Rousse
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| Rousse Русе |
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  Rousse
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| Coordinates: | |||
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| Country |  Bulgaria |
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| Provinces (Oblast) |
Ruse | ||
| Government | |||
| - Mayor | Bozhidar Yotov | ||
| Elevation | 29 m (95 ft) | ||
| Population (2007-09-14)[1] | |||
| - Total | 175,632 | ||
| Time zone | EET (UTC+2) | ||
| - Summer (DST) | EEST (UTC+3) | ||
| Postal Code | 7000 | ||
| Area code(s) | 082 | ||
Rousse (also transliterated as Ruse or Russe; Bulgarian: Русе [ˈru.sɛ]) is the fifth-largest city in Bulgaria, with a population of near 175,600. Rousse is situated in the northeastern part of the country, on the right bank of the Danube, opposite the Romanian city of Giurgiu, 300 km from the capital Sofia and 200 km from the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast. It is the most significant Bulgarian river port, serving an important part of the international trade of the country.
Rousse is known for its 19th- and 20th-century Neo-Baroque and Neo-Rococo architecture, which attracts many tourists. The Rousse-Giurgiu Friendship Bridge, the only one in the shared Bulgarian-Romanian section of the Danube, crosses the river nearby.
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[edit] Geography
Rousse is located on the right bank of the Danube, which is the high bank, having two underwater terraces and three land terraces at 15–22 m, 30–66 m, and 54–65 m. The average altitude is 45.5 m AMSL. The urban area is an approximately 11-km ellipse running along the river. The city extends from the land-connected Matey (Матей) island and the mouth of Rusenski Lom on the west to Srabcheto (Сръбчето) hill on the east. During the 20th century, the west end of the city was significantly modified by moving the mouth of Rusenski Lom to the west, as well as by moving the bank itself with its fairway considerably to the north. Sarabair (саръбаир) hill is to the south of the city and is 159 m high. The Rousse TV Tower is built there on the remains of Leventtabia, a former Turkish fortification.
[edit] History
[edit] Antiquity and Early Middle Ages
The city emerged as a Thracian settlement from the 3rd to 2nd millennium BCE, when pottery, fishing, agriculture, and hunting developed. Excavations reveal several layers, suggesting that the place was attacked by neighbouring tribes and suffered some natural disasters. Ancient sanctuaries were found nearby, where idols of a pregnant woman, a fertility goddess, were prevalent. The Thracian settlement later developed into a Roman military and naval centre during the reign of Vespasian (69-70 CE) as part of the fortification system along the northern boundary of Moesia. Its name, Sexaginta Prista, suggests a meaning of "a city of 60 ships" (from Latin: sexaginta — "60" and Greek: pristis — a special type of guard ship), based on the supposed 60 nearby berths. The fortress was located on the main road between Singidunum (modern Belgrade) and the Danube Delta and was destroyed in the sixth century by Avar and Slavic raids. Hungarian historian Felix Philipp Kanitz was the first to identify Sexaginta Prista with Rousse, but the Škorpil brothers demonstrated the link later through studying inscriptions, coins, graves, and objects of daily life. An inscription from the reign of Diocletian proves that the city was rebuilt as a praesidium (a large fortification) after it was destroyed by the Goths in 250 CE.
[edit] Second Bulgarian Empire and Ottoman rule
In the 13th and 14th centuries, during the time of the Second Bulgarian Empire, a fortified settlement called Rusi (also Golyamo Yorgovo; Bulgarian: Голямо Йоргово), first mentioned in 1380, emerged near the ruins of the Roman town. It later strengthened its position as an important trade centre with the lands on the opposite side of the Danube, until it was conquered by the Ottomans in 1388. Scholars suggest that the city on the river bank derived its present name from the Cherven fortress (Bulgarian: Чѐрвен; "червѐн" meaning red) through the root rous, which is present in many Slavic languages and is a cognate of French rouge and Latin rusos.[2]
During Ottoman rule, the invaders destroyed the town, reacting to a 1595 unsuccessful liberation attempt by a joint Vlach-Bulgarian army, led by Michael the Brave. After its rebuilding in the following years, Rousse was dubbed Rusçuk (Turkish for "little Rousse") and had again expanded into a large fortress by the 18th century. It later grew into one of the most important Ottoman towns on the Danube and an administrative centre of Tuna Vilayet, which extended from Varna and Tulcea to Sofia and Niš. Rousse developed into a centre of the Bulgarian National Revival and hosted the headquarters of the Bulgarian Revolutionary Central Committee.
