Panagyurishte
Encyclopedia
Panagyurishte is a town in Pazardzhik Province
, Southern Bulgaria
, situated in a small valley in the Sredna Gora
mountains. It is 91 km east of Sofia
, 43 km north of Pazardzhik
, and 37 km south of Zlatitsa
. The town is the administrative centre of the homonymous Panagyurishte Municipality
. As of December 2009, it has a population of 17,959 inhabitants.
The root of the name, "panagyur", comes from the Greek
πανηγύρι, panēgýri, a festival
or fair
.
there was a settlement near the modern town. In the course of the Bulgarian-Ottoman Wars
large part the population was killed and the rest had to move to a new location. The survivors called themselves levents due to their bravery in the struggle with the invaders.
When the Turks seized the village of Asenevtsi near Sliven
which guarded the road to the capital Tarnovo, its population moved to Panagyurishte. Another wave of refugees came in the 15th century after rebellions in Albania
and the western Bulgarian lands (Debar
, Prilep
, Kostur
and others). Even today the population uses language which is characteristic for both eastern and western Bulgarian dialects and the town is in the so called Yat border. It was also known as "Otlukköy" during Ottoman rule.
Panagyurishte is primarily known for being the center of the April Uprising
against the Ottoman
rule in Bulgaria in 1876. It was capital of the Forth Revolutionary District which was the main centre of the rebellion. The uprising was bloodily suppressed after 10 days of declared freedom, and the town was burnt down and almost completely destroyed by the Ottoman Turks
.
, which has a much larger collection of restored Bulgarian Revival style houses. Like Koprivshtitsa
, Panagyurishte has a picturesque location in the Sredna Gora mountains, and is one of the towns associated with the historic April Uprising in 1876. Panagyurishte also gained fame for the "Panagyurishte gold" treasure discovered there in 1949. It is also near the mineral water spas of Banya, and recreational facilities in Panagyurski kolonii.
copper extracting and processing plant is by far the largest single employer in the municipality with over 2,500 workers and also the biggest plant in its kind in the Balkans. "Opticoelectron" is an optic producing plant, unique to the country (740 workers). Recently, a new similar plant, "Optix" was launched (370 workers). There are two big textile plants: "Ryton" (880 employees) and "Bultex" (680 employees). There is also a small plastics factory, "Bunai" with some 190 workers and a number of smaller enterprises.
The town has two big Eastern Orthodox churches, St Georgi
and St Bogoroditsa
, as well as several chapels. The type of architecture of Sv. Georgi with two symmetrical bell-towers can be rarely observed in the country. There are two museums: Historical Museum and Museum of Natural History. Although the town was severely destroyed by the Turks in 1876, there are several old houses which survived and have been reconstructed, including the House-Museums of Rayna Knyaginya
and Marin Drinov
. The Apriltsi Memorial Complex
which commemorates the April Uprising dominates the sky-line of the town and can be seen from almost every neighbourhood. It was built on the top of a hill just above the central square and includes several granite compositions which encircle the main figure. It can be reached from the center by numerous stairs. There are two theatre buildings, the Old Theatre and the New Theatre. The spacious park is situated in the north-eastern part of Panagyurishte with an artificial lake, playgrounds and the Orcho Voivoda Stadium
.
There are several places of interest in the vicinity of the town. The resort village Panagyurski kolonii
, literally "the colony of Panagyurishte" is located at 15 km north of the town. It is very popular with the local population, as many of the citizens have summer houses there. There is a ski run and dense beech forests rich in different species of berries and mushrooms. At 6 km to the east is the famous Oborishte locality
where the plan of the April uprising
was discussed and accepted by delegates from all over the province. Today there is a monument there which is popular tourist attraction.
The two largest schools are the elementary "Prof. Marin Drinov
" with more than 1,100 pupils and secondary "Nesho Bonchev". Other large schools include the Optical Technikal School, Mining Technical School, "20th April" elementary school, "Sv. sv. Cyril and Metodius" elementary school and others.
