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Centralsouth Bulgaria > Karlovo > History
History of KarlovoKarlovos remote past is not well explored. The village mounds, remains of Roman roads and constructions that were found in its vicinity cant be related to certain names and events. Todays town is a relatively new one. It originated on the right bank of Stara Reka River right after the Ottoman invasion in Bulgaria, as an administrative centre and a residence of the local Turkish Feudal lords, close to the old village of Sushitsa. The village was named Karlovo after the local Turkish feudal lord. The beginning of the 19th century for Karlovo was a time of rapid economic boom, cultural uplift and revolutionary ardour. Hundreds of weaving shops and watermills worked near Stara Reka River. Rich merchants bought what the skilful master coppersmiths, goldsmiths, manufacturers of woollen braids and aba (coarse homespun woollen cloth and upper mens garment made of it), leather-workers had created and traded with distant countries - Egypt, Albania, Dubrovnik, Romania, Vienna. Karlovo became a big and bustling village with a disctinct centre, town clock and nice houses. The Russian-Turkish War of Liberation put an end to the wealthy life in the town, despite the gained liberty. In 1877 the bashibozouks (Turkish armed volunteers) plundered and set Karlovo on fire. 813 people were slaughtered, most of the survivors ran away through the Balkan Mountains. Fortunately, the surviving parts of Karlovo have kept their original identity.
The town is the birthplace of the teacher Botyo Petkov, father of Hristo Botev; Dr. Ivan Bogorov, (writer from the period of Bulgarian National Revival, publisher of the first Bulgarian newspaper Bulgarski Orel (Bulgarian Eagle) in Leipzig in 1846-1847); the brothers Evlogi and Hristo Georgievi (distinguished representatives of the emerging Bulgarian bourgeoisie and patriots, who donated 6 million golden Levs for a Bulgarian institution of higher education - The University), Braiko Hadzhigenov, Hristo Popvassilev and others. Also a native of Karlovo is the famous Bulgarian mountaineer Hristo Prodanov, first to climb a peak higher than 8000 metres - Lhotse (8516 m) and the first Bulgarian to set foot on The roof of the World Mt. Everest (8848 m, 20 April 1984), he remained forever in its frozen embrace. Its greatest fame, however, the town owes to the fact that its the hometown of Mother Bulgarias greatest son - The Apostle of Bulgarian Freedom - Vassil Ivanov Kunchev - Levski.
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