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90-703: Nova Zagora is located on the main Sofia - Plovdiv - Burgas railroad, as well as the Trakia Highway that runs from Sofia to Burgas. It is 35 km east of Stara Zagora and 30 km west of Sliven . The Nova Zagora Municipality is part of the Sliven administrative district. The climate is mild, with an average winter temperature of 1.2 °C and an average temperature in August of 23.5 °C. Nova Zagora has Roma and Turkish minorities. The first traces of life in

180-659: A tetrarchic capital of the Roman Empire. In 343 AD, the Council of Sardica was held in the city, in a church located where the current 6th century Church of Saint Sophia was later built. The city was destroyed in the 447 invasion of the Huns and laid in ruins for a century It was rebuilt by Byzantine Emperor Justinian I . During the reign of Justinian it flourished, being surrounded with great fortress walls whose remnants can still be seen today. Serdica became part of

270-708: A "full" khan , too. Compare also the rendition of the name of early Bulgarian ruler Pagan as Καμπαγάνος ( Kampaganos ), likely resulting from a misinterpretation of "Kan Pagan", in Patriarch Nicephorus 's so-called Breviarium . In general, however, the inscriptions as well as other sources designate the supreme ruler of Danube Bulgaria with titles that exist in the language in which they are written – archontes , meaning 'commander or magistrate' in Greek , and knyaz , meaning "duke" or "prince" in Slavic . Among

360-607: A centre of Sredets province (Sredetski komitat, Средецки комитат). The Bulgarian patron saint John of Rila was buried in Sredets by orders of Emperor Peter I in the mid 10th century. After the conquest of the Bulgarian capital Preslav by Sviatoslav I of Kyiv and John I Tzimiskes ' armies in 970–971, the Bulgarian Patriarch Damyan chose Sredets for his seat in the next year and the capital of Bulgaria

450-503: A history of nearly 7,000 years, with the great attraction of the hot water springs that still flow abundantly in the centre of the city. The neolithic village in Slatina dating to the 5th–6th millennium BC is documented. Another neolithic settlement was founded in the 3rd–4th millennium BC near the site of the modern National Art Gallery , which has been the traditional centre of the city ever since. The earliest tribes who settled were

540-567: A serious threat to empires in the Central Plain and Central Asia . One of the earliest notable examples of such principalities in Europe was Danube Bulgaria (presumably also Old Great Bulgaria ), ruled by a khan or a kan at least from the 7th to the 9th century. The title "khan" is not attested directly in inscriptions and texts referring to Bulgar rulers – the only similar title found so far, Kanasubigi , has been found solely in

630-583: A significant political and economical centre, more so as it became one of the first Roman cities where Christianity was recognised as an official religion (under Galerius ). The Edict of Toleration by Galerius was issued in 311 in Serdica by the Roman emperor Galerius, officially ending the Diocletianic persecution of Christianity. The Edict implicitly granted Christianity the status of " religio licita ",

720-548: A variety of sports facilities, including tennis courts, a soccer and athletics stadium, and karate. Nova Zagora also has a football (soccer) team called Zagorets Nova Zagora . Nova Zagora is twinned with: This Sliven Province , Bulgaria location article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Sofia Sofia ( / ˈ s oʊ f i ə , ˈ s ɒ f -, s oʊ ˈ f iː ə / SOH -fee-ə, SOF - ; Bulgarian : София , romanized :  Sofiya , IPA: [ˈsɔfijɐ] )

810-646: A worship recognised and accepted by the Roman Empire. It was the first edict legalising Christianity, preceding the Edict of Milan by two years. Serdica was the capital of the Diocese of Dacia (337–602). For Constantine the Great it was 'Sardica mea Roma est' (Serdica is my Rome). He considered making Serdica the capital of the Byzantine Empire instead of Constantinople. which was already not dissimilar to

900-632: A year, reaching its peak in late spring and early summer when thunderstorms are common. The driest recorded year was 2000 with a total precipitation of 304.6 mm (11.99 in), while the wettest year on record was 2014 with a total precipitation of 1,066.6 mm (41.99 in). The geographic position of the Sofia Valley limits the flow of air masses, increasing the chances of air pollution by particulate matter and nitrogen oxide . Solid fuel used for heating and motor vehicle traffic are significant sources of pollutants. Smog thus persists over

990-476: Is 57 cm (22.4 in) (25 December 2001). The coldest recorded year was 1893 with an average January temperature of −10.4 °C (13 °F) and an annual temperature of 8.2 °C (46.8 °F). Summers are quite warm and sunny. In summer, the city generally remains slightly cooler than other parts of Bulgaria, due to its higher altitude. However, the city is also subject to heat waves with high temperatures reaching or exceeding 35 °C (95 °F) on

