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60-503: Sliven is famous for its heroic Haiduts who fought against the Ottoman Turks in the 19th century and is known as the "City of the 100 Voyvodi ", a Voyvoda being a leader of Haiduts. The famous rocky massif Sinite Kamani (Сините камъни, "The Blue Rocks") and the associated nature park, the fresh air and the mineral springs at Slivenski Mineralni Bani offer diverse opportunities for leisure and tourism. Investors are exploring

120-765: A combination of all. In Balkan folkloric tradition, the hajduk is a romanticised hero figure who steals from, and leads his fighters into battle against, the Ottoman authorities . They are comparable to the English legendary Robin Hood and his merry men, who stole from the rich (who as in the case of the hajduk happened to also be foreign occupiers ) and gave to the poor, while defying seemingly unjust laws and authority. People that helped hajduks were called jataks. Jataks lived in villages and towns and provided food and shelter for hajduks. In return, hajduks would give them part of

180-628: A complex. Under Tsar Ivan Alexander , Sliven was a town near the Roman Empire . During the Ottoman invasion, the medieval town was destroyed and the monasteries were burnt. The city was known as "İslimye" by the Turks. Sliven distinguished itself as a Jewish center. By 1859, 30 Jewish families lived in Sliven, where a synagogue and a Jewish school were built for them. The town was the settlement of

240-537: A dozen others, continues to grow as grapes are easily grown due to the climate conditions. In terms of heavy industry, the city produces electric lights and electrical machines. The city has also become notorious as a source of young girls who are trafficked into the sex industry. Hajduk A hajduk ( Hungarian : hajdúk , plural of hajdú ' foot-soldier ' ) is a type of irregular infantry found in Central , Eastern , and parts of Southeast Europe from

300-632: A population of over 20,000. The majority were Bulgarians. For a short period a centre of a department in the autonomous province of Eastern Rumelia before its inclusion in the Principality of Bulgaria in 1885. At the municipal elections in September 1911, the Bulgarian Social Democratic Workers Party won the most seats, but failed to take over the municipality until August 1912, when Dr. Yordan Danchev

360-645: A strong Hajduk movement against the Ottomans and became known as "the town of the hundred voivodes". Among them were Hadzhi Dimitar , Zlati Voivoda and Panayot Hitov . As the chief priest of the Bulgarian Militia, Amphilohiy from Sliven consecrated the Samara flag in Ploiești . In the 17th century Sliven developed as a crafts centre and also famous for the production of guns, pickaxes, iron tools. During

420-423: Is a province in southeastern Bulgaria , named after its administrative and industrial centre—the city of Sliven . It has a territory of 3,544.1 km (1,368.4 sq mi) that is divided into four municipalities, with a total population, as of December 2009, of 204,887. The Sliven province contains four municipalities. The following table shows the names of each municipality in English and Cyrillic ,

480-399: Is located in the nature park Sinite Kamani (Сините камъни), whose peak Bulgarka (Българка, 1181 m.) is the highest in the eastern Balkan mountain. Sliven Municipality is situated on the sub-Balkan plain in the zone of transitional-continental climate. In the region of Sliven, winter is mild and summer is relatively warm. Autumn is longer than spring. The local wind Bora is typical for

540-977: Is one of the oldest settlements in Europe. Thracians , Romans , Slavs , and Ancient Greeks have all lived in the region. The first Roman settlement on this place, Tuida (3rd century BC), was a famous trade centre. Sliven was mentioned as a big town for the first time in 1153 by the Arab traveler Muhammad al-Idrisi . As of the end of 2009, the population of the province, announced by the Bulgarian National Statistical Institute, numbered 204,887 of which 22.3% are inhabitants over 60 years old. Total population (2011 census): 197 473 Ethnic groups (2011 census): Identified themselves: 173 206 persons: A further 24,000 persons in Sliven Province did not declare their ethnic group at