A large regional hospital is located in the very southern outskirts of the town on the western banks of the Luda Yana river. The highly trained personal includes surgeons which can perform different operations in the hospital. The is also a large polyclinic in the center as well as numerous private doctor and dentist cabinets.
The town is a center of the Panagyurishte municipality
which includes 9 villages: Popintsi
, Oborishte
, Banya
, Bata
, Elshitsa
, Levski
, Panagyurski kolonii
, Poibrene
and Srebrinovo
, as well as the town itself.
), south (Popintsi
), west (Oborishte
) and east (Strelcha
). The road to Popintsi
, and then Pazardzhik
has been recently improved and expanded. The only railway leads to Strelcha
and Plovdiv
. Panagyurishte has bus connections to Sofia, Plovdiv and Pazardzhik, as well as nearby villages.
One frosty morning on the 8th of December 1949 three brothers – Pavel, Petko and Michail Deikovi worked together at the region of “Merul” tile factory near Panagyurishte. It’s about ten o’clock in the morning, when processing a new layer of clay they came across unusual glossy objects. With all of its magnificence a fabulous set of vessels glittered in front of the workers. When finally unearthed, it was found to consist of a phial and eight rhytons, one shaped like an amphora and the others like heads of women or animals. Dated to the turn of the fourth and third century BC, the find was sensational, not only for its weight in gold — over 6.146 kg of pure gold, but also for the originality of its forms. It is now a world famous Thracian treasure
and one of the most valuable possessions of the National Historical Museum.
(1838–1906), writer and literary critic Nesho Bonchev (1839–1878) and revolutionary Rayna Knyaginya
(1856–1917).
In 1893 the Bulgarian writer Elin Pelin
was enrolled in a school in Panagyurishte.
on Greenwich Island in the South Shetland Islands
, Antarctica is named after Panagyurishte.
Pazardzhik Province
Pazardzhik Province is a province in Southern Bulgaria, named after its administrative and industrial centre - the town of Pazardzhik. It embraces a territory of 4,456.9 km² that is divided into 11 municipalities with a total population of 290,614 inhabitants, as of December 2009.-History:The...
, Southern Bulgaria
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...
, situated in a small valley in the Sredna Gora
Sredna Gora
Sredna Gora is a mountain range in central Bulgaria, situated south of and parallel to Balkan mountain range and extending from the river Iskar to the west and the elbow of Tundzha north of Yambol to the east. Sredna Gora is 285 km long, reaching 50 km at its greatest width...
mountains. It is 91 km east of 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...
, 43 km north of Pazardzhik
Pazardzhik
Pazardzhik is a city situated along the banks of the Maritsa river, Southern Bulgaria. It is the capital of Pazardzhik Province and centre for the homonymous Pazardzhik Municipality...
, and 37 km south of Zlatitsa
Zlatitsa
Zlatitsa is a town in southern Bulgaria located in the Zlatitsa-Pirdop valley, between Stara Planina to the north and Sredna Gora to the south at 680 meters above the sea level. It is situated immediately south in the lap of the Zlatitsa -Teteven Mountain...
. The town is the administrative centre of the homonymous Panagyurishte Municipality
Panagyurishte municipality
Panagyurishte Municipality is located in the Pazardzhik Province, western Bulgaria. It is one of the 11 municipalities in the province. Its territory is 598,5 km² being fourth in the province after the municipalities of Velingrad, Batak and Pazardzhik. The relief is mountainous and semi-mountainous...
. As of December 2009, it has a population of 17,959 inhabitants.
The root of the name, "panagyur", comes from the Greek
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
πανηγύρι, panēgýri, a festival
Festival
A festival or gala is an event, usually and ordinarily staged by a local community, which centers on and celebrates some unique aspect of that community and the Festival....
or fair
Fair
A fair or fayre is a gathering of people to display or trade produce or other goods, to parade or display animals and often to enjoy associated carnival or funfair entertainment. It is normally of the essence of a fair that it is temporary; some last only an afternoon while others may ten weeks. ...
.