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1080-507: Is most typically Central European. After World War II and the establishment of a Communist government in Bulgaria in 1944, the architectural style was substantially altered. Stalinist Gothic public buildings emerged in the centre, notably the spacious government complex around The Largo , Vasil Levski Stadium, the Cyril and Methodius National Library and others. As the city grew outwards,

1170-504: Is registered are the duplicate of the Gospel of Serdica, in a dialogue between two salesmen from Dubrovnik around 1359, in the 14th-century Vitosha Charter of Bulgarian tsar Ivan Shishman and in a Ragusan merchant's notes of 1376. In these documents, the city is called Sofia , but, at the same time, the region and the city's inhabitants are still called Sredecheski ( Church Slavonic : срѣдечьскои , "of Sredets"), which continued until

1260-494: Is rendered as Khan of Khans . It was the title of Chinese Emperor Emperor Taizong of Tang ( Heavenly Khagan , reigned 626 to 649) and Genghis Khan 's successors selected to rule the Mongol Empire starting from 1229. Genghis Khan himself was referred as qa'an (khagan) only posthumously. For instance Möngke Khan (reigned 1251–1259) and Ogedei Khan (reigned 1229–1241) would be "Khagans" but not Chagatai Khan , who

1350-845: Is the capital and largest city of Bulgaria . It is situated in the Sofia Valley at the foot of the Vitosha mountain, in the western part of the country. The city is built west of the Iskar river and has many mineral springs, such as the Sofia Central Mineral Baths . It has a humid continental climate . Being in the centre of the Balkans , it is midway between the Black Sea and the Adriatic Sea and closest to

1440-426: Is very fertile, growing a wide range of produce, including grapes, sunflowers, cereals and other. The surrounding region has many farms and vineyards, and various foods, herbs, and wines are produced in the towns and villages around Nova Zagora. The municipality has a manufacturing base including machine tools producer ZMM Ltd., agriculture equipment maker Perla Ltd., and textile manufacturer Miroglio Ltd. The town has

1530-431: The 2012 Pernik earthquake occurred west of Sofia with a moment magnitude of 5.6 and a much lower Mercalli intensity of VI ( Strong ). The 2014 Aegean Sea earthquake was also noticed in the city. Sofia has a humid continental climate ( Köppen climate classification Dfb ; Cfb if with −3 °C isotherm ) with an average annual temperature of 10.9 °C (51.6 °F). Winters are relatively cold and snowy. In

1620-726: The Aegean Sea . Known as Serdica in antiquity and Sredets in the Middle Ages , Sofia has been an area of human habitation since at least 7000 BC. The recorded history of the city begins with the attestation of the conquest of Serdica by the Roman Republic in 29 BC from the Celtic tribe Serdi . During the decline of the Roman Empire , the city was raided by Huns , Visigoths , Avars , and Slavs . In 809, Serdica

1710-541: The Balkan mountains to the north. The valley has an average altitude of 550 metres (1,800 ft). Sofia is the second highest capital of the European Union (after Madrid ) and the third highest capital of Europe (after Andorra la Vella and Madrid). Unlike most European capitals, Sofia does not straddle any large river, but is surrounded by comparatively high mountains on all sides. Three mountain passes lead to

1800-491: The British Raj , as an honor akin to the ranks of nobility, often for loyalty to the crown. Khan Sahib was another title of honour. In the major Indian Muslim state of Hyderabad , Khan was the lowest of the aristocratic titles bestowed by the ruling Nizam upon Muslim retainers, ranking under Khan Bahadur , Nawab (homonymous with a high Muslim ruler's title), Jang, Daula , Mulk , Umara , Jah . The equivalent for

1890-563: The Bulgarian National Revival . In 1858 Nedelya Petkova created the first Bulgarian school for women in the city. In 1867 was inaugurated the first chitalishte in Sofia – a Bulgarian cultural institution. In 1870 the Bulgarian revolutionary Vasil Levski established a revolutionary committee in the city and in the neighbouring villages. Following his capture in 1873, Vasil Levski was transferred and hanged in Sofia by

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1980-1131: The Bulgarian Orthodox Church , was included onto the World Heritage List in 1979. With its cultural significance in Southeast Europe , Sofia is home to the National Opera and Ballet of Bulgaria , the National Palace of Culture , the Vasil Levski National Stadium , the Ivan Vazov National Theatre , the National Archaeological Museum , and the Serdica Amphitheatre . The Museum of Socialist Art includes many sculptures and posters that educate visitors about

2070-604: The Eastern Orthodox faith. The title Khan rose to unprecedented prominence with the Mongol Temüjin 's creation of the Mongol empire , the largest contiguous empire in history, which he ruled as Genghis Khan . Before 1229 the title was used to designate leaders of important tribes as well as tribal confederations (the Mongol Empire considered the largest one), and rulers of non-Mongol countries. Shortly before

