Pirdop
Pirdop (Пирдоп ) is a town located in South-West Bulgaria in Pirdop Municipality of Sofia Province in the southeastern part of the Zlatitsa - Pirdop Valley at 670 m above sea level. It is surrounded by the Balkan Range (also known as the Stara Planina) to the north, Sredna Gora Mountain to the south, and Koznitsa and Galabets saddles to the east and west, respectively. The town has a population of 8,040.
Some Aromanians live in Pirdop.
The main economic activity is non-ferrous metallurgy. The Pirdop copper smelter and refinery is the biggest in the Balkans and whole of South-Eastern Europe. It was privatized in 1997 for $80,000,000 and is now owned by the German Aurubis. It has a capacity of 160,000 tons and additional capacity of 180,000 tons worth €82,000,000 is being built. The factory also produces 830,000 tons of sulphuric acid and employs 1,420 workers. The main chimney of the factory is 325 metres tall and shares together with the chimneys of Maritza East Power Stations the title of tallest man-made objects of Bulgaria.
Some Aromanians live in Pirdop.
The main economic activity is non-ferrous metallurgy. The Pirdop copper smelter and refinery is the biggest in the Balkans and whole of South-Eastern Europe. It was privatized in 1997 for $80,000,000 and is now owned by the German Aurubis. It has a capacity of 160,000 tons and additional capacity of 180,000 tons worth €82,000,000 is being built. The factory also produces 830,000 tons of sulphuric acid and employs 1,420 workers. The main chimney of the factory is 325 metres tall and shares together with the chimneys of Maritza East Power Stations the title of tallest man-made objects of Bulgaria.
Map - Pirdop
Map
Country - Bulgaria
Flag of Bulgaria |
One of the earliest societies in the lands of modern-day Bulgaria was the Neolithic Karanovo culture, which dates back to 6,500 BC. In the 6th to 3rd century BC the region was a battleground for ancient Thracians, Persians, Celts and Macedonians; stability came when the Roman Empire conquered the region in AD 45. After the Roman state splintered, tribal invasions in the region resumed. Around the 6th century, these territories were settled by the early Slavs. The Bulgars, led by Asparuh, attacked from the lands of Old Great Bulgaria and permanently invaded the Balkans in the late 7th century. They established the First Bulgarian Empire, victoriously recognised by treaty in 681 AD by the Eastern Roman Empire. It dominated most of the Balkans and significantly influenced Slavic cultures by developing the Cyrillic script. The First Bulgarian Empire lasted until the early 11th century, when Byzantine emperor Basil II conquered and dismantled it. A successful Bulgarian revolt in 1185 established a Second Bulgarian Empire, which reached its apex under Ivan Asen II (1218–1241). After numerous exhausting wars and feudal strife, the empire disintegrated and in 1396 fell under Ottoman rule for nearly five centuries.
Currency / Language
ISO | Currency | Symbol | Significant figures |
---|---|---|---|
BGN | Bulgarian lev | лв | 2 |
ISO | Language |
---|---|
BG | Bulgarian language |
TR | Turkish language |