History
In the Middle AgesMiddle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
there was a settlement near the modern town. In the course of the Bulgarian-Ottoman Wars
Bulgarian-Ottoman Wars
The Bulgarian-Ottoman wars were fought between the disintegrating Bulgarian Empire and the new emerging Turkic power, the Ottoman Turks in the second half the 14th century and the beginning of the 15th century. The war ended with the collapse of the once powerful Bulgarian Empire in 1422. The...
large part the population was killed and the rest had to move to a new location. The survivors called themselves levents due to their bravery in the struggle with the invaders.
When the Turks seized the village of Asenevtsi near Sliven
Sliven
Sliven is the eighth-largest city in Bulgaria and the administrative and industrial centre of Sliven Province and municipality. It is a relatively large town with 89,848 inhabitants, as of February 2011....
which guarded the road to the capital Tarnovo, its population moved to Panagyurishte. Another wave of refugees came in the 15th century after rebellions in Albania
Albania
Albania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...
and the western Bulgarian lands (Debar
Debar
Debar is a city in the western part of the Republic of Macedonia, near the border with Albania, on the road from Struga to Gostivar. It is the seat of Debar Municipality.-Geography:...
, Prilep
Prilep
Prilep is the fourth largest city in the Republic of Macedonia. It has a population of 66,246 citizens. Prilep is known as "the city under Marko's Towers" because of its proximity to the towers of Prince Marko.-Name:...
, Kostur
Kastoria
Kastoria is a city in northern Greece in the periphery of West Macedonia. It is the capital of Kastoria peripheral unit. It is situated on a promontory on the western shore of Lake Orestiada, in a valley surrounded by limestone mountains...
and others). Even today the population uses language which is characteristic for both eastern and western Bulgarian dialects and the town is in the so called Yat border. It was also known as "Otlukköy" during Ottoman rule.
Panagyurishte is primarily known for being the center of the April Uprising
April Uprising
The April Uprising was an insurrection organised by the Bulgarians in the Ottoman Empire from April to May 1876, which indirectly resulted in the re-establishment of Bulgaria as an autonomous nation in 1878...
against 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...
rule in Bulgaria in 1876. It was capital of the Forth Revolutionary District which was the main centre of the rebellion. The uprising was bloodily suppressed after 10 days of declared freedom, and the town was burnt down and almost completely destroyed by the Ottoman Turks
Ottoman Turks
The Ottoman Turks were the Turkish-speaking population of the Ottoman Empire who formed the base of the state's military and ruling classes. Reliable information about the early history of Ottoman Turks is scarce, but they take their Turkish name, Osmanlı , from the house of Osman I The Ottoman...
.
Tourism
Panagyurishte is overshadowed in tourism by nearby KoprivshtitsaKoprivshtitsa
Koprivshtitsa is a historic town in Sofia Province, central Bulgaria, lying on the Topolnitsa River among the Sredna Gora mountains. It was one of the centres of the April Uprising in 1876 and is known for its authentic Bulgarian architecture and for its folk music festivals, making it a very...
, which has a much larger collection of restored Bulgarian Revival style houses. Like Koprivshtitsa
Koprivshtitsa
Koprivshtitsa is a historic town in Sofia Province, central Bulgaria, lying on the Topolnitsa River among the Sredna Gora mountains. It was one of the centres of the April Uprising in 1876 and is known for its authentic Bulgarian architecture and for its folk music festivals, making it a very...
, Panagyurishte has a picturesque location in the Sredna Gora mountains, and is one of the towns associated with the historic April Uprising in 1876. Panagyurishte also gained fame for the "Panagyurishte gold" treasure discovered there in 1949. It is also near the mineral water spas of Banya, and recreational facilities in Panagyurski kolonii.
