Gorna Oryahovitsa
Gorna Orjahovica
Горна Оряховица | |
---|---|
Town | |
UTC+3 (EEST) | |
Postal Code | 5100 |
Area code | 0618 |
Website | g-oryahovica |
Gorna Oryahovitsa (Bulgarian: Горна Оряховица [ˈɡornɐ oˈrʲaxovit͡sɐ]) is a town in northern Bulgaria, situated in Veliko Tarnovo Province, 10 km (6 mi) from Veliko Tarnovo. It is the administrative centre of the homonymous Gorna Oryahovitsa Municipality. According to the 2021 Census, the town has a population of 27,317 inhabitants.[1][2][3]
The nearby village of
History
Early history
The first settlement in the area dates back to the second half of the 5th millennium BC (
Middle Ages
After the restoration of the Bulgarian State at the end of the 12th century, a need arose for protection of the new metropolis
During the
Development and growth
During the Bulgarian National Revival, Gorna Oryahovitsa gradually turned into an economically strong settlement. Crafts prospered and trade was among the most active in Northern Bulgaria. Every Friday there was a big market for cattle, agricultural production, timber, and charcoal. As early as 1822, a monastery school was opened here and in 1827 a private school that became public in 1835 began functioning. In 1850, the first girls' school opened gates and in 1859 the first intermediate high school was founded. A chitalishte (library and community centre) was opened in 1869. Gorna Oryahovitsa was proclaimed a town in 1870, when it numbered 4,700 inhabitants and had 1,200 houses and 5 churches.
Revolutionary struggles
The population of the town took part in the struggle for national liberation.
Liberated Bulgaria
After the Liberation, the town developed as a significant transport (predominantly railway) centre as it is nowadays. Its proximity with the old metropolitan town of Veliko Tarnovo, tourist centre Arbanasi, the monasteries around and a great number of other sites of interest makes it a known tourist destination.
Population
Gorna Oryahovitsa | |||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | 1887 | 1910 | 1934 | 1946 | 1956 | 1965 | 1975 | 1985 | 1992 | 2001 | 2005 | 2009 | 2011 | 2021 | |
Population | 5,689 | 7,117 | 8,793 | 10,488 | 18,863 | 26,299 | 34,181 | 40,704 | 38,914 | 35,621 | 33,804 | 32,436 | 46,685 | 27,317 | |
Highest number ?? in ?? | |||||||||||||||
Sources: National Statistical Institute,[1] citypopulation.de,[2] pop-stat.mashke.org,[3] Bulgarian Academy of Sciences[4] |
Education
- OU "Ivan Vazov"
- OU "Saint Kiril and Metodii"
- OU "Paisii Hilendarski"
- SOU "Vicho Grancharov"
- SOU "Georgi Izmirliev"
- M. V. Lomonosov School of Electrotechnics and Electronics
- PGT "Vasil Levski" (mechanics)
- PGLPI "Atanas Burov"
- PGHT "Prof d-r Asen Zlatarov" (food)
- PGJPT "N. J. Vapcarov"
Religion
Around 85% of the citizens are Christians.
- Orthodox Church "Sveti Atanas" (Saint Atanas)
- Orthodox Church "Sveti Georgi" (Saint Georgi)
- Orthodox Church "Sveti Ivan Rilski" (Saint Ivan Rilski)
- Orthodox Church "Sveti Nikola" (Saint Nikola)
- Orthodox Church "Sveta Troitza" (Trinity)
- Orthodox Church "Uspenie Bogorodichno"
- Orthodox Church "Sveti Prorok Iliya" (St. Prophet Iliya)
Sights
- Hill Kamaka ("Hill the rock" in English)
- hut Bojur (place in the area around the town good for rest and walks)
Economy
Gorna Oryahovitsa is an important producer of sugar and sugar products in Bulgaria. Apart from the major sugar factory Zaharni Zavodi Ltd. the town hosts numerous smaller firms producing sweets and pastries.
- Sugar factory "Zaharni Zavodi — Gorna Oryahovitsa"
The company was founded in 1912 as the "Bulgarian-Czech joint stock company for sugar industry". The factory first opened in 1913 and in 1926 it expanded to produce ethanol, utilizing the molasses, which is a byproduct of sugar cane processing. The following year a nearby confectionery factory was purchased and new production units were put in operation to produce pottery, glucose, potassium carbonate and dry fodder. In 1948 the factory was nationalized and renamed "Zaharni Zavodi". During the years of socialism the company continued its development, buying new machines and opening new factories whose products were exported to the
- Skladova Tehnika AD is one of the largest Bulgarian manufacturers of wood stoves, fireplaces, hoisting equipment, lifting platforms and cranes. The company was founded in 1916 and in the time of the USSR, Romania, other socialist countries and countries from Asia and Africa. The Rahovets compact oven became one of the most common home appliances in Bulgaria since its introduction in 1973 and is still in production today.
- Bultraf EOOD is one of the biggest manufacturers of transformers in Northern Bulgaria. The company was founded in 2004.
- Day and Night Ltd is a sweets company that produces the popular brand of wafers "Borovets".
