Pavlikeni

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This article is about a town in Bulgaria. For the Christian sect, see Paulicianism.
Pavlikeni
Pavlikeni (Bulgaria)
Pavlikeni
Pavlikeni
Location of Pavlikeni
Coordinates: 43°14′N 25°19′E / 43.233, 25.317
Country Flag of Bulgaria Bulgaria
Provinces
(Oblast)
Veliko Tarnovo
Government
 - Mayor Angel Genov
Elevation 144 m (472 ft)
Population (2005-09-13)
 - Total 13,997
Time zone EET (UTC+2)
 - Summer (DST) EEST (UTC+3)
Postal Code 5200
Area code(s) 0610

Pavlikeni (Bulgarian: Павликени) is a town in northern Bulgaria, part of Veliko Tarnovo Province. It is 41 kilometers away from Veliko Tarnovo.

Pavlikeni was a centre of ceramics and pottery in Antiquity as evidenced by the remains from Roman and Thracian times, the modern town emerged in the 13th-14th century as a village initially called Marinopoltsi. Since its residents were adherents of the Christian sect of Paulicianism, it soon acquired its present name.

During the Ottoman rule of Bulgaria, the demographics of the village changed significantly, as many Turks settled to make it a purely Turkish village. After the Liberation of Bulgaria from Ottoman rule in 1877–1878, the Turks left to be replaced by Bulgarians from the Balkan Mountains and the villages of the plains. After the Liberation Pavlikeni developed as a centre of craftsmanship and trade, with many new buildings being constructed. Pavlikeni acquired town status in 1943 owing much to its position on the Sofia-Varna railway line.