[edit] Liberated Bulgaria
After it was liberated from the Ottoman Empire on 20 February 1878, Rousse was one of the key cultural and economic centres of the country and the seat of Bulgarian shipping. Intensive building during the period changed the city's architectural appearance to a typical Central European one. That was also a time for a number of firsts for Bulgaria centred on Rousse, including the first private bank (Girdap), insurance company, chamber of commerce, filmshow, metal ship, and weather station.
After knyaz Alexander Battenberg's 1886 abdication, and as a reaction to the regentship's course led by prime minister Stefan Stambolov, a group of Russophile (pro-Russian) military officers revolted in Rousse. The riot was violently crushed, and 13 of the leaders were quickly sentenced to death and executed near the city, which caused a lot of public discontent. Decades later, in 1934, local citizens raised funds and built a monument at the place where the Russophile officers were executed. The monument was blown up in 1940, but rebuilt in 1966 at approximately the same spot.
[edit] World War II and Communism
Between World War I and II, after Southern Dobruja was lost to Romania, the economic significance of the city decreased. So did the population, and Rousse was no longer the second-largest city in Bulgarian lands (after former East Rumelian capital Plovdiv), being quickly surpassed by Sofia and Varna. Many big companies left, and all foreign consulates were closed, except for the Russian one, which has remained functional since.
The return of Southern Dobruja to Bulgaria in September 1940 fostered good conditions for restoration of the city's leading role. It became a provincial centre, and economic activity revived. The construction of the Rousse-Giurgiu bridge in 1954 and the fast industrialization gave a new push to development. Rousse emerged again as an important economic, transport, cultural, and educational hub. Engineering, chemical, and light industries expanded; a large harbor was built; and the city became a university centre. At the 1985 census, a population of more than 186,000 was reported.
[edit] Fall of Communism and democratic Bulgaria
In the early 1980s, Rousse entered a dark period of its history. The Verachim factory was built in Giurgiu, which polluted the air for more than 10 years, impacting the city's development. Population decreased, and 15,000 people moved out between 1985 and 1992. Fortunately, in 1989, the Romanian factory ceased the pollution, under pressure from environmental organizations on both Bulgarian and Romanian communist leadership. Organizations, such as Ekoglasnost, provoked nationwide demonstrations and strongly influenced the change to democracy.
During the 1990s, the global economic crisis in Bulgaria affected Rousse. Most big companies suffered a decline and unemployment increased, which led to renewed emigration waves. Since 2000, the city has been continually regaining its former leading status.
Today, Rousse is a large Bulgarian city, with a population over 170,000, and is one of the basic cultural and economic centres of northern Bulgaria. The country's accession to the European Union is expected to bring local benefit through new investments and opportunities for international business.
Approximately 15 km southeast of Rousse is the village of Shtraklevo, near which is the former military Rousse Airport (currently closed).[1] Plans exist to redevelop and reopen the airport by 2008–09 for internal, charter, and cargo flights. The runway is long enough for Boeing 747s (Jumbo Jets).
[edit] Culture
Noted for its rich culture, Rousse hosts a philharmonic orchestra and the Rousse State Opera (founded in 1949). The city is particularly famous for its Baroque and Rococo architecture.
