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The town of Karlovo (population: 27 992
inhabitants) is situated 520 m. above the sea level in the
valley of the same name, which is part of the famous
Rose Valley. The town is located at
the distance of 141 km. east from Sofia,
58 km. north of Plovdiv, 55 km. west of Kazanlak and 66 km.
south of Troyan. Karlovo is the birthplace of the eminent
Bulgarian – the Apostle of Liberty Vasil Levski.
History
Karlovo’s remote past is not well explored. There are not
stories or legends that have been preserved. Today’s town is a
relatively new one. It originated on the banks of Stara reka
right after the Ottoman invasion in Bulgaria, as an
administrative center of the local Turkish Feudal lords. The
village was named Karlovo after the local Turkish feudal lord.
The beginning of the 19 th century for Karlovo was a time of
rapid economic boom, cultural uplift and revolutionary ardour.
Hundreds of clockworks and watermills were working near to the
Stara Reka River. Rich merchants bought the production of the
skilful master coppersmiths, goldsmiths, tailors and leather –
workers and traded with Egypt, Albania, Romania, Vienna. Karlovo
became a big and bustling village with a formed center, town
clock and pleasant houses. The Russian – Turkish War of
Liberation put end to the wealthy life in the town. In 1877
Karlovo was plundered and set on fire. 814 people were
slaughtered, and most of the survivors ran away in the Balkan
Mountain. The town is a birthplace of the teacher Botyo Petkov,
father of Hristo Botev, the brothers Evlogy and Hristo
Georgievi, Hristo Popvasilev. Also a native of Karlovo is the
famous Bulgarian mountaineer Hristo Prodanov - the first
Bulgarian who set foot on Mount Everest
Map Of
Karlovo
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