600-738: Is one of the symbols of the town of Sliven. The forms that the nature has sculptured in the cave Zmeevi dupki – Zmeyat, Orelat and Vladishkiyat tron are amazing. The ancient beech forest in the vicinity of the Kushbunar spring in the region of Karandila is picturesque. The specific climate and lay conditions of the nature park determine the great diversity of flora and fauna. The plant species are more than 1000, about 900 of which are representative of high species. The invertebrate animals are represented by 235 species — eight species of fish, nine species of amphibians, nineteen species of reptiles, 165 species of birds and 34 species of mammals. The lay

660-516: Is that hajduk was derived from the Turkish word haidut or haydut 'bandit', which was originally used by the Ottomans to refer to Hungarian and Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth infantry soldiers. Another theory suggests that the word comes from Hungarian hajtó or hajdó (plural hajtók or hajdók ) '(cattle) drover '. These two theories do not necessarily contradict each other because

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720-613: Is the mayor of Sliven Municipality. In the local elections in 2011 and 2019 , he was nominated by GERB (he won in 2019). Hristin Petkov was mayor of the SDS from 1991 to 1995. In the 2011 local elections, the BSP candidate (and non-member of the party) General Kolyo Milev won in the second round with 52.94% of the votes counted against the GERB candidate (also non-member) Yordan Letchkov. Since 2015,

780-531: Is Σλίβεν. Sliven is situated in the Sliven Valley at the foothills of the Balkan Mountains . It is located 300 km east of Bulgaria's capital Sofia , 100 km from Burgas , the country's largest commercial port, 130 km from the border with Turkey and 130 km from the border with Greece . It is located in close proximity to the cities of Yambol and Nova Zagora . West of

840-739: The Brăila revolt, Crimean War and participated in the Second Bulgarian Legion . During Ottoman rule it was a sanjak centre in first Rumelia eyalet , then Silistre ( Özi ) eyalet, Edirne vilayet . During the Russo-Turkish War of 1828-1829, the troops of General Hans Karl von Diebitsch entered Sliven. Continuous massacres of the Muslim population and desecration of mosques were made, involving both Bulgarian and Russian soldiers and local residents. The first Russian consulate

900-514: The Gothic War , but was destroyed in the Huns' raid in the 5th century. During the reign of Emperor Anastasius I Dicorus , it was rebuilt, which retained the previous one's plan, but was considerably fortified. In the ancient fortress' interior and near its eastern wall, are excavated the remains of a basilica with a baptistery, which functioned in the 5th-6th centuries. It was likely destroyed by

960-586: The Habsburg Emperor , whose army had recently occupied Transylvania and begun a reign of terror. The bulk of Bocskay's army was composed of serfs who had either fled from the war and the Habsburg drive toward Catholic conversion, or been discharged from the Imperial Army. These peasants , freelance soldiers, were known as the hajduks . As a reward for their service, Bocskay emancipated

1020-489: The Romanian national anthem. Another notable resident is Yordan Letchkov , whose goal in the 1994 World Cup eliminated defending champion Germany. Letchkov was mayor of Sliven from 2003 to 2011. Mayors from Bulgarian Socialist Party have been in charge of Sliven Municipality in the period 1990–1991, 1999–2003 and 2011–2015. For his second term (2007–2011), Yordan Letchkov was nominated by GERB . Since 2015, Stefan Radev

1080-659: The Ukrainians , it was used to refer to outlaws who protected Christians against provocative actions by the Ottomans. By the 17th century they were firmly established in the Ottoman Balkans, owing to increased taxes, Christian victories against the Ottomans, and a general decline in security. Hajduk bands predominantly numbered one hundred men each, with a firm hierarchy under one leader. They targeted Ottoman representatives and rich people, mainly rich Turks, for plunder or punishment to oppressive Ottomans, or revenge or

1140-557: The 10th-12th centuries. The findings of Hawk eagle ( Aquila fasciata ) and grouse ( Tetrao urogallus ) are among the rarest in the country. The town continued to exist after the dissolution of the first empire. The Pechenegs briefly controlled it in mid-10th century, after which it began to decline. In 1153, the town was rebuilt. The fortress was abandoned and ceased. During the Second Bulgarian Empire , twenty-four monasteries were built in its vicinity, which formed

