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Southeastern Bulgaria >> Karnobat
From the town northwards starts the Stara Planina Mountain. It is 336 km and 58 km to the east of Sofia and Sliven, respectively, 22 km west of Aitos, 54 km north-west of Bourgas, 100 km south of Shoumen and 50 km north-east of Yambol. It is also an agricultural centre.
History. The territory of the present-day town was inhabited in ancient times. A real evidence supporting this fact is the Karnobat mound and the Roman fortress called Markela (or Kroumovo Kale, Hissarluka), where in 8th century Khan Kardam won a brilliant victory over the Byzantine and ever since the settlement has been Bulgarian. The town fell under Turkish domination in 1372. In a document in Doubrovnik from 1595, it was registered as Karanovo that is how the Bulgarians called it. In 1762, Bozhkovich from Doubrovnik first mentioned it using its present name Karnobat. At that time, the town was an important centre of sheep breeding famous for the local breed called Karnobat sheep. Huge quantities of meat, wool, pasturma (dried thin meat), lukanka (homemade piquant sausage), candles, and soap were produced. The two-week cattle fair was famous all over. After Russian-Turkish wars in the first half of 19th century, many inhabitants of the town moved to Besarabia. The first class school known as Karanovsko School was opened in 1862. During the Russian-Turkish War of Liberation (1877-1878), Karnobat was severely destroyed but consequently due to the rich agricultural resource of the region, the traditions in cattle breeding and wine manufacturing, as well as to the railway line Sofia-Bourgas it continued to develop and grow. From 1953 until 1962, the town was called Polyanovgrad, but after that, it regained its present day name. It is the native place of Slav Merdzhanov who was a Macedonian and Odrin revolutionary.
Landmarks. The Clock Tower is situated in the old southern part of the town. It was built by Tryavna masters in 1841 as a Revival symbol of a prospering trade and crafts settlement. The St. Archangel Yoan Bogoslov Church (in the town centre, tel.: 0559 4271, working hours: 7.00 a.m. - 12.00 a.m. and 2.00 p.m. - 5.00 p.m.) with an iconostasis made by Debur masters, was built in 1880 in a Revival architectural style. The Town Museum hosts a precious archaeological and ethnographic collection. The houses of Nikifor Minkov and Saroolou Bey are interesting with the woodcarvings in them. The Bencho Obreshkov Gallery (in the house of the communal cultural centre, downtown, working hours: 10.00 a.m. - 12.00 a.m. and 4.00 p.m. - 6.00 p.m.).
Accommodation: Karnobat Hotel (in the town centre, near Sofia-Bourgas road, 5, Asparouh Street) offers about 100 beds. The Orlovets Motel (7 km eastward) offers 30 beds and a restaurant. The Orlovets Chalet (2 buildings, 5 bungalows, 10 km east of Karnobat, and 3 km away from the village of Sokolovo, if one cuts through the town the distance is 7 km) offers 28 beds in 2 suites and two-, three-, and five-bed rooms, a restaurant and a coffee-bar. There are interesting places offering traditional cuisine like the Starata Kashta Tavern (The Old House) (21, Aleksi Denev Street), etc.
Tourist Information - at the hotels and at Orlovets Tourist Association (1, Todor Kableshkov Street, tel.: 0559 2192).
Transport. The town is an important transport centre with regular bus lines to Bourgas, Sliven, Yambol, Aitos, Sredets, Kotel, Shoumen, etc. Karnobat Bus Station. The railway station of Karnobat (tel.: 0559 2150, 2151) is the fourth important in the country. It is a station on the line Sofia - Karlovo - Bourgas, and a point of departure in the direction of the railway station of Komounari where it forks to Northern Bulgaria.
Surrounding areas. The medieval fortress of Markela is situated 7.5 km south-west of the town. The archaeological excavations started in 1986 and so far there have been recovered a medieval basilica of 6th century, an Old Bulgarian church of 10th century, and a Byzantine church of 11th century. The fortress has most imposing ancient Bulgarian earth fortifications called valove (ramparts). The town of Soungourlare is 25 km north-west of Karnobat. It is well known in Bulgaria and abroad for its marvellous wines. The most famous brand called Soungourlarski misket is made from the grapes grown in the adjacent vine-growing villages and towns - Grozden, Slavyantsi, Choubra, Lozitsa and Chernitsa. There is a regular bus line to Karnobat.
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Central Southern Bulgaria
Batak, Bratsigovo, Peroushtitsa, Pazardzhik, Koprivshtitsa, Sopot, Karlovo, Kalofer, Hissarya - spa resort, Plovdiv, Asenovgrad, Chepelare, Smolyan, Devin, Pavel Banya, Kazanluk, Stara Zagora, Chirpan, Dimitrovgrad, Haskovo, Kurdzhali | Southeastern Bulgaria
Svilengrad, Elhovo, Yambol, Sliven, Kotel, Karnobat, Aitos, Malko Turnovo | Northwestern Bulgaria
Berkovitza, Chiprovtzi, Belogradchik, Vidin, Kozlodui, Oriahovo, Montana, Vratsa, Mezdra, Botevgrad, Etropole, Yablanitza, Cherven bryag, Loukovit, Lom | Central Northern Bulgaria
Teteven, Troyan, Apriltzi, Lovech, Pleven, Nikopol, Svishtov, Pavlikeni, Sevlievo, Gabrovo, Tryavna, Dryanovo, Elena, Veliko Turnovo, Gorna Oryahovitsa, Byala, Rousse | Southwestern Bulgaria
Petrich, Sandanski, Gotse Delchev, Bansko ski resort, Razlog, Blagoevgrad, Doupnitsa, Samokov, Kyustendil, Pernik, Pirdop and Zlatitsa, Panagyurishte, Kostenets, Velingrad | Northeastern Bulgaria
Pliska, Shoumen, Veliki Preslav, Turgovishte, Razgrad, Toutrakan, Silistra, Dobrich, Provadia | Bulgarian Black Sea Coast
Shabla, Roussalka, Kavarna, Balchik, Albena, Zlatni Pyasutsi (GOLDEN SANDS), St. St. Konstantin and Elena, Varna, Kamchia, Obzor, Elenite, Slunchev Bryag (SUNNY BEACH), Nessebar, Pomorie, Bourgas, Sozopol, Dyuni, Primorsko, Kiten, Tsarevo, Ahtopol | Bulgarian Mountains
Rila, Rila Monastery, Borovetz, Malyovitza, Pirin, Melnik and The Rozhen Monastery, Shiligarnika, Stara Planina (The Balkan Mountain), KOM - Emine Route, The Rhodope Mountains, Pamporovo, Bachkovo Monastery, Shiroka Luka, Vitosha |
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