2160-767: The First Bulgarian Empire during the reign of Khan Krum in 809, after a long siege . The fall of the strategic city prompted a major and ultimately disastrous invasion of Bulgaria by the Byzantine emperor Nikephoros I , which led to his demise at the hands of the Bulgarian army . In the aftermath of the war, the city was permanently integrated in Bulgaria and became known by the Slavic name of Sredets. It grew into an important fortress and administrative centre under Krum's successor Khan Omurtag , who made it

2250-688: The Great Khans . The title Khan of Khans was among numerous titles used by the Sultans of the Ottoman empire as well as the rulers of the Golden Horde and its descendant states. The title Khan was also used in the Seljuk Turk dynasties of the near-east to designate a head of multiple tribes, clans or nations, who was below an Atabeg in rank. Jurchen and Manchu rulers also used

2340-684: The Göktürks adopted the title and brought it to the rest of Asia. In the middle of the sixth century the Iranians knew of a "Kagan – King of the Turks". Various Mongolic and Turkic peoples from Central Asia gave the title new prominence after period of the Mongol Empire (1206–1368) in the Old World and later brought the title "khan" into Northern Asia, where locals later adopted it. Khagan

2430-587: The Göktürks as a variant of khagan (sovereign, emperor) and implied a subordinate ruler. In the Seljük Empire , it was the highest noble title, ranking above malik (king) and emir (prince). In the Mongol Empire it signified the ruler of a horde ( ulus ) , while the ruler of all the Mongols was the khagan or great khan. It is a title commonly used to signify the head of a Pashtun tribe or clan. The title subsequently declined in importance. During

2520-603: The Romanian Army entered Vrazhdebna in 1913, then a village 11 kilometres (7 miles) from Sofia, now a suburb, this prompted the Tsardom of Bulgaria to capitulate. During the war, Sofia was flown by the Romanian Air Corps , which engaged on photoreconnaissance operations and threw propaganda pamphlets to the city. Thus, Sofia became the first capital on the world to be overflown by enemy aircraft. During

2610-620: The Safavid and Qajar dynasty it was the title of an army general high noble rank who ruling a province, and in Mughal India it was a high noble rank restricted to courtiers. After the downfall of the Mughals it was used promiscuously and became a surname . Khan and its female forms occur in many personal names, generally without any nobiliary of political relevance, although it remains a common part of noble names as well. The origin of

2700-838: The Safavids , or their successive Afsharid and Qajar dynasties outside their territories of Persia proper. For example, in present Armenia and nearby territories to the left and right, there was the khanate of Erivan (sole incumbent 1807–1827 Hosein Quli Khan Qajar). Diverse khanates existed in Dagestan (now part of Russia), Azerbaijan , including Baku (present capital), Ganja , Jawad , Quba (Kuba), Salyan , Shakki ( Sheki , ruler style Bashchi since 1743) and Shirvan= Shamakha (1748–1786 temporarily split into Khoja Shamakha and Yeni Shamakha ), Talysh (1747–1814); Nakhichevan and (Nagorno) Karabakh . As hinted above,

2790-695: The Second World War , Bulgaria declared war on the US and UK on 13 December 1941 and in late 1943 and early 1944 the US and UK Air forces conducted bombings over Sofia . As a consequence of the bombings thousands of buildings were destroyed or damaged including the Capital Library and thousands of books. In 1944 Sofia and the rest of Bulgaria was occupied by the Soviet Red Army and within days of

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2880-620: The Thracian Tilataei . In the 500s BC, the area became part of a Thracian state union, the Odrysian kingdom from another Thracian tribe the Odrysses . In 339 BC Philip II of Macedon destroyed and ravaged the town for the first time. The Celtic tribe Serdi gave their name to the city. The earliest mention of the city comes from an Athenian inscription from the 1st century BC, attesting Astiu ton Serdon , i.e. city of

2970-624: The Vatican established the See of Sofia for Catholics of Rumelia , which existed until 1715 when most Catholics had emigrated. There was an important uprising against Ottoman rule in Sofia, Samokov and Western Bulgaria in 1737. Sofia entered a period of economic and political decline in the 17th century, accelerated during the period of anarchy in the Ottoman Balkans of the late 18th and early 19th century, when local Ottoman warlords ravaged

3060-517: The Xianbei confederation for their chief between 283 and 289. The Rourans may have been the first people who used the titles khagan and khan for their emperors. However, Russian linguist Alexander Vovin (2007) believes that the term qaγan originated among the Xiongnu people, who were Yeniseian -speaking (according to Vovin), and then it diffused across language families. Subsequently,

