Aytos
Encyclopedia
Aytos sometimes written Aitos and Ajtos, is a town located in eastern Bulgaria
some 30 kilometers from the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast
and belonging to the administrative boundaries of Burgas Province
. It is the administrative centre of the homonymous Aytos Municipality. As of December 2009, the town has a population of 21,067 inhabitants.
tribes, archaeological finds near the town testify that its existence dates back to the 5th century BC. Throughout the centuries, the town has been known under different names including Aetos (Αετος), Astos, Eidos, Aquilia, Tchengis, etc.
During the reign of Khan Tervel, the region was incorporated in the Bulgarian Empire
for the first time. The fortress Aetos took an important part in the defensive system of the Bulgarian lands against the sudden attacks of the Tatars
, the Avars
and the Crusaders.
In 1378 the town was conquered by the armies of the Ottoman Empire
under Murad I
. During the Russian-Turkish War (1828–1829), General Hans Karl von Diebitsch
turned the town into a strategic strong point. After the Treaty of Edirne
in 1829, many of the town's citizens fled to Bessarabia
to join the Bessarabian Bulgarians
.
During the Bulgarian National Revival
the population participated actively in the Bulgarian struggles for liberation. Vasil Levski
organized a revolutionary committee in the town.
After the Liberation, Aytos became a vivid commercial center, reputedly more important than Burgas
. The first girls' agricultural school in the country was established in Aytos during the period.
port.
, which takes place every Spring during the months of May and June. The festival is held at the "Slaveeva Reka" Recreational Park and it celebrates traditional dance and folk music from across Bulgaria.
on Livingston Island in the South Shetland Islands
, Antarctica is named for Aytos.
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...
some 30 kilometers from the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast
Bulgarian Black Sea Coast
The Bulgarian Black Sea Coast covers the entire eastern bound of Bulgaria stretching from the Romanian Black Sea resorts in the north to European Turkey in the south, along 378 km of coastline. White and golden sandy beaches occupy approximately 130 km of the 378 km long coast...
and belonging to the administrative boundaries of Burgas Province
Burgas Province
-Municipalities:The Burgas province contains 13 municipalities . The following table shows the names of each municipality in English and Cyrillic, the main town or village , and the population of each as of 2009.-Demography:The Burgas province had a population of 423,608 -Municipalities:The Burgas...
. It is the administrative centre of the homonymous Aytos Municipality. As of December 2009, the town has a population of 21,067 inhabitants.
History
Aytos has a rich and long history dating back to antiquity. An old settlement founded by ThracianThracians
The ancient Thracians were a group of Indo-European tribes inhabiting areas including Thrace in Southeastern Europe. They spoke the Thracian language – a scarcely attested branch of the Indo-European language family...
tribes, archaeological finds near the town testify that its existence dates back to the 5th century BC. Throughout the centuries, the town has been known under different names including Aetos (Αετος), Astos, Eidos, Aquilia, Tchengis, etc.
During the reign of Khan Tervel, the region was incorporated in the Bulgarian Empire
Bulgarian Empire
Bulgarian Empire is a term used to describe two periods in the medieval history of Bulgaria, during which it acted as a key regional power in Europe in general and in Southeastern Europe in particular, rivalling Byzantium...
for the first time. The fortress Aetos took an important part in the defensive system of the Bulgarian lands against the sudden attacks of the Tatars
Tatars
Tatars are a Turkic speaking ethnic group , numbering roughly 7 million.The majority of Tatars live in the Russian Federation, with a population of around 5.5 million, about 2 million of which in the republic of Tatarstan.Significant minority populations are found in Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan,...
, the Avars
Eurasian Avars
The Eurasian Avars or Ancient Avars were a highly organized nomadic confederacy of mixed origins. They were ruled by a khagan, who was surrounded by a tight-knit entourage of nomad warriors, an organization characteristic of Turko-Mongol groups...
and the Crusaders.
In 1378 the town was conquered by the armies of the Ottoman Empire
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...
under Murad I
Murad I
Murad I was the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, from 1361 to 1389...