Twin towns – sister cities
Gorna Oryahovitsa is twinned with:[5]
- Smalyavichy, Belarus (1998)
- Cherepovets, Vologda Oblast, Russia (1998)
- Waren an der Müritz, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany (2001)
- Roșiorii de Vede, Romania (2003)
- Szigetszentmiklós, Hungary (2004)
- Statte, Italy (2007)
- Narva, Estonia (2012)
- Büyükçekmece, Turkey (2013)
- Myrhorod, Poltava Oblast, Ukraine (2013)
Culture
During the last 15 years, Gorna Oryahovitsa has been developing an intensive festive activity. Some of the major yearly events are:
- Festival of Bulgarian culture and the Cyrillic script—24 and 25 May
- Festival of Gorna Oryahovitsa—28 May
- Golden Lion International Arm wrestling Tournament—28 May
- International Festival of Tourist Songs—3–5 June
- International Folklore Festival (children)—12–18 June
- International Folklore Festival (adults)—1–6 August
- Petropavlovski (St. Peter and Paul) National Folklore Festival
Communication
- Communication center "Nadezhda 1869"
Theaters
- Youth Theater "Alternative" at the National Chitalishte "Napredak - 1869" - Gorna Oryahovitsa
- The summer theater in Gorna Oryahovitsa has an open stage and has 2000 seats. In the building cultural activity is developed by the National Chitalishte "Bratya Grancharovi", founded in 2002.
Museum
- City History Museum
Annual events
For the last 15 years Gorna Oryahovitsa has been making efforts to establish itself as a festival center of national and international importance. Some of the more important regular annual events held in the city are:
- Feast of Slavic writing- May 24 and 25
- Holiday of the town of Gorna Oryahovitsa - May 29
- National chamber dance competition
- National meeting of the centennial community centers - every year in May
- All-Bulgarian Chitalishte Fair - every year in May
- Feast of Gorno Oryahov sudzuk (sausage) - May 27
- International youth competition for popular song "New Music" - every year in June
- International Tourist Song Festival - June 3–5
- Rahovche International Children's Festival
- International Folklore Festival - August 1–6
- National Peter and Paul Festival of Folk Art
- Annual concerts of the music school at Chitalishte "Napredak"
- Upper Open Air Rock Festival - the last week of September, Bratya Grancharovi Community Center
Sport
The town has a well-developed sport centre as the major sports practised are:
. In 1935 in Gorna Oryahovitsa was created Sport club Nikola Petrov. Later the club was renamed as SC Borislav. Its stadium was built in 1949 in the neighborhood of Kaltinets.FC Lokomotiv Gorna Oryahovitsa
FC Lokomotiv Gorna Oryahovitsa was established in 1932. In 1935 in the North part of the town were created the first stadium "Unak". In 1963/1964 the club plays on Bulgarian first league.[6]
Transport
Gorna Oryahovitsa is a major railway junction in northern Bulgaria. In the town is one of the six international airports in Bulgaria—Gorna Oryahovitsa Airport, with flight to or from Sofia taking about 30 minutes. It is 12 kilometers away situated from the old capital of Bulgaria - Veliko Tarnovo. The Gorna Oryahovitsa airport is licensed to operate in services such as baggage handling, passenger handling, administration and supervision, cargo and mail handling, ramp handling, aircraft and fuel handling.[7]
Distances from Gorna Oryahovitsa by asphalt:
- to Sofia—228 km
- to Varna—214 km
- to Rousse—101 km
- to Veliko Tarnovo (during Arbanasi)—9,6 km
Notable people
- Atanas Burov—banker and politician
- Nikola Petroff—wrestler
- Tsvetan Gashevski—arm wrestler
- Valeri Bojinov, footballer
References
- Notes
- ^ a b c "Население по градове и пол | Национален статистически институт". nsi.bg. Retrieved 3 January 2024.
- ^ a b "Bulgaria: Major Cities - Population Statistics, Maps, Charts, Weather and Web Information". www.citypopulation.de. Retrieved 3 January 2024.
- ^ a b "Cities of Bulgaria". pop-stat.mashke.org. Retrieved 3 January 2024.
- ^ (in Bulgarian) Bulgarian Academy of Sciences Archived 6 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Побратимени градове". g-oryahovica.org (in Bulgarian). Gorna Oryahovitsa. Retrieved 1 November 2019.
- ^ "FC Lokomotiv Gorna Oryahovitsa". Archived from the original on 5 December 2020. Retrieved 12 June 2017.
- ^ "Gorna Oryahovitsa Airport". www.gornaoryahovitsa-airport.bg. Retrieved 10 February 2021.
External links
- Informative site about Gorna Oryahovitsa (in Bulgarian)
- Gorna Oryahovitsa, news and information (in Bulgarian)
- Municipality of Gorna Oryahovitsa (in Bulgarian)
- Road map (in Bulgarian and English)
- Rahovets Fortress (in Bulgarian and English)
- History of Gorna Oryahovitsa Archived 9 February 2012 at the Wayback Machine (in Bulgarian, German, French, Russian, and English)
- Folklore Company Sider Voivoda (in English)