3150-402: The 11th century many Pechenegs were settled down in Sofia region as Byzantine federats. It was once again incorporated into the restored Bulgarian Empire in 1194 at the time of Emperor Ivan Asen I and became a major administrative and cultural centre. Several of the city's governors were members of the Bulgarian imperial family and held the title of sebastokrator , the second highest at

3240-687: The 14th century till the 19th century Sofia was an important administrative center in the Ottoman Empire. It became the capital of the beylerbeylik of Rumelia ( Rumelia Eyalet ), the province that administered the Ottoman lands in Europe (the Balkans ), one of the two together with the beylerbeylik of Anatolia . It was the capital of the important Sanjak of Sofia as well, including the whole of Thrace with Plovdiv and Edirne , and part of Macedonia with Thessaloniki and Skopje . During

3330-439: The 20th century. The Ottomans came to favour the name Sofya ( صوفيه ). In 1879, there was a dispute about what the name of the new Bulgarian capital should be, when the citizens created a committee of famous people, insisting for the Slavic name. Gradually, a compromise arose, officialisation of Sofia for the nationwide institutions, while legitimating the title Sredets for the administrative and church institutions, before

3420-585: The 3rd century, it became the capital of Dacia Aureliana , and when Emperor Diocletian divided the province of Dacia Aureliana into Dacia Ripensis (at the banks of the Danube ) and Dacia Mediterranea , Serdica became the capital of the latter. Serdica's citizens of Thracian descent were referred to as Illyrians probably because it was at some time the capital of Eastern Illyria ( Second Illyria ). Roman emperors Aurelian (215–275) and Galerius (260–311) were born in Serdica. The city expanded and became

3510-557: The 90s and 102,623 between 2000 and 2011. Until 1949, 13,114 buildings were constructed and between 10,000 and 20,000 in each following decade. Sofia's architecture combines a wide range of architectural styles, some of which are aesthetically incompatible. These vary from Christian Roman architecture and medieval Bulgarian fortresses to Neoclassicism and prefabricated Socialist-era apartment blocks, as well as newer glass buildings and international architecture. A number of ancient Roman, Byzantine and medieval Bulgarian buildings are preserved in

3600-495: The Balkan Mountains, passing between the eastern city suburbs, next to the main building and below the runways of Sofia Airport , and flows out of the Sofia Valley at the town of Novi Iskar , where the scenic Iskar Gorge begins. The city is known for its 49 mineral and thermal springs. Artificial and dam lakes were built in the twentieth century. While the 1818 and 1858 earthquakes were intense and destructive,

3690-612: The EU norm of 50 μg/m . Even areas with few sources of air pollution, like Gorna Banya , had PM2.5 and PM10 levels above safe thresholds. In response to hazardous spikes in air pollution, the Municipal Council implemented a variety of measures in January 2018, like more frequent washing of streets. However, a report by the European Court of Auditors issued in September 2018 revealed that Sofia has not drafted any projects to reduce air pollution from heating. The report also noted that no industrial pollution monitoring stations operate in Sofia, even though industrial facilities are active in

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3780-443: The Muslim population left Sofia. For a few decades after the liberation, Sofia experienced large population growth, mainly by migration from other regions of the Principality (Kingdom since 1908) of Bulgaria, and from the still Ottoman Macedonia and Thrace . In 1900, the first electric lightbulb in the city was turned on. In the Second Balkan War , Bulgaria was fighting alone practically all of its neighbouring countries. When

3870-419: The Ottoman Empire's key province in Europe. Bulgarian rule was restored in 1878. Sofia was selected as the capital of the Third Bulgarian State in the next year, ushering a period of intense demographic and economic growth. Sofia is the 14th-largest city in the European Union . It is surrounded by mountainsides, such as Vitosha by the southern side, Lyulin by the western side, and the Balkan Mountains by

3960-475: The Ottomans. During the Russo-Turkish War of 1877–78 , Suleiman Pasha threatened to burn the city in defence, but the foreign diplomats Leandre Legay, Vito Positano , Rabbi Gabriel Almosnino and Josef Valdhart refused to leave the city thus saving it. Many Bulgarian residents of Sofia armed themselves and sided with the Russian forces. Sofia was relieved (see Battle of Sofia ) from Ottoman rule by Russian forces under Gen. Iosif Gurko on 4 January 1878. It

4050-424: The Serdi. According to the inscription and to the writings of Dio Cassius , the Roman general Crassus subdued the Serdi and behanded the captives. Dio Cassius, Pliny the Elder and Ptolemy say that in 27–29 BC Crassus attacked the region "Segetike", which is assumed to be Serdica, or the city of the Serdi. The ancient city is located between TZUM , Sheraton Hotel and the Presidency. It gradually became