Economy
After the Second World War Panagyurishte was transformed into a large industrial center. The Asarel MedetAsarel Medet
Asarel Medet is an enormous copper extracting and processing factory located at 11 km to the northwest of the town of Panagyurishte in the Pazardzhik Province, Bulgaria. It consists of two main factories: Medet which operates from 1964 and Asarel which began operation in 1989...
copper extracting and processing plant is by far the largest single employer in the municipality with over 2,500 workers and also the biggest plant in its kind in the Balkans. "Opticoelectron" is an optic producing plant, unique to the country (740 workers). Recently, a new similar plant, "Optix" was launched (370 workers). There are two big textile plants: "Ryton" (880 employees) and "Bultex" (680 employees). There is also a small plastics factory, "Bunai" with some 190 workers and a number of smaller enterprises.
Places of interest
Church of St George, Panagyurishte
The Church of St George is a Bulgarian National Revival church in the town of Panagyurishte, Pazardzhik Province. The church is situated at 300 m to the north-west of the town's central square. It is considered the main church of the town and when built St George was among Bulgaria's largest and...
and St Bogoroditsa
Church of the Holy Mother of God, Panagyurishte
The Church of the Holy Mother of God is a Bulgarian National Revival church in the town of Panagyurishte, Pazardzhik Province. It is situated in the central part of the town separated from the central square by the Town Hall and the Chitalishte Videlina...
, as well as several chapels. The type of architecture of Sv. Georgi with two symmetrical bell-towers can be rarely observed in the country. There are two museums: Historical Museum and Museum of Natural History. Although the town was severely destroyed by the Turks in 1876, there are several old houses which survived and have been reconstructed, including the House-Museums of Rayna Knyaginya
Rayna Knyaginya
Rayna Popgeorgieva Futekova , better known as Rayna Knyaginya was a Bulgarian teacher and revolutionary born in Panagyurishte who is famous for having sewn the flag of the April Uprising of 1876.-The flag and the uprising:...
and Marin Drinov
Marin Drinov
Professor Marin Stoyanov Drinov was a Bulgarian historian and philologist from the National Revival period who lived and worked in Russia through most of his life...
. The Apriltsi Memorial Complex
Apriltsi Memorial Complex
The Apriltsi Memorial Complex is a large monument situated in the Bulgarian town of Panagyurishte. It was constructed in 1976 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the April Uprising. It was built on the historical hill Manyovo Bardo which was one of the main positions of the Bulgarian...
which commemorates the April Uprising dominates the sky-line of the town and can be seen from almost every neighbourhood. It was built on the top of a hill just above the central square and includes several granite compositions which encircle the main figure. It can be reached from the center by numerous stairs. There are two theatre buildings, the Old Theatre and the New Theatre. The spacious park is situated in the north-eastern part of Panagyurishte with an artificial lake, playgrounds and the Orcho Voivoda Stadium
Orcho Voivoda Stadium
Orcho Voivoda Stadium is a multi-use stadium in Panagyurishte, Bulgaria. It is currently used mostly for football matches and is the home ground of FC Panagyurishte....
.
There are several places of interest in the vicinity of the town. The resort village Panagyurski kolonii
Panagyurski kolonii
Panagyurski kolonii is a popular mountain resort with a village status situated 1050 m. above sea level in the Sredna Gora Mountain about 15 km. north of the town of Panagyurishte, Bulgaria....
, literally "the colony of Panagyurishte" is located at 15 km north of the town. It is very popular with the local population, as many of the citizens have summer houses there. There is a ski run and dense beech forests rich in different species of berries and mushrooms. At 6 km to the east is the famous Oborishte locality
Oborishte locality
The Oborishte locality is a historical place situated at 7 km to the north-west of the town of Panagyurishte, Bulgaria. It is located in the Sredna Gora mountains. In the spring of 1876 the First Great National Assembly took place there...
where the plan of the April uprising
April Uprising
The April Uprising was an insurrection organised by the Bulgarians in the Ottoman Empire from April to May 1876, which indirectly resulted in the re-establishment of Bulgaria as an autonomous nation in 1878...
was discussed and accepted by delegates from all over the province. Today there is a monument there which is popular tourist attraction.
Education and healthcare
Professor Marin Drinov Elementary School
Professor Marin Drinov Elementary School is a school in Panagyurishte, central Bulgaria. It is the biggest school in the town with more than 1,100 pupils.-External links:*...