1200-694: The 18th century wealthy members of the szlachta hired liveried domestic servants whom they called hajduks, thereby creating the meaning of the term 'hajduk' as it is generally understood in modern Polish. The Serbs established a Hajduk army that supported the Austrians. The army was divided into 18 companies, in four groups. In this period, the most notable obor-kapetans were Vuk Isaković from Crna Bara , Mlatišuma from Kragujevac and Kosta Dimitrijević from Paraćin . The Croatian football team HNK Hajduk Split ; Serbian football teams Hajduk Kula , FK Hajduk Beograd , FK Hajduk Veljko and Hajduk Lion ;

1260-524: The 19th century. In 1738, the population of Sliven was predominantly Turkish. In a register from 1792, Sliven Sanjak is mentioned for the first time. Many Sliven residents participated in the Greek War of Independence . Hadzi Hristo was made a general and took the lead of the troops of Bulgarians, Albanians and Greeks, and was later elected to the Greek parliament. The inhabitants of the town also supported

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1320-413: The 2011 census. According to the 2001 census, the province had a population of 218 474 inhabitants, of whom 163 188 were Bulgarians , 26 777 Romani , 22 971 Turks , etc. Religious adherence in the province according to 2001 census: The Sinite Kamani Nature Park is famous for its nature landmarks. Halkata — the arc-shaped rock garland, possessing, according to the legends, magic force —

1380-649: The Bulgarian Third Army located in the centre of the city, being situated relatively near to the sensitive Turkish border. Sliven Peak on Livingston Island in the South Shetland Islands , Antarctica is named after Sliven. The name comes from the Slavic word sliv ("pour, confluence") + the Slavic suffix or ending -en . In Turkish the name of the city is İslimiye, while in Greek it

1440-469: The Huns and rebuilt under Justinian I . A larger church was founded in the south of the fortress, built in the 5th century and enlarged in the 6th century. This indicates that the settlement was not limited to the territory of the fortress, but also expanded in the surrounding area. The city of Tuida/Tsuida was the seat of a bishop, subordinate to the Metropolitanate of Adrianople. Until that time

1500-629: The Macedonian football team FK Hajduk - Vratnica ; Czech amateur football team Hajduk Lipník ; the pop-music project Haiducii , and Romanian Roma musical troupe Taraful Haiducilor are all named after the hajduci. The surnames of the fictional character George Washington Hayduke , invented by Edward Abbey , actress Stacy Haiduk , US national soccer team defender Frankie Hejduk , Czech Republic national ice hockey team forward Milan Hejduk and Montenegrin theoretical physicist Dragan Hajduković, are likewise derived from this word. The term "haiduci"

1560-654: The Renaissance, Sliven emerged as an important trade, craft and cultural centre. The town was divided into residential, commercial and craft and administrative parts. Through the efforts of Dobri Chintulov and other Sliven notables, the Zora Community Centre was founded in 1860. The founder of the Bulgarian theatrical work was the Sliven-born public and cultural worker Sava Dobroplodni , who wrote

1620-564: The Russo-Turkish Liberation War of 1877-1878 which in return burnt 800 shops and 100 houses in the town centre. Metropolitan Seraphim is particularly credited with saving Sliven and a number of settlements and chifliks in the region from complete destruction. Sliven was liberated by Russian troops on 16 January 1878. In the 19th century, the town was a district centre and was one of the largest towns in Bulgaria with

1680-551: The Turkish word haidut or haydut is adapted from the Hungarian hajtó or hajdó just as many slavic words were adapted from Turkish in what is known as Turcizam or Turkification . Other spellings in English include ajduk , haydut , haiduk , haiduc , hayduck , and hayduk . Forms of the word in various languages, in singular form, include: In 1604-1606, István Bocskay , Lord of Bihar , led an insurrection against