4140-404: The Soviet invasion Bulgaria declared war on Nazi Germany. In 1945, the communist Fatherland Front took power. The transformations of Bulgaria into the People's Republic of Bulgaria in 1946 and into the Republic of Bulgaria in 1990 marked significant changes in the city's appearance. The population of Sofia expanded rapidly due to migration from rural regions. New residential areas were built in

4230-431: The best known Bulgar khans were: Khan Kubrat , founder of Great Bulgaria ; Khan Asparukh , founder of Danubian Bulgaria (today's Bulgaria ); Khan Tervel , who defeated the Arab invaders in 718 Siege of Constantinople (718) , thus stopped the Arab invasion in Southeast Europe; Khan Krum , "the Fearsome". "Khan" was the official title of the ruler until 864 AD, when Knyaz Boris (known also as Tsar Boris I ) adopted

4320-458: The centre of the city. These include the 4th century Rotunda of St. George , the walls of the Serdica fortress and the partially preserved Amphitheatre of Serdica . After the Liberation War, knyaz Alexander Battenberg invited architects from Austria-Hungary to shape the new capital's architectural appearance. Among the architects invited to work in Bulgaria were Friedrich Grünanger , Adolf Václav Kolář, and Viktor Rumpelmayer , who designed

4410-449: The city as temperature inversions and the mountains surrounding the city prevent the circulation of air masses. As a result, air pollution levels in Sofia are some of the highest in Europe. Particulate matter concentrations are consistently above the norm. During the October 2017 – March 2018 heating season, particulate levels exceeded the norm on 70 occasions; on 7 January 2018, PM10 levels reached 632 μg/m , some twelve times

4500-445: The city's earliest name, first appeared on paper in an 11th-century text. The city was called Atralisa by the Arab traveller Idrisi and Strelisa , Stralitsa , or Stralitsion by the Crusaders . The name Sofia comes from the Saint Sofia Church , as opposed to the prevailing Slavic origin of Bulgarian cities and towns . The origin is in the Greek word sophía ( σοφία , "wisdom"). The earliest works where this latest name

4590-423: The city, which have been key roads since antiquity, Vitosha being the watershed between Black and Aegean Seas . A number of shallow rivers cross the city, including the Boyanska , Vladayska and Perlovska . The Iskar River in its upper course flows near eastern Sofia. It takes its source in Rila , Bulgaria's highest mountain, and enters Sofia Valley near the village of German . The Iskar flows north toward

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4680-414: The city. A monitoring station on Eagles' Bridge, where some of the highest particulate matter values were measured, was moved away from the location and has measured sharply lower values since then. Particulates are now largely measured by a network of 300 sensors maintained by volunteers since 2017. The European Commission has taken Bulgaria to court over its failure to curb air pollution. The area has

4770-400: The coldest days temperatures can drop below −15 °C (5 °F), most notably in January. The lowest recorded temperature is −31.2 °C (−24 °F) (16 January 1893). On average, Sofia receives a total snowfall of 98 cm (38.6 in) and 56 days with snow cover. The snowiest recorded winter was 1939/1940 with a total snowfall of 169 cm (66.5 in). The record snow depth

4860-434: The country territory. The metropolitan area of Sofia is based upon one hour of car travel time, stretches internationally and includes Dimitrovgrad in Serbia. The metropolitan region of Sofia is inhabited by a population of 1.66 million. For a long time, the city possessed a Thracian name, Serdica ( Ancient Greek : Σερδικη , Serdikē , or Σαρδικη , Sardikē ; Latin : Serdica or Sardica ), derived from

4950-474: The countryside. 1831 Ottoman population statistics show that 42% of the Christians were non-taxpayers in the kaza of Sofia and the amount of middle-class and poor Christians were equal. Since the 18th century the beylerbeys of Rumelia often stayed in Bitola , which became the official capital of the province in 1826. Sofia remained the seat of a sanjak (district). By the 19th century the Bulgarian population had two schools and seven churches, contributing to

5040-515: The courts Hindu retainers was Rai . In Swat , a Pakistani Frontier State, it was the title of the secular elite, who together with the Mullahs (Muslim clerics), proceeded to elect a new Amir-i-Shariyat in 1914. It seems unclear whether the series of titles known from the Bengal sultanate are merely honorific or perhaps relate to a military hierarchy. Like many titles, the meaning of the term has also extended southwards into South Asian countries, and Central Asian nations, where it has become

5130-411: The death of the Genghis Khan, his sons became khans in different dominions (ulus) and the title apparently became unsuitable for the supreme ruler of the empire, needing a more exalted one. Being under Uighur cultural influence, Mongols adopted the title of khagan starting with Ögedei Khan in 1229. Emperors of the Ming dynasty also used the term Xan to denote brave warriors and rulers. The title Khan

