Burgas

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Burgas
Бургас
Coat of arms of Burgas
Coat of arms
Burgas (Bulgaria)
Burgas
Burgas
Location of Burgas
Coordinates: 42°30′N 27°28′E / 42.5, 27.467
Country Flag of Bulgaria Bulgaria
Provinces
(Oblast)
Burgas
Government
 - Mayor Dimitar Nikolov
Elevation 30 m (98 ft)
Population (2007-15-07)
 - Total 229,250
Time zone EET (UTC+2)
 - Summer (DST) EEST (UTC+3)
Postal Code 8000
Area code(s) 056

Burgas (Bulgarian: Бургас, sometimes transliterated as Bourgas, Greek: Pyrgos) is the second-largest city and seaside resort on the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast with population 210,260. It is also the fourth-largest by population in the country, after Sofia, Plovdiv and Varna. It is the capital of Burgas Province and an industrial and tourist centre.

Surrounded by the coastal Burgas Lakes and located at the westernmost point of the Black Sea, the large Burgas Bay, Burgas has the largest and most important Bulgarian port. Today, it is a key economic, cultural and tourist centre of southeastern Bulgaria, with the Burgas Airport serving the resorts of the southern Bulgarian coast.

Contents

[edit] History

Alexander Severus coin celebrating the Flavian colony of Deultum
Alexander Severus coin celebrating the Flavian colony of Deultum

Burgas is a successor of the Ancient Greek city of Pyrgos (Πύργος), founded by colonists from Apolonia as a military and observational post against the other important settlement in the region — Mesembria. Besides Pirgos, the present-day city expands over the area of three other ancient settlements: Castrition, Skafida and Rossokastron.

During the rule of the Ancient Romans, Burgas was known as Deultum, and was established as a military colony for veterans by Vespasian. In the Middle Ages, a small fortress called Pirgos (Πύργος being Greek for "tower") was erected on the place and was most probably used as a watchtower. It was only in the 17th century that a settlement named Ahelo-Pirgas grew in the modern area of the city. It was later renamed to Bourgas and had only about 3,000 inhabitants, most of them Greeks at the time of the Liberation.

Later, it became a major centre on the southern Bulgarian Black Sea Coast and a city of well-developed industry and trade. A number of oil and chemical companies were gradually built. Salt and iron are also mined and traded abroad.

Street scene from the centre of Burgas
Street scene from the centre of Burgas
Architecture of Burgas
Architecture of Burgas
Burgas
Burgas
View of Alexandrovska Street from Hotel Bulgaria
View of Alexandrovska Street from Hotel Bulgaria
City Hall
City Hall

In the early 1800s Burgas was depopulated after raids by kurzdhali bandits. By the mid 19th century it had recovered its economic prominence through the growth of craftsmanship and the export of grain.[1]

In 1903, the railway station in Burgas opened, giving an additional boost to the city's expansion. Burgas, unlike many other Bulgarian cities, was not much affected by Communist-type urbanization and has kept many of its 19th and early 20th century architecture.

Today the local port is the largest in Bulgaria adding significantly to the regional economy. Burgas also holds annual national exhibitions and international festivals and has a vibrant student population of over 6,000 that add to the city's appeal. The historical society also maintains an open-air museum at Beglik Tash.

Several countries have consulates in Burgas, among them Turkey, Belarus, Romania, Russia and Ukraine.

Burgas Peninsula on Livingston Island in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica is named after the city of Burgas. Burgas also has a lot of sex shops. the government wants to stop them but they just can't.

[edit] References

  1. ^ Burgas, Bulgaria (Eyewitness Travel), Jonathan Bousfield and Matt Willis, Dorling Kindersley Limited, London, England, 2008, p. 210.

[edit] Institutions of higher education

[edit] Attractions

  • Burgas Regional Historical Museum
  • Ethnographic Museum
  • Museum of Nature and Science
  • Art Gallery
  • Opera House
  • International Folklore Festival
  • "Geo Milev" English Language Medium School

[edit] Notable natives

[edit] Notable buildings and architectural structures

The building of the TV Centre Burgas ( РРТС Бургас ) looks like a highrise with 6 floors with a tower looking like "Eiffel Tower with concrete legs" on its roof [2].

[edit] Sister cities

[edit] Climate table

Climate table
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Mean daily maximum temperature (°C) 5.9 8.9 17.8 20.7 25.3 27.4 30.2 30.0 26.4 20.6 11.6 6.1 19.2
Mean minimum night time temperature (°C) -2.1 0.9 3.3 6.8 10.0 15.9 20.8 21.4 19.4 14.7 8.2 −1.4 9.8
Mean total rainfall (mm) 11 14 32 51 40 44 21 9 8 13 28 31 25.1
Mean number of rain days 10 10 10 11 4 5 2 3 5 3 9 11 6
Source: World Weather Information Service

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:
Wikisource has the text of the 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica article Burgas.

Coordinates: 42°30′N, 27°28′E