Karlovo
Karlovo is a small town lying in a valley bearing the same name, which in turn is a part of the famous Rose Valley. The town is situated 141km east of Sofia.
The today’s town is a relatively new one, as it emerged shortly after the Ottoman invasion in Bulgaria in the late 14th c. It rapidly became administrative centre of the Ottoman Empire and residence of Turkish local administrators. In the early 19th century, Karlovo was already in its apogee with hundreds of weaving shops and water mills, manufacturers of braids and coarse woolen cloths, coppersmiths, goldsmiths, leather producers, etc. Goods made in Karlovo were exported to Vienna, Dubrovnik and trade centres in Egypt, Romania, Albania. Unfortunally all that ceased because of the Liberation Warin 1878, when the town was almost completely destroyed.
The today’s town is a relatively new one, as it emerged shortly after the Ottoman invasion in Bulgaria in the late 14th c. It rapidly became administrative centre of the Ottoman Empire and residence of Turkish local administrators. In the early 19th century, Karlovo was already in its apogee with hundreds of weaving shops and water mills, manufacturers of braids and coarse woolen cloths, coppersmiths, goldsmiths, leather producers, etc. Goods made in Karlovo were exported to Vienna, Dubrovnik and trade centres in Egypt, Romania, Albania. Unfortunally all that ceased because of the Liberation Warin 1878, when the town was almost completely destroyed.
Some of the most renowned Bulgarian partiots whose native town was Karlovo are: Vassil Levski, Botyo Petkov – respected teacher and father of the revolutionary and poet Hristo Botev; Ivan Bogorov, publisher of the first Bulgarian newspaper; Evlogi and Hristo Georgievi, emerging bourgeois businessmen and patriots, who donated 1mn golden leva for the construction of the first higher education establishment in Bulgaria, the Sofia University.
Most of the landmarks in Karlovo are connected with the life of Vassil Levski. One can visit the Town Museum of History, the Vassil Levski house-museum, the monument dedicated to Vassil Levski, the Vassil Levski Chitalishte (Comunity Centre and Library) with a permanent art exhibition. There is also a Karlovo Bath spa center.
Most of the landmarks in Karlovo are connected with the life of Vassil Levski. One can visit the Town Museum of History, the Vassil Levski house-museum, the monument dedicated to Vassil Levski, the Vassil Levski Chitalishte (Comunity Centre and Library) with a permanent art exhibition. There is also a Karlovo Bath spa center.
