History of Haskovo
The first data about settlements on the territory of the town of Haskovo dates back to the 5th century BC. There are dozens of artifacts such as stone cannons, various idols, amulets, strings and necklaces, and so on.
In the iron age, the region is inhabited by the Thracians. They leave their mark in the form of a number of tombs, shrines and strongholds. One of the most significant testimonies of their culture can be found in the unique murals of the tomb near the village of Alexandrovo, Haskovo municipality.
In the middle of the 6th century, Slavs and Proto-Bulgarians began to settle towards Thrace and the Aegean coast. The memories of these times and nations are found in a medieval settlement in the Hissarya area and the fortress wall in Haskovo. At the end of the Xth and the beginning of the 11th century, the fortress witnessed many battles and was almost completely destroyed.
At the time of the Second Bulgarian State, Haskovo was associated with the famous Battle of Klokotnitsa from 1230. Then the troops of the legendary ruler and Bulgarian Tsar Ivan Assen II destroyed the numerous army of the Byzantine despot Teodor Komnin.
During the Ottoman Empire, Haskovo meets the names of Haskioy and Marsa. In the middle of the 19th century, flourish the traditional crafts such as furriery and tannery, and the city has craft and shopping streets with more than 200 workshops and shopping centers. One after another, new Bulgarian schools emerge in Haskovo. In the early 20th century, Haskovo became the center of the tobacco industry.
Useful Information
Haskovo municipality is situated in the hilly plains of Southeastern Bulgaria and occupies the western part of the Haskovo region. The town is strategically located between the Rhodopes and the Stara Planina Mountains.
Territory: 740.22 sq. km.
Settlements: 37 settlements, 1 town and 36 villages
Climate: moderate continental, with a strong Mediterranean influence
Population: NSI (31.12.2022) 79 939 people (in the town of Haskovo – 64 564, in the villages – 15 375 people)