Kotel, Bulgaria

Kotel Котел
Kotel Location of Kotel, Bulgaria
Coordinates: 42°53′N 26°27′E / 42.883°N 26.450°E / 42.883; 26.450
Country	Bulgaria
Provinces (Oblast)	Sliven
Government
• Mayor	Georgi Dedov
Elevation	643 m (2,110 ft)
Population (2009-12-31)[1]
• Total	6,232
Time zone	EET (UTC+2)
• Summer (DST)	EEST (UTC+3)
Postal Code	8970
Area code(s)	0453
License plate	CH

Kotel (Bulgarian: Котел, "cauldron") is a town in central Bulgaria, part of Sliven Province. It is the administrative centre of the homonymous Kotel Municipality. As of December 2009, the town has a population of 6,232 inhabitants.^[1]

Kotel is known for the numerous personalities of the Bulgarian National Revival that are somehow connected to the town, such as politicians Alexander Bogoridi and Stefan Bogoridi, enlighteners Sophronius of Vratsa and Petar Beron, public figure Gavril Krastevich, revolutionary Georgi Rakovski, as well as World War II prime minister Dobri Bozhilov. It has a well-known music school and a large talented Romani population who can be found playing in restaurants and orchestras all over Bulgaria. Because of its situation in the mountains Kotel is also a popular healthy resort for the cure of diseases such as TB. Kotel has been a center for carpet making and there is a museum devoted to the craft.

History

Kotel was settled during the beginning of the Ottoman occupation of Bulgaria, when people fled from neighboring cities and towns.

Honour

Kotel Gap on Livingston Island in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica is named after Kotel.

Agriculture

There is a strong sheep farming tradition in the region, which includes the practice of transhumance, migrating the sheep from lowland winter pastures to mountain summer pastures. This was profiled in a BBC Radio 4 documentary.^[2]

Notable residents

Sarakatsani children in Kotel

• Gavril Krastevich, Governor General of Eastern Rumelia
• Stefan Bogoridi, Prince of Samos
• Sophronius of Vratsa, Theologian, Bulgarian nationalist

References

External links

• Kotel History

Gallery

v t e Cities and towns of Bulgaria 1,000,000+ Sofia (capital) 300,000+ Plovdiv Varna 100,000+ Burgas Ruse Stara Zagora Pleven 50,000+ Asenovgrad Blagoevgrad Dobrich Gabrovo Haskovo Pazardzhik Pernik Sliven Shumen Veliko Tarnovo Vratsa Yambol 20,000+ Aytos Botevgrad Dimitrovgrad Dupnitsa Gorna Oryahovitsa Karlovo Kardzhali Kazanlak Kyustendil Lom Lovech Montana Nova Zagora Petrich Razgrad Samokov Sandanski Sevlievo Silistra Smolyan Svishtov Targovishte Troyan Velingrad Vidin 10,000+ Balchik Bankya Bansko Berkovitsa Byala, Rousse Province Byala Slatina Cherven Bryag Chirpan Elhovo Etropole Gotse Delchev Harmanli Ihtiman Isperih Karnobat Kavarna Knezha Kostinbrod Kozloduy Kubrat Levski Mezdra Momchilgrad Nesebar Novi Iskar Novi Pazar Panagyurishte Parvomay Pavlikeni Peshtera Pomorie Popovo Provadiya Radnevo Radomir Rakovski Razlog Stamboliyski Svilengrad Teteven 5,000+ Aksakovo Ardino Belene Belogradchik Beloslav Bobov Dol Chepelare Dalgopol Devin Devnya Dolni Chiflik Dragoman Dryanovo Dulovo Dzhebel Elena Elin Pelin Galabovo General Toshevo Hisarya Kameno Koynare Kostenets Kotel Krichim Krumovgrad Kuklen Lukovit Lyubimets Lyaskovets Madan Nedelino Omurtag Oryahovo Perushtitsa Pirdop Polski Trumbesh Rakitovo Saedinenie Septemvri Simeonovgrad Simitli Slivnitsa Sopot Sredets Straldzha Strazhitsa Suvorovo Svoge Tervel Topolovgrad Tryavna Tsarevo Tutrakan Tvarditsa Varshets Vetovo Veliki Preslav Yakoruda Zlatitsa Zlatograd Under 5,000 Ahtopol Alfatar Antonovo Apriltsi Balgarovo Batak Batanovtsi Belitsa Belovo Boboshevo Bolyarovo Borovo Boychinovtsi Bozhurishte Bratsigovo Bregovo Breznik Brusartsi Byala, Varna Province Byala Cherkva Chiprovtsi Debelets Dimovo Dobrinishte Dolna Banya Dolna Mitropoliya Dolna Oryahovitsa Dolni Dubnik Dospat Dunavtsi Dve Mogili Glavinitsa Glodzhevo Godech Gramada Gulyantsi Gurkovo Hadzhidimovo Iskar Ivaylovgrad Kableshkovo Kalofer Kaolinovo Kaspichan Kermen Kilifarevo Kiten Klisura Kocherinovo Koprivshtitsa Kostandovo Kresna Krivodol Kula Laki Letnitsa Loznitsa Madzharovo Maglizh Malko Turnovo Marten Melnik Merichleri Miziya Momin Prohod Nikolaevo Nikopol Obzor Opaka Pavel Banya Plachkovtsi Pliska Pordim Pravets Primorsko Rila Roman Rudozem Sadovo Sapareva Banya Sarnitsa Senovo Shabla Shipka Shivachevo Slavyanovo Slivo Pole Smyadovo Sozopol Strelcha Suhindol Sungurlare Sveti Vlas Tran Trastenik Tsar Kaloyan Ugarchin Vetren Valchedram Valchi Dol Varbitsa Yablanitsa Zavet Zemen Zlataritsa

Coordinates: 42°53′N 26°27′E / 42.883°N 26.450°E / 42.883; 26.450