Mezdra
Encyclopedia
Mezdra is a town in northwestern Bulgaria
, part of Vratsa Province
. It is located on the left bank of the Iskar River just north of its gorge through the Balkan Mountains
.
Although the area around it has been inhabited continuously since prehistoric times, Mezdra remained a small village of 86 residents (1881 census) and continued to decline (76 residents in 1888) until 1893, when the construction of the Sofia
-Roman
railway began, with workers from all around the country arriving to update the infrastructure. As the village became an important railway junction with the opening of the railway on 20 February 1897, its population grew substantially. Mezdra had a population of 311 in 1900 and 1,015 in 1920.
Although it formally remained a village until proclaimed a town on 31 August 1950, Mezdra acquired the appearance of a small town through the work of architects who studied in Western Europe
and established the Western European style in the village.
Today, Mezdra is a town of approximately 10,896 residents and serves as a vital rail link between Sofia and northern/western regions of Bulgaria (including the Sofia-Varna route, linking the capital with Bulgaria's 3rd largest city and popular Black Sea destination). Industries include stone cutting, brickmaking and beer production.
Mezdra Point
on Snow Island
in the South Shetland Islands
, Antarctica is named after Mezdra.
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
, part of Vratsa Province
Vratsa Province
Vratsa Province , former name Vratsa okrug) is a Bulgarian province located in the northwestern part of the country, between Danube river in the north and Stara Planina mountain in the south. It is named after its main town - Vratsa...
. It is located on the left bank of the Iskar River just north of its gorge through the Balkan Mountains
Balkan Mountains
The Balkan mountain range is a mountain range in the eastern part of the Balkan Peninsula. The Balkan range runs 560 km from the Vrashka Chuka Peak on the border between Bulgaria and eastern Serbia eastward through central Bulgaria to Cape Emine on the Black Sea...
.
Although the area around it has been inhabited continuously since prehistoric times, Mezdra remained a small village of 86 residents (1881 census) and continued to decline (76 residents in 1888) until 1893, when the construction of the 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...
-Roman
Roman, Bulgaria
Roman is a town in northwestern Bulgaria near the city of Pravets and about 90 km northeast of the capital of Bulgaria, Sofia. It is located in Vratsa Province and is known for the big steel factory, producing 100,000 tons of steel a year. The raw materials come from the Kremikovtsi factory...
railway began, with workers from all around the country arriving to update the infrastructure. As the village became an important railway junction with the opening of the railway on 20 February 1897, its population grew substantially. Mezdra had a population of 311 in 1900 and 1,015 in 1920.
Although it formally remained a village until proclaimed a town on 31 August 1950, Mezdra acquired the appearance of a small town through the work of architects who studied in Western Europe
Western Europe
Western Europe is a loose term for the collection of countries in the western most region of the European continents, though this definition is context-dependent and carries cultural and political connotations. One definition describes Western Europe as a geographic entity—the region lying in the...
and established the Western European style in the village.
Today, Mezdra is a town of approximately 10,896 residents and serves as a vital rail link between Sofia and northern/western regions of Bulgaria (including the Sofia-Varna route, linking the capital with Bulgaria's 3rd largest city and popular Black Sea destination). Industries include stone cutting, brickmaking and beer production.
Mezdra Point
Mezdra Point
Mezdra Point is the ice-free point on the northwest coast of Snow Island in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica situated 1.41 km southwest of Cape Timblón, and 1.91 km northeast of Irnik Point....
on Snow Island
Snow Island (South Shetland Islands)
Snow Island or Isla Nevada is a completely ice-covered island, in size, lying southwest of Livingston Island in the South Shetland Islands. Surface area...
in the South Shetland Islands
South Shetland Islands
The South Shetland Islands are a group of Antarctic islands, lying about north of the Antarctic Peninsula, with a total area of . By the Antarctic Treaty of 1959, the Islands' sovereignty is neither recognized nor disputed by the signatories and they are free for use by any signatory for...
, Antarctica is named after Mezdra.
Municipality
Mezdra is also the seat of Mezdra municipality (part of Vratsa Province), which includes the following 27 villages:
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Ochindol Ochindol is a village in Bulgaria, located about 60 kilometers from the capital city of Sofia along the Iskar river valley, with a population of about 200. The village contains a monument representing Ivan Vazov's character 'Grandfather Yotso', a symbol of liberation from the Ottoman Empire and the... Ruska Bela Ruska Bela is a village in northwestern Bulgaria, part of Mezdra Municipality, Vratsa Province.... Staro Selo, Vratsa Province Staro Selo is a small village in the Vratsa Province of northwest Bulgaria. It is situated at the foot of the Balkan Mountains. Staro Selo is a part of the municipality of Mezdra. It is also home to the town hall... |