| Asenovgrad Асеновград |
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Asenovgrad
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| Country | Bulgaria | ||
| Province (Oblast) |
Plovdiv | ||
| Government | |||
| • Mayor | Emil Karaivanov | ||
| Elevation | 269 m (883 ft) | ||
| Population (Census February 2011) | |||
| • City | 54,778 | ||
| • Urban | 63,127 | ||
| Time zone | EET (UTC+2) | ||
| • Summer (DST) | EEST (UTC+3) | ||
| Postal Code | 4230 | ||
| Area code(s) | 0331 | ||
| License plate | PB | ||
Asenovgrad (Bulgarian: Асеновград) is a town in central southern Bulgaria, part of Plovdiv Province.
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Asenovgrad was founded by the Thracians as Stenímachos around 300–400 BC. In 72 BC the city was captured by the troops of the Roman Empire as part of the Roman expansion towards the Black Sea. After a long period of peace, the town was destroyed by the Goths in 251, but rebuilt later. In 395 the Roman Empire was divided into two parts and the city fell under Byzantine control. Afterwards, the Slavic tribes flooded the region (until around 700 AD) and became the majority of the population. During this time the city was known by its Thracian name Stenímachos.
During the wars between the Bulgarian Empire and the Byzantine Empire, the city became a major military stronghold for the Bulgarian rulers. Due to aggravation of the relationships with the Latin Empire, in 1230 Bulgarian Tsar Ivan Asen II strengthened the local fortress Stanimaha and for this reason the city was named after him in 1934 (literally city of Asen). After Bulgaria was occupied by the Ottoman Empire, Roma and Turks settled in Stanimaha, who nowadays make up 15% of the municipality of Asenovgrad's population (Asenovgrad, in addition to 29 villages), the rest 75% being ethnic Bulgarians and 5% – unknown and others.
Tane Nikolov, a well known revolutionary and leader of the Macedonian Struggle, spent his last years in Asenovgrad and died here in 1947.
The city is a destination for religious and cultural tourism. Its main attractions are the monasteries St. Petka (Bulgarian: Света Петка) and Arapov's monastery (Bulgarian: Араповски манастир) and St. Kirik (Bulgarian: Свети Кирик). Around the city there are 5 monasteries, 15 churches and 58 chapels (for which the city earned the nickname "The Little Jerusalem"), also there are historical, ethnographic and paleontological museums and 2 kilometers from the town is Asen's Fortress (Bulgarian: Асеновата крепост).
Outside of the town is the 40 Springs (Bulgarian: 40-те извора) hunting and fishing resort. The climate is very pleasant during the winter and cool in the summer, which made the city and its surroundings very attractive for tourism. The southeast portions of the city are noted for tourist destinations and their urban development, including Parakolovo (Bulgarian: Параколово) and the 40 Springs complex.
In the late twentieth century the town was known for one of the first Bulgarian discos, Jumbare (Bulgarian: Джумбаре), with 600 seats and a round dancing floor, it was completed in 1977 and was located in the Asenovec (Bulgarian: Асеновец) hotel complex, which is full recovering, but the disco no longer exists.
Asen's Fortress (Bulgarian: Асеновата крепост) is located 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) from the town proper, in Rhodope mountains. The fortress has existed since the time of the Thracians, and during the Middle Ages was a main strategic point. The fortress is named after king Ivan Asen II. The church St Bogoroditsa Petrichka (Bulgarian: Света Богородица Петричка) is the only wholly preserved building in the complex. In 1991 after a full restoration of the church, it begin to function as a orthodox temple.
The fortress is among the top 100 National tourist sights of Bulgaria and it is open during the entire year to visitors. Thousands of people and tourist walk to the top daily to take photographs, to relax and to see the beautiful view.
The paleontological museum in the city is affiliated with the National Museum of Natural History in Bulgaria. It was founded in 1990 and has one of the largest paleontological collections in country. Among the exhibits there are saber-toothed tiger, tiger metailurus, deinotherium, bear – indarctos and others.
The southern part of the town is known for its distilleries. Asenovgrad's wines are appreciated all over the country.
The town is famous for its numerous shops for wedding dresses and many Bulgarians come here in order to prepare for their wedding ceremonies.
Due to its specific geographical location the denizens of the town enjoy a breeze called вечерник (literally "night wind").
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