[edit] Museums
- National Transport Museum
- Battenberg Palace, built 1892, which now hosts the Rousse Regional Historical Museum
- Pantheon of National Revival Heroes
- Kaliopa House, a museum depicting the old urban lifestyle
- Zahari Stoyanov Museum
[edit] Religious buildings
- Church of the Holy Trinity
- Church of the Holy Theotokos
- Church of St George
- Church of Holy Archangel Michael
- Church of the Holy Ascension
- Church of St Petka
- Russian Church of St Nicholas the Miracle Worker
- Roman Catholic St Paul of the Cross Cathedral, built 1890
- Armenian Surp Astvadzadzin Church
- Evangelical Baptist church
- Seid Pasha Mosque
- Rock-hewn Churches of Ivanovo, a World Heritage Site, is situated 20 km to the south.
In 1978, the All Saints Church was destroyed and the Pantheon of National Revival Heroes was built thereupon.
The Jewish community in Rousse built and consecrated a synagogue in 1797. It was destroyed in the 1810 fire, but two other synagogues were later built in 1826 and 1852. [3]
[edit] Other landmarks
- Dohodno Zdanie (literally: "Profitable Building") is an old theatre and one of the most beautiful buildings.
- Monument of Liberty, built (1908–1911).
- Rousse TV Tower, the tallest TV tower in Bulgaria and one of the tallest buildings on the Balkan Peninsula .
[edit] Regular events
- The March Music Days is an international music festival.
- St George's Day (6 May) is Rousse's holiday. A local fair is organized for a week around this date.
- The Danubian Carnival is a masquerade held around 24 June, Enyovden.
- The Sexaginta Prista Summer Stage is an urban festival. Events are hosted at the Roman castle every Friday from May through October.
- At the end of October are BG MediaMarket and the Bulgarian Europe Media Festival.
[edit] Notable citizens
- Elias Canetti, winner of the 1981 Nobel Prize for Literature
- Albert Aftalion (1874–1956), French economist and economic situation theoretician
- Silvester Maria Braito (1898–1962), Czech catholic Dominican priest, theologian, poet, literary critic, journalist
- Tanyu Kiryakov, pistol shooter, Olympic champion
- Vlad Kolarov, cartoonist
- Radi Nedelchev, painter
- Tonka Obretenova, 19th-century revolutionary
- Neshka Robeva, rhythmic gymnastics player and coach
- Veselin Topalov, chess player, FIDE world champion 2005-06
- Stefan Tsanev, writer
- Venelina Veneva, high jumper
- Orlin Anastassov, opera singer
- Further information: Category:People from Rousse
[edit] Twin cities
Volgograd, Russia
Saint-Ouen, France
Giurgiu, Romania
Peristeri, Greece
Huainan, People's Republic of China
Bratislava, Slovakia
Simferopol, Ukraine
[edit] References
- ^ http://www.grao.bg/tna/tab02.txt
- ^ The city of Rousse - history, photos, information
- ^ Teodora Bakardjieva. The Jewish community in Rousse (English). Retrieved on 4, 2007. Retrieved on March 2007.
- ^ История (Bulgarian). Rousse.net. Retrieved on 2006-11-25.
- ^ История на Русе (Bulgarian). ZoneBulgaria. Retrieved on 2006-11-25.
- ^ Община Русе (Bulgarian). Rousse.bg. Retrieved on 2006-11-25.
[edit] External links
- Rousse municipality
- History of Rousse
- Live webcams in Rousse
- pyce.info, an internet portal (in Bulgarian)
- ruseinfo.net, an internet portal (in Bulgarian)
- forum.ruse-online.net, forum of the most-European city in Bulgaria
- Pictures from Rousse:
[edit] Gallery
 Dohodno Zdanie (1902) |
 The Monument of Liberty (1906) |
 The abandoned Old High School of Music, which is to become a cultural centre (1900) |
 Old architecture |
 The Rousse TV Tower as seen from the city |
 The old Credit and Trade Popular Bank (1911) |
 The Roman Catholic St Paul of the Cross Cathedral (1890) |
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