1740-612: The area of Tuida, of which the etymology is unknown. The beginnings of the settlement weren't dated, but were before 870, when a lead seal of Boris I was discovered. The Bulgarians reconstructed the walls of the fortress and also the water supply at the northern gate. New buildings were built, some of which, have lined marble slabs made in Preslav 's stonemasonry workshops. Paleoornithologist Zlatozar Boev discovered bone remains of 14 species of wild and domestic birds in Hissarlaka from

1800-467: The bishop seat was in Cabyle . In the 4th century, most likely due to the proximity of the two cities, which were in different provinces, Cabyle was abandoned and its population moved to Diospolis . The seat of the bishop, however, for unknown reasons, was moved to Tuida, which very likely marked the beginning of the proverbial rivalry between Sliven and Yambol. Tuida ceased to exist around 598-599, when it

1860-589: The city is helping the tree to live on by frequent evaluations and reinforcing its base. It was elected Bulgarian tree of the year in 2013. On 19 March 2014 the results of an online poll were revealed at a ceremony in the European Parliament. The Old Elm was voted European Tree of the Year 2014. The city also served as an important strategic centre for the Bulgarian Army , with the headquarters of

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1920-476: The city lies the so-called Peach Valley which contains large peach orchards. The city is also known for the mineral baths at Slivenski Mineralni Bani some 12 km southeast, whose water is used to treat diseases of the liver and nervous system. The most visited geographical location and attraction in the city is the Karandila (Карандила). It is a hilltop 1050m above sea level, with great sights overlooking

1980-551: The city. The rock formation Halkata (Хaлката, "The Ring") is located on the Karandila. It is a rock protrusion with a peculiar hole in the center. According to myth, one would have their most sincere wish granted upon passing through the ring. Karandila is the site of the annual Karakachani festival, organized by the Federation of the Cultural and Educational Associations of Karakachans (ФКПДК) in Bulgaria each July. Karandila

2040-488: The emergence of the Roman Empire the region of the city became part of the Thracian province of the Roman Empire . A new stage in the city's history began around 2nd-4th century. The first written records of the settlement's name, Tuida/Suida/Tsuida date to this period. This name is most likely of Thracian origin. Its etymology is currently not understood. It is also mentioned by Hierocles , who identifies it as one of

2100-400: The existing factories and built new ones, with industry concentrating around the newly built station. At some point the industrial workforce numbered 20,000, 1/2 of whom were in textile production - wool and cotton textiles. The second most important is the food industry and the third is the machine building industry (ZMM - Sliven, Dinamo Plant, etc.). In more modern times, Sliven became one of

2160-471: The first play in Bulgarian history - "Mihal Mishkoed". In 1843, the first textile industrial enterprise in the Ottoman Empire was established in Sliven, with Dobri Zhelyazkov as its head. In 1864 a second one was opened, and in 1872 tobacco and spirit factories were established. From the beginning of the 16th century Sliven was the centre of a kaza , which retained its territory until the middle of

2220-556: The four cities in the province of Haemimontus , established as part of the Diocese of Thrace under Diocletian and also by Procopius of Caesarea . The Roman road from Anchialos (today Pomorie ) along the Tundzha to Serdika was built. In a written record from the 3rd century, the settlement was called ''Tarzhishte" and most likely belonged to the territory of the city of Augusta Traiana (today Stara Zagora ). The fortress avoided

2280-444: The hajduk from the jurisdiction of their lords, granted them land, and guaranteed them rights to own property and to personal freedom. The emancipated hajduk constituted a new "warrior estate" within Hungarian feudal society. Many of the settlements created at this time still bear the prefix Hajdú such as Hajdúbagos, Hajdúböszörmény , Hajdúdorog, Hajdúhadház, Hajdúnánás, Hajdúsámson, Hajdúszoboszló , Hajdúszovát, Hajdúvid etc., and

2340-514: The largest number of Roma in Bulgaria. Remains of the oldest settlements on the territory of Sliven date back to around 6000 BCE of the Neolithic . Ruins of a Thracian settlement dating to around 5th–3rd century BCE as well as Thracian ceramics and Hellenistic coins have been discovered in the area of Hisarlaka — a small hill in Sliven. In antiquity it was known as Selymnos (Σήλυμνος in Greek ) . The area occupied by present-day Sliven has in

