Dimitrovgrad, Bulgaria

2025-09-14T17:08:43Z

46.238.62.226: /* Notable people */

{{Other places|Dimitrovgrad (disambiguation){{!}}Dimitrovgrad}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement 
| official_name = Dimitrovgrad
| native_name = Димитровград
| subdivision_type = [[Countries of the world|Country]]
| subdivision_name = [[Bulgaria]]
| subdivision_type1 = [[Provinces of Bulgaria|Province]]<br><small>(oblast)</small>
| timezone = [[Eastern European Time|EET]]
| utc_offset = +2
| timezone_DST = [[Eastern European Summer Time|EEST]]
| utc_offset_DST = +3
| image_shield =
| map_caption = Location of Dimitrovgrad, Bulgaria
| pushpin_map = Bulgaria 
| pushpin_label_position = 
| pushpin_map_caption = Location of Dimitrovgrad, Bulgaria
| pushpin_mapsize =
| leader_title = Mayor
| image_skyline = Drujba square, Dimitrovgrad, Bulgaria.jpg
| area_total_km2 = 62.436
| population_density_km2 = auto
| website = [http://www.dimitrovgrad.bg/ Official website]
| postal_code_type = Postal Code
| subdivision_name1 = [[Haskovo Province|Haskovo]]
| population_total = 31,837
| population_as_of = 2021
| elevation_m = 125
| postal_code = 6400
| area_code = 0391
| coordinates = {{coord|42|3|N|25|36|E|region:BG|display=inline,title}}
| leader_name = Ivo Dimov
| image_flag =
}}
'''Dimitrovgrad''' ({{langx|bg|Димитровград}} {{IPA|bg|diˈmitrovˌɡrat|}}) is a [[List of cities and towns in Bulgaria|town]] in [[Haskovo Province]], [[Bulgaria]]. It is along the [[Maritsa River]] in the [[Thrace]] region, close to the provincial capital, [[Haskovo]]. Dimitrovgrad is the [[administrative centre]] of [[Dimitrovgrad Municipality, Bulgaria|Dimitrovgrad Municipality]].<ref name="statistika">{{in lang|en}} [http://www.nsi.bg/otrasalen.php?otr=53&a1=1583&a2=1584&a3=1588#cont Bulgarian National Statistical Institute - towns in 2009] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101113165731/http://www.nsi.bg/otrasalen.php?otr=53&a1=1583&a2=1584&a3=1588#cont |date=November 13, 2010 }}</ref><ref name="population">{{in lang|en}} [http://www.citypopulation.de/Bulgaria-Cities.html „WorldCityPopulation“]</ref><ref name="pop-stat">[http://pop-stat.mashke.org/bulgaria-cities.htm България / Bălgarija] pop-stat.mashke.org</ref>

Founded in 1947, Dimitrovgrad is a [[planned city]] built by the [[People's Republic of Bulgaria]] following [[World War II]]. The recently established [[communist]] government designed the town as a [[Urban planning in communist countries|socialist model city]] and a modern [[industrial center]]. Dimitrovgrad is named for the first communist dictator of Bulgaria, [[Georgi Dimitrov]].

== Geography ==
It is located 220 km from the capital [[Sofia]] and 15 km from the regional town of [[Haskovo]]. The nearest Bulgarian port is [[Burgas]] - 205 km, and the Greek port of [[Alexandroupoli]] on the Aegean Sea is about 190 km. through [[Makaza]]. Dimitrovgrad is a transport hub for [[Pan-European corridors]] [[Pan-European Corridor IV|4]], [[Pan-European Corridor VIII|8]] and [[Pan-European Corridor IX|9]].

==History==
Dimitrovgrad was planned by the [[People's Republic of Bulgaria]], the [[communist state]] that came to power following [[World War II]].{{cn|date=January 2024}}

Construction of the city began on May 10, 1947, with most of the labor provided by youth volunteers who arrived from around Bulgaria. The establishment of Dimitrovgrad was officially announced on 2 September 1947, by [[Georgi Dimitrov]], the leader of the People's Republic of Bulgaria. The three villages of [[Rakovski, Bulgaria|Rakovski]], Mariyno and Chernokonyovo were merged to form Dimitrovgrad. Construction of the town continued intensively for several more years.{{cn|date=January 2024}}

The main practical reason behind the new city was to create a modern industrial centre for Bulgaria. there was also an ideological foundation for building it. The widespread destruction in [[Eastern Europe]] caused by World War II and the rise of [[Soviet]]-backed communist states in the region (known as the [[Eastern Bloc]]) led to numerous cities being built or rebuilt using new [[Urban planning in communist countries|socialist planning styles]]. The original buildings in Dimitrovgrad were built in architectural styles popularly known as "Soviet Empire" or "[[Stalin]] [[Baroque architecture|Baroque]]", with [[facade]]s of the earliest often monumental, with [[plinths]], large [[columns]] and small decorative [[balconies]]. Over time, as the town expanded, buildings were built featuring less [[ornament (art)|ornament]]ation in the newer [[Modernist architecture|Modernist]] architectural style.{{cn|date=January 2024}}

In 1970, the first celebration of the national [[poetry]] festival 'Penio Penev' took place, and that tradition continues to the present. In 1980, the biennial Bulgarian theatrical poster was held for the first time. In 1987, the museum house Penio Penev was opened.{{cn|date=January 2024}}

In 1992, shortly after the [[collapse of communism]] in Bulgaria, the monument to Georgi Dimitrov was removed by the authorities. This move proved very unpopular with the local residents, and in 2012 a plan was adopted by Dimitrovgrad city council to restore the statue and re-mount it by 2013.<ref name="restoration">{{cite web | title=Димитровград връща паметника на патрона си в алея на социзкуството | website=Dnevnik | date=29 June 2012 | url=https://www.dnevnik.bg/bulgaria/2012/06/29/1856367_dimitrovgrad_vrushta_pametnika_na_patrona_si_v_aleia/ | language=bg | access-date=3 January 2024}}</ref> So far this has not happened.