5220-478: The dynasty was mainly structured in eight classes, each being granted an honorary rank title, the fourth of which was Khan, or in this context synonymously Amir, granted to commanders of armed forces, provincial tribal leaders; in descending order. In neighboring Ottoman Turkey and subsequently the Republic of Turkey, the term Khanum was and is still written as Hanım in Turkish / Ottoman Turkish language. The Ottoman title of Hanımefendi (lit translated; lady of

5310-485: The hottest days, particularly in July and August. The highest recorded temperature is 40.2 °C (104 °F) (5 July 2000). The hottest recorded month was July 2012 with an average temperature of 24.8 °C (77 °F). The warmest year on record was 2023 with an annual temperature of 12.1 °C (54 °F). Springs and autumns in Sofia are usually short with variable and dynamic weather. The city receives an average precipitation of 625.7 mm (24.63 in)

5400-415: The initial stages of the Crusade of Varna in 1443, it was occupied by Hungarian forces for a short time in 1443, and the Bulgarian population celebrated a mass Saint Sofia Church . Following the defeat of the crusader forces in 1444, the city's Christians faced persecution. In 1530 Sofia became the capital of the Ottoman province (beylerbeylik) of Rumelia for about three centuries. During that time Sofia

5490-411: The inscriptions of three consecutive Bulgarian rulers, namely Krum , Omurtag and Malamir (a grandfather, son and grandson). Starting from the compound, non-ruler titles that were attested among Bulgarian noble class such as kavkhan (vicekhan), tarkhan , and boritarkhan , scholars derive the title khan or kan for the early Bulgarian leader – if there was a vicekhan ( kavkhan ) there was probably

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5580-417: The largest bedesten (market) of the Balkans. Additionally, there were fountains and hammams (bathhouses). Most prominent churches such as Saint Sofia and Saint George were converted into mosques, and a number of new ones were constructed, including Banya Bashi Mosque built by the renowned Ottoman architect Mimar Sinan . In total there were 11 big and over 100 small mosques by the 17th century. In 1610

5670-423: The last mention was in the 19th century in a Bulgarian text ( Сардакіи , Sardaki ). Other names given to Sofia, such as Serdonpolis ( Byzantine ‹See Tfd› Greek : Σερδών πόλις , "City of the Serdi") and Triaditza ( Τριάδιτζα , "Trinity"), were mentioned by Byzantine Greek sources or coins. The Slavic name Sredets ( Church Slavonic : Срѣдецъ ), which is related to "middle" ( среда , "sreda") and to

5760-401: The latter was abandoned through the years. Sofia City Province has an area of 1344 km , while the surrounding and much bigger Sofia Province is 7,059 km . Sofia's development as a significant settlement owes much to its central position in the Balkans . It is situated in western Bulgaria, at the northern foot of the Vitosha mountain, in the Sofia Valley that is surrounded by

5850-716: The lifestyle in communist Bulgaria . The population of Sofia declined from 70,000 in the late 18th century, through 19,000 in 1870, to 11,649 in 1878, after which it began increasing. Sofia hosts some 1.28 million residents within a territory of 500 km , a concentration of 17.9% of the country population within the 200th percentile of the country territory. The urban area of Sofia hosts some 1.54 million residents within 5723 km , which comprises Sofia City Province and parts of Sofia Province ( Dragoman , Slivnitsa , Kostinbrod , Bozhurishte , Svoge , Elin Pelin , Gorna Malina , Ihtiman , Kostenets ) and Pernik Province ( Pernik , Radomir ), representing 5.16% of

5940-432: The master ), is also a derivative of this. The titles Khan and Khan Bahadur (from the Altaic root baghatur ), related to the Turkic batyr or batur and Mongolian baatar ("brave, hero"); were also bestowed in feudal India by the Mughals , who although Muslims were of Turkic origin upon Muslims and awarded this title to Hindus generals in army particularly in Gaud or Bengal region during Muslim rulers, and later by

6030-401: The most famous rulers known as Khan : the Mongol imperial dynasty of Genghis Khan (his name was Temüjin, Genghis Khan a never fully understood unique title), and his successors, especially grandson Kublai Khan : the former founded the Mongol Empire and the latter founded the Yuan Dynasty in China . The ruling descendants of the main branch of Genghis Khan's dynasty are referred to as

6120-462: The most important Roman city of the region. It became a municipium during the reign of Emperor Trajan (98–117). Serdica expanded, as turrets , protective walls, public baths , administrative and cult buildings, a civic basilica , an amphitheatre , a circus, the City council (Boulé), a large forum, a big circus (theatre), etc. were built. Serdica was a significant city on the Roman road Via Militaris , connecting Singidunum and Byzantium . In