2400-648: The late 16th to mid 19th centuries, especially from Hajdú-Bihar county . They have reputations ranging from bandits to freedom fighters depending on time, place, and their enemies. In the European lands of the Ottoman Empire, the term hajduk was used to describe bandits and brigands of the Balkans , while in Central Europe for the West Slavs , Hungarians , and Germans , and Eastern Europe for

2460-420: The loot. The hajduk of the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries commonly were as much guerrilla fighters against the Ottoman rule as they were bandits and highwaymen who preyed not only on Ottomans and their local representatives, but also on local merchants and travellers. As such, the term could also refer to any robber and carry a negative connotation. The etymology of the word hajduk is unclear. One theory

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2520-407: The main town or village (towns are shown in bold), and the population of each as of December 2009. Sliven is situated at the foot of the unique rock massif "Sinite Kamani" (The Blue Rocks), very close to mineral springs. The town is famous for its clean fresh air, clean water sources, mild winters and cool summers. Sliven is the only Bulgarian town that has never changed its Slavonic name, though it

2580-417: The mayor of Sliven has been Stefan Radev, nominated by PP GERB (2015 and 2019), re-elected with 64.75% in the second round of local elections in 2019. On 11 November 2019, he officially took office. The economy of Sliven has centered around industry since the early 19th century. In 1834, Dobri Zhelyazkov established the first factory in Bulgarian lands, thus starting industrial development in Bulgaria. Sliven

2640-479: The most significant cultural centres during the Bulgarian National Revival, with much of its old heritage still preserved and enriched and today offers to its citizens and visitors a lot of opportunities for cultural life. It served as the birthplace of many prominent Bulgarians, including Hadzhi Dimitar , Dobri Chintulov , Ivan Seliminski . Another notable native is Anton Pann who composed

2700-677: The national church struggle. In 1859, the people of Sliven expelled the Greek bishop, and the Diocese of Sliven entered the borders of the Bulgarian Exarchate established on 28 February 1870. The first spiritual leader of the diocese was Metropolitan Seraphim of Sliven. During the April Uprising , Sliven was the centre of the Second Revolutionary District. Battles were fought near the town during

2760-399: The opportunity to use the local wind (Bora) for the production of electricity. Another point of interest and a major symbol of the city as featured on the coat of arms, is the more than thousand-year-old Stariyat Briast (Старият Бряст, "The Old Elm"), a huge Smooth-leaved Elm in the center of the city. During Ottoman rule, Turkish officials used to hang Bulgarian revolutionaries on it. Today

2820-603: The past been settled by the Thracian tribes Asti, Kabileti and Seleti. These tribes held their independence until time of Philip II of Macedon and Alexander the Great who conquered them. The 2nd century BCE marked the beginning of the Roman conquests of northeastern Thracia . Sliven was conquered by Rome around 72–71 BCE when the Thracian Kabile and later Greek cities of Kabile and Apolonia are conquered. With

2880-674: The region. According to the Bulgarian National Statistical Institute, as of 2021, the total population of the Sliven Municipality is 115,241 inhabitants while 83,740 inhabitants live in the city of Sliven. The town is called the under-age mother capital of Europe, with 177 such births in 2008. Members of the following ethnic groups are represented in the city's population: Total: 91,620 In Sliven Municipality , 88,750 declared as Bulgarians, 12,153 as Roma, 4,209 as Turks, and 18,641 did not declare their ethnic group. The city of Sliven, Sliven Municipality and Sliven Province have

2940-463: The ruler and became quasi-nobility. The word hajduk was initially a colloquial term for a style of footsoldier, Hungarian or Turco- Balkan in inspiration, that formed the backbone of the Polish infantry arm from the 1570s until about the 1630s. Unusually for this period, Polish-Lithuanian hajduks wore uniforms , typically of grey-blue woolen cloth, with red collar and cuffs. Their principal weapon