" with more than 1,100 pupils and secondary "Nesho Bonchev". Other large schools include the Optical Technikal School, Mining Technical School, "20th April" elementary school, "Sv. sv. Cyril and Metodius" elementary school and others.
A large regional hospital is located in the very southern outskirts of the town on the western banks of the Luda Yana river. The highly trained personal includes surgeons which can perform different operations in the hospital. The is also a large polyclinic in the center as well as numerous private doctor and dentist cabinets.
Municipality
Panagyurishte municipality
Panagyurishte Municipality is located in the Pazardzhik Province, western Bulgaria. It is one of the 11 municipalities in the province. Its territory is 598,5 km² being fourth in the province after the municipalities of Velingrad, Batak and Pazardzhik. The relief is mountainous and semi-mountainous...
which includes 9 villages: Popintsi
Popintsi
Popintsi is a village in southern Bulgaria, part of Panagyurishte municipality, Pazardzhik Province. It is located 17 km south of Panagyurishte and 26 km north of Pazardzhik, on both banks of the Luda Yana River. the population is 2,383...
, Oborishte
Oborishte
Oborishte is a village located in the Panagyurishte municipality, Pazardzhik Province, western Bulgaria. It is relatively big and has 1,307 inhabitants. Its old name until 1950 was Mechka, which in Bulgarian language means bear.-Geography:...
, Banya
Banya, Pazardzhik Province
Banya is a village in the Panagyurishte municipality, Bulgaria. As of 2007 it has 856 inhabitants. The village is famous throughout the region with its mineral baths and its spa resort. The ruins of an ancient fortress are located 3 km to the south....
, Bata
Bata, Pazardzhik Province
Bata is a village in the Panagyurishte municipality in western Bulgaria. It has 1 345 inhabitants.- Geography :Bata is located in a mountainous region. The village lies in the Sredna Gora mountain, in the Bata-Banya valley. The river Banska Luda Yana runs through the village and flows in the...
, Elshitsa
Elshitsa
Elshitsa is a village in the Panagyurishte municipality, western Bulgaria with 970 inhabitants. There is a large copper mine of great importance nearby. The village is the site of a pool with an Olympic size. One of the first and best Bulgarian pellet production factories is also located there....
, Levski
Levski, Pazardzhik Province
Levski is a village at 23 km south of Panagyurishte and 21 km north of Pazardzhik on the main road between them. As of 2007 it has a population of 839.- Geography :...
, Panagyurski kolonii
Panagyurski kolonii
Panagyurski kolonii is a popular mountain resort with a village status situated 1050 m. above sea level in the Sredna Gora Mountain about 15 km. north of the town of Panagyurishte, Bulgaria....
, Poibrene
Poibrene
Poibrene is a village in the Panagyurishte municipality, western Bulgaria. It is located west of the town and has 850 inhabitants. The large dam Topolnitsa is 1 km west of the village. Several monuments there commemorate participants in the April Uprising...
and Srebrinovo
Srebrinovo
Srebrinovo is a village in the Panagyurishte municipality of western Bulgaria. The village has 25 inhabitants....
, as well as the town itself.
Transport
There are roads leading to the north (Panagyurski koloniiPanagyurski kolonii
Panagyurski kolonii is a popular mountain resort with a village status situated 1050 m. above sea level in the Sredna Gora Mountain about 15 km. north of the town of Panagyurishte, Bulgaria....
), south (Popintsi
Popintsi
Popintsi is a village in southern Bulgaria, part of Panagyurishte municipality, Pazardzhik Province. It is located 17 km south of Panagyurishte and 26 km north of Pazardzhik, on both banks of the Luda Yana River. the population is 2,383...
), west (Oborishte
Oborishte
Oborishte is a village located in the Panagyurishte municipality, Pazardzhik Province, western Bulgaria. It is relatively big and has 1,307 inhabitants. Its old name until 1950 was Mechka, which in Bulgarian language means bear.-Geography:...