6210-414: The most important public buildings needed by the newly re-established Bulgarian government, as well as numerous houses for the country's elite. Later, many foreign-educated Bulgarian architects also contributed. The architecture of Sofia's centre is thus a combination of Neo-Baroque , Neo- Rococo , Neo-Renaissance and Neoclassicism , with the Vienna Secession also later playing an important part, but it

6300-517: The north, which makes it the third highest European capital after Andorra la Vella and Madrid . Being Bulgaria's primary city, Sofia is home of many of the major local universities, cultural institutions and commercial companies. The city has been described as the "triangle of religious tolerance". This is because three temples of three major world religions— Christianity , Islam and Judaism —are situated close together: Sveta Nedelya Church , Banya Bashi Mosque and Sofia Synagogue . This triangle

6390-594: The outskirts of the city, like Druzhba, Mladost and Lyulin. During the Communist Party rule, a number of the city's most emblematic streets and squares were renamed for ideological reasons, with the original names restored after 1989. The Georgi Dimitrov Mausoleum , where Dimitrov's body had been preserved in a similar way to the Lenin mausoleum , was demolished in 1999. In Sofia there are 607,473 dwellings and 101,696 buildings. According to modern records, 39,551 dwellings were constructed until 1949, 119,943 between 1950 and 1969, 287,191 between 1970 and 1989, 57,916 in

6480-536: The region date back thousands of years. Many archeological sites are located in the region, showing settlements dating back to the Stone Age and the Stone-Copper age ( Eneolithic ). The most prominent archeological site is in the nearby village of Karanovo . The Nova Zagora Historical Museum has many historically significant artifacts dating back to this era. Nova Zagora is an agricultural center. The region

6570-535: The term is disputed and unknown, possibly a loanword from the Rouran language . A Turkic and Para-Mongolic origin has been suggested by a number of scholars including Ramstedt , Shiratori, Sinor and Doerfer , and was reportedly first used by the Xianbei . Dybo (2007) suggests that the ultimate etymological root of Khagan/Khan comes from the Middle Iranian * hva-kama- 'self-ruler, emperor', following

6660-454: The then-new neighbourhoods were dominated by many concrete tower blocks , prefabricated panel apartment buildings and examples of Brutalist architecture . Khan (title) Khan ( / x ɑː n / ) is a historic Turkic and Mongolic title originating among nomadic tribes in the Central and Eastern Eurasian Steppe to refer to a king. It first appears among the Rouran and then

6750-540: The time, after the tsar . Some known holders of the title were Kaloyan , Peter and their relative Aleksandar Asen (d. after 1232), a son of Ivan Asen I of Bulgaria ( r.  1189–1196 ). In the 13th and 14th centuries Sredets was an important spiritual and literary hub with a cluster of 14 monasteries in its vicinity, that were eventually destroyed by the Ottomans. The city produced multicolored sgraffito ceramics, jewelry and ironware. In 1382/1383 or 1385, Sredets

6840-569: The title Khan ( Han in Manchu ); for example, Nurhaci was called Genggiyen Han. Rulers of the Göktürks , Avars and Khazars used the higher title Kaghan, as rulers of distinct nations. In imperial Persia , Khan (female form Khanum in Persia) was the title of a nobleman, higher than Beg (or bey ) and usually used after the given name. At the Qajar court , precedence for those not belonging to

6930-703: The title Khan was also common in some of the polities of the various – generally Islamic – peoples in the territories of the Mongol Golden Horde and its successor states, which, like the Mongols in general, were commonly called Ta(r)tars by Europeans and Russians, and were all eventually subdued by Muscovia which became the Russian Empire . The most important of these states were: Further east, in Xinjiang flank: The higher, rather imperial title Khaqan (" Khan of Khans ") applies to probably

7020-520: The tribe Serdi , who were either of Thracian , Celtic , or mixed Thracian-Celtic origin. The emperor Marcus Ulpius Traianus (53–117 AD) gave the city the combinative name of Ulpia Serdica ; Ulpia may be derived from an Umbrian cognate of the Latin word lupus , meaning "wolf" or from the Latin vulpes (fox). It seems that the first written mention of Serdica was made during his reign and

7110-405: The view of Benveniste 1966. Savelyev and Jeong 2020 note that both the etymological root for Khagan/Khan and its female equivalent " khatun " may be derived from Eastern Iranian languages , specifically from "Early Saka * hvatuñ , cf. the attested Soghdian words xwt'w 'ruler' (< * hva-tāvya- ) and xwt'yn 'wife of the ruler' (< * hva-tāvyani )". "Khan" is first encountered as a title in