3000-428: The turn of the 16th and 17th centuries, we know of tens of thousands of hajdú, who were also the first to fight in wars in the first half of the 17th century. Their activities were significant both as mercenaries and as Defence Forces. Hajdú life provided social mobility, as their success was illustrated by the fact that, although they were born as peasant or petty nobles, they often received substantial land donations from

3060-648: The whole area is called Hajdúság (Land of the Hajduk) (see Hajdú County ). The Hajdú have always been an important pillar of Hungarian society and its defence. During the great Turkish attack of 1551/52, it was possible to recruit several hundred or even several thousand Hajdú troops from the Nyírség-Debrecen region for an action against the Turks. Among the Hungarians, the Hajdú lifestyle was significant. At

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3120-412: Was a small calibre matchlock firearm, known as an arquebus . For close combat they also carried a heavy variety of sabre , capable of hacking off the heads of enemy pikes and polearms . Contrary to popular opinion, the small axe they often wore tucked in their belt (not to be confused with the huge half-moon shaped berdysz axe, which was seldom carried by hajduks) was not a combat weapon, but rather

3180-795: Was again destroyed, most likely by the Avars and Slavs . There is a theory that this happened as part of a major battle between the Avars and the Byzantine general Comentius. The area of Sliven was incorporated into the First Bulgarian Empire around 705 as part of the Slav-settled Zagore , according to Tervel's treaty with the Byzantine Emperor Justinian II . A settlement was established on

3240-530: Was elected mayor. The party won elections again in 1915 and 1919. A welfare bureau, a labor bureau, and municipal housing for the homeless were established. Binding regulations were issued on relations between workers and employers on wages, on weekends and holidays. The administration was dissolved on 31 January 1923 by a decision of the BZNS -dominated Sliven District Court. During the First World War it

3300-626: Was intended for cutting wood. In the mid-17th century hajduk-style infantry largely fell out of fashion in Poland-Lithuania, and were replaced by musket -armed infantry of Western style. However, commanders or hetmans of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth continued to maintain their own liveried bodyguards of hajduks, well into the 18th century as something of a throwback to the past, even though they were now rarely used as field troops. In imitation of these bodyguards, in

3360-399: Was one of the largest industrial centers in Bulgaria, playing an important role during the Bulgarian National Revival . It has long-lived traditions in textiles, machine-building, glass-making, chemical production, and the technical and food industries. Following the beginning of communist rule in Bulgaria in 1944, most industries were nationalized and much industrial building and development

3420-431: Was opened here in April 1830. After the withdrawal of the Russian troops, more than 15,000 people from the town and surrounding villages were displaced to southern Russia, Bessarabia and Wallachia, while only 2,000-3,000 Bulgarians remained in the town. With this, Sliven suffered a severe demographic and economic blow, which blunted the momentum of its former development. The inhabitants of Sliven became actively involved in

3480-525: Was spurred. Industry continued to develop until the fall of communism, at which point much of the previously built industry stagnated; many plants and factories were shut down and there was little development. In contemporary times, Sliven has experienced a surge in economy with increased investment, banking establishments and new industries have begun to emerge. The dairy industry, which has long been present, continues to grow and thrive. The wine industry, with companies such as Vinprom and Vini Sliven and about

3540-419: Was the site of the Sliven prisoner of war camp , the largest such camp in the country. It was the place of internment for Greek and Serbian civilians and soldiers, with peak numbers of 19,000. From the beginning of the Industrial Revolution in Bulgaria until the beginning of the socialist economy, the industry was concentrated in the northern parts of the city. The new government gradually began to consolidate

3600-552: Was used by the Romanian resistance movement Haiducii Muscelului , between 1947 and 1959, which opposed the Soviet occupation and the Communist government . In the 2003 viral Moldovan pop song Dragostea Din Tei , the singer begins by introducing himself as a 'haiduc'. In 2004, Haiducii herself released a successful cover of the song. Sliven Province 42°41′N 26°21′E  /  42.683°N 26.350°E  / 42.683; 26.350 Sliven Province ( Bulgarian : Област Сливен , former name Sliven okrug )

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