Location

Sliven Region is situated in South-Eastern Bulgaria and is bounded by the regions of Yanmol, Bourgas, Veliko Tarnovo, Targovishte, Shumen and Stara Zagora. The relief is diverse - semi-mountainous and mountainous to the north, and plain - to the south. The region covers the Tundzha hilly area and the plains of  Nova Zagora, Kermen and Sliven. The Elena-Tvarditza Mountains and the Sliven Mountains, which are parts of the Balkan Mountain range, rise to the north. The territory of the region is cut by the Tundzha River (the biggest tributary of the Maritsa), the Luda Kamchia River, the Assenovska River, the Blatnitza River, the Stara Reka (the Old River), etc. Zhrebchevo dam, one of the oldest in the country, is on the Tundzha River, and Assenovets Dam is in the valley of the Assenovska River.

Profile

Spa springs near Sliven and Nova Zagora are prerequisites for the development of balneological tourism. There are opportunities for cultural and educational tourism, mountaineering, spelaeological tourism and paraplaning in Sinite Kamuni (Blue Stones) Nature Park and Kutelka Reserve, the rock phenomena (the Ring and the Glove), the caves (Haidushka, Bachvata, Peschenik), the protected nature areas of Aglikina Poliana, Haidut Dere, Zhelezni Vrata and Bozhura. The Sofia- Bourgas railroad crosses the territory of the region. Several passes in the Balkan Mountains (Tvarditsa, Kotlen and Vratnik) connect the region with Northern Bulgaria.

Industry and agriculture are well developed here. Traditions of weaving date back to 1836, when Dobri Zheliazkov - "the Factory Man" - established in Sliven the first weaving factory in the Ottoman Empire. Kotel is one of the main centers of the carpet industry on Bulgarian lands.

History

The lands of Sliven Region have been populated since ancient times. Many prehistoric tells have been discovered there, among them - one of the biggest in Europe, the Karanovo tell. Thracians have left cultural landmarks in almost all of the settlements in the region. The mountain passes, used yet by Romans, have been safeguarded by fortifications, the remnants of which are preserved near Sliven and Tvarditsa, the villages of Kipilovo, Gavrailovo, Topolchane, Sotirya. During the Ottoman rule the region was one of the most rebellious. In the mountains near Sliven, Nova Zagora, Tvarditza and elsewhere hundreds of rebel groups used to operate, which are commemorated today by monuments dedicated to heroic chieftains and rebels in many of the towns and villages. During the National Revival period crafts and trade boosted up and the population became better off. Big houses have been built in many settlements in the mountainous part of the region. Separate ensembles and even whole settlements of revivalist architectural style have been preserved - in Zheravna, Kotel, Katunishte, Medven, and Sliven. Folk and religious feasts, preserved in their authenticity in many parts of the region, are of interest to tourists.

Sources: Official website of Sliven Region, Wikipedia.org