Kotel, Bulgaria

Kotel
Ко̀тел
Kotel
Kotel, Bulgaria
Coordinates: 42°53′N 26°27′E / 42.883°N 26.450°E / 42.883; 26.450
Country Bulgaria
Provinces
(Oblast)		 Sliven
Government
 • Mayor Kosta Karanashev
Elevation 643 m (2,110 ft)
Population (2016)[1]
 • Total 5 329
Time zone UTC+2 (EET)
 • Summer (DST) UTC+3 (EEST)
Postal Code 8970
Area code(s) 0453
License plate CH

Kotel (Bulgarian: Ко̀тел) is a town in central Bulgaria, part of Sliven Province. It is the administrative centre of the homonymous Kotel Municipality. As of 2016, the town has a population of 5329 inhabitants.[1]

Kotel is known for the numerous personalities of the Bulgarian National Revival that are somehow connected to the town, such as politicians Alexander Bogoridi and Stefan Bogoridi, enlighteners Sophronius of Vratsa and Petar Beron, public figure Gavril Krastevich, revolutionary Georgi Rakovski, as well as World War II prime minister Dobri Bozhilov. It has a well-known music school and a large talented Romani population who can be found playing in restaurants and orchestras all over Bulgaria. Because of its situation in the mountains Kotel is also a popular healthy resort for the cure of diseases such as TB. Kotel has been a center for carpet making and there is a museum devoted to the craft.

Geography

The town is located in East Stara planina.

Landmarks

  • Protected area "Zlosten"
  • Protected area "Urushki skali"
  • Protected area "Eagle Caves"

History

Kotel 1932

Kotel was settled during the beginning of the Ottoman occupation of Bulgaria, when people fled from neighboring cities and towns. We get the first information about the town in an Ottoman-Turkish register since 1486. In 1894, much of Kotel was destroyed in a fire.

Honour

Kotel Gap on Livingston Island in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica is named after Kotel.

Culture

Education

Kotel Literary School established at the XVI century. Sophronius of Vratsa is a prominent representative of this school.

Culture center "Saglasie-Napredak 1870"

Culture center "Saglasie-Napredak 1870" were created in 1870. Children's dance ensemble,The Bulgarian Choir,Children's vocal group,Theatrical team, Circle: "The People's Memory Tells",Creative unification – "Traditions",A group of old urban songs "Balkan Breeze".

Post card from Kotel

Agriculture

There is a strong sheep farming tradition in the region, which includes the practice of transhumance, migrating the sheep from lowland winter pastures to mountain summer pastures. This was profiled in a BBC Radio 4 documentary.[2]

Notable residents

Sarakatsani children in Kotel

References

  1. 1 2 Bulgarian National Statistical Institute – towns in 2009 Archived 13 November 2010 at the Wayback Machine.
  2. ↑ BBC Radio 4, Tuesday 14 October 2008, World on the Move, Great Animal Migrations

Coordinates: 42°53′N 26°27′E / 42.883°N 26.450°E / 42.883; 26.450

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