Bistritsa, Sofia
Encyclopedia
Bistritsa or Bistrica is a large village in the Pancharevo
municipality, located at 15 km to the south of the capital Sofia
. it has 4,004 inhabitants.
Bistritsa is among the oldest villages in the areas around Vitosha
. Its name was marked in maps of the Second Bulgarian Empire
as a fortress. There is a Medieval monastery which was destroyed by the Ottoman
army in 1393-1396. Between 1936 and 1946 the church of the monastery was rebuilt. During these works a Medieval grave has been excavated. It had been robbed and the only discovery was a copper coin from Emperor Ivan Shishman
(1371-1395).
There is a chitalishte
"St Emperor Boris" from 1909.
Bistritsa is home to the famous "Bistritsa Grannies" a folklore ensemble consisting of elderly women, their daughters and granddaughters, who have been classified as "living treasures" by UNESCO.
Pancharevo
Pancharevo is a suburban district located in the south-eastern parts of the Capital Municipality. it has 26,000 inhabitants. It is the largest region in Sofia with total area of 364,7 km²...
municipality, located at 15 km to the south of the capital Sofia
Sofia
Sofia is the capital and largest city of Bulgaria and the 12th largest city in the European Union with a population of 1.27 million people. It is located in western Bulgaria, at the foot of Mount Vitosha and approximately at the centre of the Balkan Peninsula.Prehistoric settlements were excavated...
. it has 4,004 inhabitants.
Bistritsa is among the oldest villages in the areas around Vitosha
Vitosha
Vitosha is a mountain massif, on the outskirts of Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria. Vitosha is one of the tourists symbols of Sofia and the closest site for hiking, alpinism and skiing. Convenient bus lines and rope ways render the mountain easily accessible. Vitosha has the outlines of an enormous...
. Its name was marked in maps of the Second Bulgarian Empire
Second Bulgarian Empire
The Second Bulgarian Empire was a medieval Bulgarian state which existed between 1185 and 1396 . A successor of the First Bulgarian Empire, it reached the peak of its power under Kaloyan and Ivan Asen II before gradually being conquered by the Ottomans in the late 14th-early 15th century...
as a fortress. There is a Medieval monastery which was destroyed by the Ottoman
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
army in 1393-1396. Between 1936 and 1946 the church of the monastery was rebuilt. During these works a Medieval grave has been excavated. It had been robbed and the only discovery was a copper coin from Emperor Ivan Shishman
Ivan Shishman of Bulgaria
Ivan Shishman ruled as emperor of Bulgaria in Tarnovo from 1371 to 3 July 1395. The authority of Ivan Shishman was limited to the central parts of the Bulgarian Empire. His indecisive and inconsistent policy did little to prevent the fall of his country under Ottoman rule. In 1393 the Ottoman...
(1371-1395).
There is a chitalishte
Chitalishte
A chitalishte is a typical Bulgarian public institution and building which fulfils several functions at once, such as a community centre, library and a theatre. It is also used as an educational institution, where people of all ages can enroll in foreign language, dance, music and other courses....
"St Emperor Boris" from 1909.
Bistritsa is home to the famous "Bistritsa Grannies" a folklore ensemble consisting of elderly women, their daughters and granddaughters, who have been classified as "living treasures" by UNESCO.