7200-835: Was also the title of the rulers of various break-away states and principalities later in Persia , e.g. 1747–1808 Khanate of Ardabil (in northwestern Iran east of Sarab and west of the southwest corner of the Caspian Sea-Mazandaran and Gorgan provinces), 1747–1813 Khanate of Khoy (northwestern Iran, north of Lake Urmia, between Tabriz and Lake Van), 1747–1829 Khanate of Maku (in extreme northwestern Iran, northwest of Khoy, and 60 miles south of Yerevan, Armenia), 1747–1790s Khanate of Sarab (northwestern Iran east of Tabriz), 1747 – c.1800 Khanate of Tabriz (capital of Iranian Azerbaijan). There were various small khanates in and near Transcaucasia and Ciscaucasia established by

7290-512: Was ambushed and soundly defeated by the Bulgarians in the battle of the Gates of Trajan . The city eventually fell to the Byzantine Empire in 1018, following the Byzantine conquest of Bulgaria . Sredets joined the uprising of Peter Delyan in 1040–1041 in a failed attempt to restore Bulgarian independence and was the last stronghold of the rebels, led by the local commander Botko. During

7380-581: Was incorporated into the Bulgarian Empire by Khan Krum and became known as Sredets. In 1018, the Byzantines ended Bulgarian rule until 1194, when it was reincorporated by the reborn Bulgarian Empire . Sredets became a major administrative, economic, cultural and literary hub until its conquest by the Ottomans in 1382. From 1530 to 1836, Sofia was the regional capital of Rumelia Eyalet ,

7470-710: Was marked by a wave of persecutions against the Bulgarian Christians, a total of nine became New Martyrs in Sofia and were sainted by the Orthodox Church, including George the New (1515), Sophronius of Sofia (1515), George the Newest (1530), Nicholas of Sofia (1555) and Terapontius of Sofia (1555). When it comes to the cityscape, 16th century sources mention eight Friday mosques , three public libraries, numerous schools, 12 churches, three synagogues, and

7560-492: Was not proclaimed ruler of the Mongol Empire by the Kurultai . Originally khans headed only relatively minor tribal entities, generally in or near the vast Mongolian and North Chinese steppe, the scene of an almost endless procession of nomadic people riding out into the history of the neighbouring sedentary regions. Some managed to establish principalities of some importance for a while, as their military might repeatedly proved

7650-508: Was proposed as a capital by Marin Drinov and was accepted as such on 3 April 1879. By the time of its liberation the population of the city was 11,649. Most mosques in Sofia were destroyed in that war, seven of them destroyed in one night in December 1878 when a thunderstorm masked the noise of the explosions arranged by Russian military engineers. Following the war, the great majority of

7740-546: Was recently expanded to a "square" and includes the Catholic Cathedral of St Joseph . Sofia has been named one of the top ten best places for startup businesses in the world, especially in information technologies. It was Europe's most affordable capital to visit in 2013. The Boyana Church in Sofia, constructed during the Second Bulgarian Empire and holding much patrimonial symbolism to

7830-605: Was seized by the Ottoman Empire in the course of the Bulgarian-Ottoman Wars by Lala Şahin Pasha , following a three-month siege . The Ottoman commander left the following description of the city garrison: "Inside the fortress [Sofia] there is a large and elite army, its soldiers are heavily built, moustached and look war-hardened, but are used to consume wine and rakia —in a word, jolly fellows." From

7920-580: Was temporarily moved there. In the second half of 10th century the city was ruled by Komit Nikola and his sons, known as the " Komitopuli ". One of them was Samuil , who was eventually crowned Emperor of Bulgaria in 997. In 986, the Byzantine Emperor Basil II laid siege to Sredets but after 20 days of fruitless assaults the garrison broke out and forced the Byzantines to abandon the campaign. On his way to Constantinople, Basil II

8010-594: Was the largest import-export-base in modern-day Bulgaria for the caravan trade with the Republic of Ragusa . In the 15th and 16th century, Sofia was expanded by Ottoman building activity. Public investments in infrastructure, education and local economy brought greater diversity to the city. Amongst others, the population consisted of Muslims , Bulgarian and Greek speaking Orthodox Christians , Armenians , Georgians , Catholic Ragusans, Jews ( Romaniote , Ashkenazi and Sephardi ), and Romani people . The 16th century

8100-617: Was used to designate the greatest rulers of the Jurchens , who, later when known as the Manchus , founded the Qing dynasty . Once more, there would be numerous khanates in the steppe in and around Central Asia, often more of a people than a territorial state, e.g.: While most Afghan principalities were styled emirate, there was a khanate of ethnic Uzbeks in Badakhshan since 1697. Khan

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