) and east (Strelcha
Strelcha
Strelcha is a small Bulgarian town with a population of 4,858 . The town lies 13 km to the east of Panagyurishte and 41 km to the north of Pazardzhik and is part of Pazardzhik Province...
). The road to Popintsi
Popintsi
Popintsi is a village in southern Bulgaria, part of Panagyurishte municipality, Pazardzhik Province. It is located 17 km south of Panagyurishte and 26 km north of Pazardzhik, on both banks of the Luda Yana River. the population is 2,383...
, and then Pazardzhik
Pazardzhik
Pazardzhik is a city situated along the banks of the Maritsa river, Southern Bulgaria. It is the capital of Pazardzhik Province and centre for the homonymous Pazardzhik Municipality...
has been recently improved and expanded. The only railway leads to Strelcha
Strelcha
Strelcha is a small Bulgarian town with a population of 4,858 . The town lies 13 km to the east of Panagyurishte and 41 km to the north of Pazardzhik and is part of Pazardzhik Province...
and Plovdiv
Plovdiv
Plovdiv is the second-largest city in Bulgaria after Sofia with a population of 338,153 inhabitants according to Census 2011. Plovdiv's history spans some 6,000 years, with traces of a Neolithic settlement dating to roughly 4000 BC; it is one of the oldest cities in Europe...
. Panagyurishte has bus connections to Sofia, Plovdiv and Pazardzhik, as well as nearby villages.
Panagyurishte treasure
Thracian treasure
The Thracians were skillful craftsmen. They made beautifully ornate golden and silver objects such as various kinds of vessels, rhytons, facial masks, pectorals, jewelry, weapons, etc. They used to bury rich hoards of precious objects both to hide them in times of enemy invasions and unrest as...
and one of the most valuable possessions of the National Historical Museum.
Famous citizens
Notable natives include historian and philologist Marin DrinovMarin Drinov
Professor Marin Stoyanov Drinov was a Bulgarian historian and philologist from the National Revival period who lived and worked in Russia through most of his life...
(1838–1906), writer and literary critic Nesho Bonchev (1839–1878) and revolutionary Rayna Knyaginya
Rayna Knyaginya
Rayna Popgeorgieva Futekova , better known as Rayna Knyaginya was a Bulgarian teacher and revolutionary born in Panagyurishte who is famous for having sewn the flag of the April Uprising of 1876.-The flag and the uprising:...
(1856–1917).
In 1893 the Bulgarian writer Elin Pelin
Elin Pelin
Elin Pelin , born Dimitar Ivanov Stoyanov is arguably considered Bulgaria’s best narrator of country life.Born into a large family in the village of Baylovo near Sofia, he loved writing and reading from an early age...
was enrolled in a school in Panagyurishte.
- Atanas Shopov (1855–1922) - Bulgarian diplomat and bookman.
- Georgi Bradistilov (1904–1977) - mathematician, Professor
- Damaskin Veleshki (Dimitar Ivanov Dinchev) (1817–1878), Bulgarian churchman
- Delcho Lulchev (1935–1985) - a civil engineer
- Luka Ivanov (1867–1906), Bulgarian revolutionary and military
- Nesho Bonchev (1839–1878) -the first Bulgarian literary critic, educator
- Pavel Bobekov (1852–1877) - Chairman of government during the April uprising
- Paraskeva Dzhukelova (r. 1970) - Bulgarian drama and film actress
- Petko Koychev (- 1907), Bulgarian revolutionary, died in the Battle of Nozhot
- Petar Karapetrov (1843–1905) - Bulgarian historian
- Stoyu Bradistilov (1863–1930), Bulgarian military figure, Lieutenant-General
- Stoyan Tsvetkov (1930–2007)
- Dª. Carla Soledad Royo-Villanova, princess of Panagyurishte, Comité de honor de fundacionarsnova, wife of Prince Kubrat
Honour
Panagyurishte NunatakPanagyurishte Nunatak
Panagyurishte Nunatak is a rocky peak of elevation 150 m projecting from Yakoruda Glacier, Greenwich Island in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica...
on Greenwich Island 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 Panagyurishte.