Burgas

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**Burgas**
Бургас

Province (oblast)	Burgas
Population	205,821 (2006-15-09)
Altitude	30 m
Postal code	8000
Area code	056
Geographic coordinates	42° 30' north, 27° 28' east
Time zone	EET (UTC +2; UTC+3 in summer)
Mayor	Yoan Kostadinov

Burgas (also transliterated as Bourgas; Bulgarian: Бургас) is the second-largest city on the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast. It is also the fourth-largest by population in the country, after Sofia, Plovdiv and Varna. It is the capital of Burgas Province and an industrial and tourist centre.

Surrounded by the coastal Burgas Lakes and located at the westernmost point of the Black Sea, the large Burgas Bay, Burgas has the largest and most important Bulgarian port. Today, it is a key economic, cultural and tourist centre of southeastern Bulgaria, with the Burgas Airport serving the resorts of the southern Bulgarian coast.

1 History
2 Institutions of higher education
3 Attractions
4 Notable natives
5 Notable buildings and architectural structures
6 Sister cities
7 See also
8 External links

[edit] History

Alexander Severus coin celebrating the Flavian colony of Deultum

Bourgas is a successor of the Ancient Greek city of Pyrgos (Πύργος), founded by colonists from Apolonia as a military and observational post against the other important settlement in the region — Mesembria. Besides Pirgos, the present-day city expands over the area of three other ancient settlements: Castrition, Skafida and Rossokastron.

During the rule of the Ancient Romans, Burgas was known as Deultum, and was established as a military colony for veterans by Vespasian. In the Middle Ages, a small fortress called Pirgos (Πύργος being Greek for "tower") was erected on the place and was most probably used as a watchtower. It was only in the 17th century that a settlement named Ahelo-Pirgas grew in the modern area of the city. It was later renamed to Bourgas and had only about 3,000 inhabitants, most of them Greeks at the time of the Liberation.

Later, it became a major centre on the southern Bulgarian Black Sea Coast and a city of well-developed industry and trade. A number of oil and chemical companies were gradually built. Salt and iron are also mined and traded abroad.

Street scene from the centre of Burgas

Architecture of Burgas

Burgas

View of Alexandrovska Street from Hotel Bulgaria

City Hall

In 1903, the railway station in Burgas opened, giving an additional boost to the city's expansion. Burgas, unlike many other Bulgarian cities, was not much affected by Communist-type urbanization and has kept many of its 19th and early 20th century architecture.

Today the local port is the largest in Bulgaria adding significantly to the regional economy. Burgas also holds annual national exhibitions and international festivals and has a vibrant student population of over 6,000 that add to the city's appeal.

Several countries have consulates in Burgas, among them Turkey, Belarus, Romania, Russia and Ukraine.

Burgas Peninsula on Livingston Island in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica is named after the city of Burgas.

[edit] Institutions of higher education

[edit] Attractions

Burgas Regional Historical Museum
Ethnographic Museum
Museum of Nature and Science
Art Gallery
Opera House
International Folklore Festival

[edit] Notable natives

Georgi Chilikov (b. 1978), footballer
Toni Dimitrova (b. 1963), singer
Petya Dubarova (1962–1979), poetess
Rayna Kabaivanska (b. 1934), opera singer
Georgi Kaloyanchev (b. 1925), actor
Apostol Karamitev (1923–1973), actor
Radostin Kishishev (b. 1974), footballer
Rumen Ovcharov (b. 1952), politician
Toncho Tokmakchiev (b. 1963), actor
Kostas Varnalis (1884–1974), Greek writer
Nedyalko Yordanov (b. 1940), writer

[edit] Notable buildings and architectural structures

The building of the TV Centre Burgas ( РРТС Бургас ) loos like a highrise with 6 floors with a tower looking like "Eiffel Tower with concrete legs" on its roof [1].

[edit] Sister cities

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Burgas

Wikisource has an original article from the 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica about:

Burgas

Cities and towns in Bulgaria
Aytos \| Asenovgrad \| Blagoevgrad \| Botevgrad \| Burgas \| Dimitrovgrad \| Dobrich \| Dupnitsa \| Gabrovo \| Gorna Oryahovitsa \| Gotse Delchev \| Harmanli \| Haskovo \| Karlovo \| Karnobat \| Kazanlak \| Kardzhali \| Kyustendil \| Lom \| Lovech \| Montana \| Nova Zagora \| Panagyurishte \| Pazardzhik \| Pernik \| Petrich \| Pleven \| Plovdiv \| Razgrad \| Rousse \| Samokov \| Sandanski \| Sevlievo \| Shumen \| Silistra \| Sliven \| Smolyan \| Sofia \| Stara Zagora \| Svishtov \| Targovishte \| Troyan \| Varna \| Veliko Tarnovo \| Velingrad \| Vidin \| Vratsa \| Yambol

Cities and towns in Bulgaria

edit	Municipalities of Burgas Province
Aitos \| Burgas \| Sredets \| Kameno \| Karnobat \| Malko Tarnovo \| Tsarevo \| Nesebar \| Pomorie \| Ruen \| Sozopol \| Sungurlare \| Primorsko