in XVII c.

The wind mill in Isperih has existed since the beginning of the XIX c. and is functioning till present days. The mill has a totally wooden mechanism. The lower end of the carrier beam which supports the construction is three meters underground while the transverse axis which passes through the two revolving cogged wheels hasn't been changed for 160 years. During a strong wind the mill can grind a ton and a half grains for 24 hours, while at periods of no wind the grinding of half a bushel can take a whole day. The mill was proclaimed for a national monument of culture in 1990.


The town of Kubrat

The town of Kubrat

The town of Kubrat has a population of 9 000 inhabitants and lies at a distance of 37 km north of the district town. The town is a municipal centre of 17 component settlements. Until 1934 the town was known under the name of Balbunar and later took the name of Khan Kubrat. The settlement was proclaimed for a town in 1949. It is situated at the centre of the Western Ludogorie on a plateau at an altitude of 235 m. At a distance of 2 km from the town in the Yankata site is situated the Balbunar settlement mound. The excavations show that there has existed life in the vicinities of the mound for more than 4 000 years.

The most popular landmarks of the region are: the Juper's koria, Myushterika, Turska Leska, Bozhurite. The Juper's koria is part of the Deliorman forest of bushy oak trees older than 170 years. The Myushterka is the natural site of wild red peony. The site occupies an area of 5 hectares. The peony is in bloom during the first half of May forming beautiful bright-red meadows in the site. The Turkish leska/hazel trees forest/ occupies an area of 5,6 hectares and is situated on he road connecting Kubrat with Tutrakan.


The village of Samuil lies at a distance of 18 km east of Razgrad. The village is the centre of a municipality with 13 component settlements. The village has a population of about 1 700 inhabitants. The village is located at the foot of the Samuil hills in the eastern part of the Danube Plain on the railway line Rousse-Varna. The municipality is specialized in agriculture. The settlement was known under the name of Ashiklar until 1934. On the territory of Samuil were discovered settlement mounds dating back to the Halcolith, Thracian mounds and remains of an ancient fortress and a settlement.


The town of Tzar Kaloyan

The town of Tzar Kaloyan

The town of Tzar Kaloyan has a population of 4 000 inhabitants and lies at a distance of 27 km northeast of Razgrad. The town is an administrative municipal centre of 4 settlements. In the region of Tzar Kaloyan there are remains of ancient and medieval settlements and a fortress, medieval rocky churches and two monasteries. The settlement was described in the Ottoman documents from 1573. The municipality is specialized in agriculture.


The town of Zavet

The town of Zavet

The town of Zavet has a population of about 3 500 inhabitants and lies at a distance of 35 km northeast of Razgrad. The town is a municipal centre of 6 component settlements. In the vicinities of the town were discovered prehistoric findings, the remains of an ancient fortress and a medieval settlement. The settlement was described in the Ottoman documents from 1585. The region is specialized in the production of grains, technical cultures, poultry farms and pharmacy.


The town of Loznitza

The town of Loznitza

The town of Loznitza has a population of 3 000 inhabitants and lies at a distance of 36 km south of Razgrad. The town is an administrative municipal centre of 16 component settlements. In the region of Loznitza there are archaeological findings of ancient and medieval settlements. The old name of the town is Kubadan and it was known under that name until 1934. The settlement was mentioned for the first time in the Ottoman registry book of 1573 and later in 1877 in Sank Petersburg an article by the Russian scholar V. Teplov came out saying that the settlement had 66 households. The settlement was proclaimed for a town in 1974.

 

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