History and culture
The lands of Haskovo region are a cradle of a rich and ancient culture. The Thracians, the legions of the Roman empire, the Slavs and the proto-Bulgarians have left an imprint, but also and all the nationalities, that lived at these lands.
There are vestiges from the early Neoliths and the New stone age near the mound “Chavdarova cheshma”, Simeonovgrad municipality and the mounds near Dimitrovgrad and the villages Bulgarin, Dinevo, Pyasachevo, Bolyarski izvor ets.
The gravestone Thracian mounds, the numerous complexes of sanctuaries, the necropolises, the fortresses and the dolmens in Sakar Mountain and in the Eastern Rodopi are all bright proofs of the active presence of Thracian population at these places. The monumental cupola tomb near Mezek village and the big tomb, covered with wall paintings near Aleksandrovo village, dating back to the 4th century BC, are evidence of exceptional high culture of the population, living in the area of that time.
A reliable road network, the bridges, fortresses, sanctuaries, amphitheatres and other infrastructure facilities were built during the period of the Roman rule. The nymph’s and Aphrodite’s sanctuary near Kasnakovo village, dating back to the 2-4th, the ancient villa “Armira” , the ancient and medieval fortress in Mineralni bani, dating back to the 2-14th century are witnesses of the past glory of the Roman empire.
The fortresses Constantsa near Simeonovgrad municipality and “Lyutitsa” in the surroundings of Ivaylovgrad, as well as the ones in the area of Lyubenovo, Mineralni bani and Mezek are evidences of the medieval Bulgarian state. In the “Hisarya” area, Haskovo municipality was erected Bulgarian fortress and a new town appeared at this place. The rocky churches near Matochina and Mihalich villages are unique examples of the Bulgarian spiritual development after the adaptation of the Christianity.
On the territory of Haskovo region took place two of the most significant events of our medieval history. On the 14th April 1205 near the Matochina village, the Bulgarian troops, leaded by the king Kaloyan, had a bloody battle with the Latin invaders, guided by the emperor Baldwin Flanders, on the 9th March 1230 near Klokotnitsa village, the Bulgarian troops, guided by king Ivan Asen II confronted and defeated the troops of the despot Theodor Comnin.
The heritage of the Ottoman power in the region are the oldest mosque in Haskovo, dating back to 1395, the mausoleum Osman Baba in Teke village /15 c./, the teke in Bogomil village /16 c./, the old bridge over Maritsa river in Svilengrad dating back to the 1529, The “Crookbacked bridge” in Harmanli /1585/ etc.
In this time became very popular and acquired economic importance the fair in Uzundzhovo village, dating back to the second half of the 18th century and was a significant trade place until the Liberation in 1878. Every year about 50000 people visited it from different countries. The fair exerted beneficial influence for the prosperity of the cities in the region.
The building of the churches “St. Trinity” in Svilengrad /1834/, “Sveti Atanasiy” in Harmanli /1835/, “Sveta Bogoroditsa” in Haskovo /1837/ was an expression of the local prosperity and consolidation of the Bulgarian spirit during the Renaissance, as well as other churches in the region. Dozen schools opened in the bigger settlements of the present Haskovo region. In 1857 their number was already 35 and the total number of the students reached 500. In 1864 was build the Class Bulgarian school in Haskovo, called “Central”. Then were established the first community centres. In 1858 the community centre “Zarya” was founded in Haskovo, in 1870 the community centre “Zvezda” was founded in Svilengrad. The same year was established the community centre in Harmanli.
During the centuries of Ottoman occupancy in Haskovo region Bulgarian hayduk groups, leaded by Kralyu voyvoda, Kara Kolyo, Stanko voyvoda, Rusi Kalyata, Angel voyvoda, Kapitan Petko voyvoda and many other people offered resistance to the conquerors and inflexible daring for preservation of the Bulgarian state.
The Haskovo region was actively involved in the national liberation movement with the organization of revolutionary committees in 1868. This kind of committees was founded in Haskovo and in the villages Yabalkovo, Merichleri and Stransko.
The fight for liberation end with the offensive of the Russian troops and led to the liberation of Simeonovgrad on the third /15/ January 1878, of Harmanli on the forth /16/ January and of Haskovo and Svilengrad on the seventh /19/ January. The settlements in Ivaylovgrad area were liberated at the same time.
The main occupation of the population of Haskovo region after the Liberation was agriculture. But also started the trade and tobacco treatment, one factory for tobacco manipulation, activated some wholesaler of cocoons, cereals, factories for the production of soda and lemonade, flour etc. The first enterprises were founded in the field of coal mining.
New stimulus of the fight for national liberation gave the Balkan War, when the troop of Haskovo on the 5th of October 1912 liberated Kardzhali and advancing along Arda river towards Edirne, liberated Ivaylovgrad and Svilengrad. Important place in the fighting history of the state took Haskovo region with the participation in the Second Balkan War and the First World War. Their names were saved on the build military monuments in lot of cities and the villages of the region for the next generations.
During the 30’s started new economic and cultural development in our region. Evidence for the existed European way of life and spirituality is the preserved urban architecture from ancient time.
The time after the 9th 1944, in principle is passing by with tact by the historians, but we can’t mention it, at least for the establishment of Dimitrovgrad. It’s a city that had gather people from all the country; they devoted their fates, built the economy, formed the architecture view and gave the intellectual and spiritual potential.
The historical development of Haskovo region and the created spiritual and material culture during the centuries have predetermined the paths of the economic development, not only in the past, but and at present time.
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