==Tourism==
[[File:Dimitrovgrad-thum.jpg|thumb|Penio Penev Park|273x273px]]
Architecture in Dimitrovgrad is similar to that of the Roman Empire: It has spacious streets and large parks. It is one of the greenest cities in Bulgaria. There are three large parks with about 15 lakes, dozens of species of rare trees, shrubs and flowers, sculptures, gazebos and fountains. The town is also home to the People's Astronomical Observatory and Planetarium "Giordano Bruno".<ref>[https://www.naopjbruno.bg/?page_id=121&lang=en People's Astronomical Observatory and Planetarium "Jordano Bruno"] naopjbruno.bg</ref> This is the first planetarium and second observatory (after the one in [[Stara Zagora]]) in Bulgaria <ref name='darik'>{{cite web | title=Любопитната история на първия планетариум на Балканския полуостров (СНИМКИ) | website=dariknews.bg | date=14 October 2020 | url=https://dariknews.bg/novini/bylgariia/liubopitnata-istoriia-na-pyrviia-planetarium-na-balkanskiia-poluostrov-snimki-2244249 | language=bg | access-date=3 January 2024}}</ref>

== Population ==
The population of Dimitrovgrad during the first decade after its foundation averaged about 34,000.<ref name="pop-stat"/> In the following decades it started growing, mostly because of migrants from rural areas, reaching its peak between 1985 and 1992, when it exceeded 50,000.<ref name="population"/> Since then, particularly during the 1990s, the population declined rapidly due to the poor economic situation in the region that led to a new migration to the country's capital, [[Sofia]], and abroad.

== Notable people ==
* [[Atanas Kapralov]], poet
* [[Nadezhda Aleksieva]] (b. 1969), biathlete
* [[Krassimira Banova]], basketball player, European champion
* [[Atanas Vishanov]], artist
* [[Vasil Gyuzelev]], professor, historian
* [[Joanna Kristeva]], author, psychologist
* [[Doncho Donev]], football player
* [[Found Klinchev|Naiden Klinchev]], musician
* [[Vanya Kostova]], singer
* [[Duet Mania]], singers
* [[Khristo Markov|Hristo Markov]], world and Olympic champion in triple jump, athletics
* [[Zdravko Neychev]], artist
* [[Rumen Radev]], President of the Republic of Bulgaria (2017-)
* [[Vezhdi Rashidov]], artist, Minister of Culture (2009–13, 2014–17)
* [[Krassimir Rusev]], chess player
* [[Vasil Sgurev]], academician, cybernetician
* [[Elin Topuzakov]], football player
* [[Petko Churchuliev]], artist
*[[Gergana (Bulgarian singer)|Gergana]], Bulgarian pop-folk singer
*[[Vladislav Panev]], politician and economist

==Twin towns – sister cities==
{{See also|List of twin towns and sister cities in Bulgaria}}
Dimitrovgrad is [[Sister city|twinned]] with:<ref>{{cite web |title=Побратимени градове|url=https://www.dimitrovgrad.bg/bg/pobratimeni-gradove|website=dimitrovgrad.bg|publisher=Dimitrovgrad|accessdate=2021-03-28}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Міста побратими|url=http://yuzhny.gov.ua/mistap|website=yuzhny.gov.ua|publisher=Yuzhne|language=uk|accessdate=2021-03-28}}</ref>
{{div col|colwidth=20em}}
*{{flagicon|ALG}} [[Blida]], Algeria
*{{flagicon|MNG}} [[Darkhan (city)|Darkhan]], Mongolia
*{{flagicon|RUS}} [[Dimitrovgrad, Russia|Dimitrovgrad]], Russia
*{{flagicon|GER}} [[Eisenhüttenstadt]], Germany
*{{flagicon|ITA}} [[Grosseto]], Italy
*{{flagicon|CHN}} [[Jiaojiang District|Jiaojiang (Taizhou)]], China
*{{flagicon|GRC}} [[Kalamaria]], Greece
*{{flagicon|HUN}} [[Kazincbarcika]], Hungary
*{{flagicon|POL}} [[Nowa Huta|Nowa Huta (Kraków)]], Poland
*{{flagicon|UKR}} [[Pivdenne, Odesa Oblast|Pivdenne]], Ukraine
{{div col end}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Dimitrovgrad, Bulgaria}}
* [http://www.dimitrovgrad.bg/ Official website of Dimitrovgrad municipality]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20190502201910/http://dimitrovgrad.start.bg/ Portal website of Dimitrovgrad]
* [http://chitalishtelevski.com Website of National Community Center "Vasil Levsky 2003", Dimitrovgrad]

{{Cities of Bulgaria}}
{{Haskovo Province}}
{{Dimitrovgrad}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Dimitrovgrad, Bulgaria| ]]
[[Category:Socialist planned cities]]
[[Category:Populated places in Haskovo Province]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1947]]
[[Category:Georgi Dimitrov]]
[[Category:1947 establishments in Bulgaria]]

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Dimitrovgrad, Bulgaria