. During the Russian-Turkish War (1828–1829), General Hans Karl von Diebitsch
Hans Karl von Diebitsch
Count Hans Karl Friedrich Anton von Diebitsch und Narden was a German-born soldier serving as Russian Field Marshal....
turned the town into a strategic strong point. After the Treaty of Edirne
Treaty of Adrianople
The Peace Treaty of Adrianople concluded the Russo-Turkish War, 1828-1829 between Russia and the Ottoman Empire. It was signed on September 14, 1829 in Adrianople by Russia's Count Alexey Fyodorovich Orlov and by Turkey's Abdul Kadyr-bey...
in 1829, many of the town's citizens fled to Bessarabia
Bessarabia
Bessarabia is a historical term for the geographic region in Eastern Europe bounded by the Dniester River on the east and the Prut River on the west....
to join the Bessarabian Bulgarians
Bessarabian Bulgarians
The Bessarabian Bulgarians are a Bulgarian minority group of the historical region of Bessarabia, inhabiting parts of present-day Ukraine and Moldova.- Location and number :-Modern Ukraine:...
.
During the Bulgarian National Revival
Bulgarian National Revival
The Bulgarian National Revival , sometimes called the Bulgarian Renaissance, was a period of socio-economic development and national integration among Bulgarian people under Ottoman rule...
the population participated actively in the Bulgarian struggles for liberation. Vasil Levski
Vasil Levski
Vasil Levski, born Vasil Ivanov Kunchev, , is a Bulgarian revolutionary and a national hero of Bulgaria. Dubbed the Apostle of Freedom, Levski ideologised and strategised a revolutionary movement to liberate Bulgaria from Ottoman rule...
organized a revolutionary committee in the town.
After the Liberation, Aytos became a vivid commercial center, reputedly more important than Burgas
Burgas
-History:During the rule of the Ancient Romans, near Burgas, Debeltum was established as a military colony for veterans by Vespasian. In the Middle Ages, a small fortress called Pyrgos was erected where Burgas is today and was most probably used as a watchtower...
. The first girls' agricultural school in the country was established in Aytos during the period.
Transport
The geographic location determines the special significance of the municipality as a transport junction, where the road networks between Northern Bulgaria and Southern Bulgaria in this part of the country join. Important highways and the railway from Sofia to Burgas pass through it. Its good transport characteristics are also determined by the fact that it is only 28 km from Burgas, a key Black SeaBlack Sea
The Black Sea is bounded by Europe, Anatolia and the Caucasus and is ultimately connected to the Atlantic Ocean via the Mediterranean and the Aegean seas and various straits. The Bosphorus strait connects it to the Sea of Marmara, and the strait of the Dardanelles connects that sea to the Aegean...
port.
Culture
The town hosts the annual folk festival and competition Slaveevi NoshtiSlaveevi Noshti
Slaveevi Noshti or "Nightingales' Nights" in English, is an annual folk music and dance festival held in Aitos, Bulgaria. Each year the festival attracts individual performers, dance ensembles and folk choirs from all corners of Bulgaria...
, which takes place every Spring during the months of May and June. The festival is held at the "Slaveeva Reka" Recreational Park and it celebrates traditional dance and folk music from across Bulgaria.
Sports
Established in the early '50s, the famous Aytos Sports Academy “Vihar” has produced many national and international gymnastics champions including three-time international champion Silviya Kostova. The Academy has a popular soccer team as well -- "Vihar Aytos".Natural landmarks
- Recreation Park "Slaveeva Reka" ("Nightingale's River") — Few towns in Bulgaria can boast parks as big as "Slaveeva Reka" park. Impressive in size and diverse in natural beauty, the park also hosts the Aytos Animal Zoo.
- Rock Formation "Trite Bratya" ("The Three Brothers")
- Natural Reserve "Kazanite"
- Natural Reserve "Hisarya"
- State Forest "Koriata"
Historical landmarks
- Ancient Fortress "Aetos"
- Aitoski Historical Pass — Connecting the ancient lands of ThraceThraceThrace is a historical and geographic area in southeast Europe. As a geographical concept, Thrace designates a region bounded by the Balkan Mountains on the north, Rhodope Mountains and the Aegean Sea on the south, and by the Black Sea and the Sea of Marmara on the east...
and MoesiaMoesiaMoesia was an ancient region and later Roman province situated in the Balkans, along the south bank of the Danube River. It included territories of modern-day Southern Serbia , Northern Republic of Macedonia, Northern Bulgaria, Romanian Dobrudja, Southern Moldova, and Budjak .-History:In ancient... - St. Dimitrii Solunski Orthodox Church
- Aitos Mineral Baths
Cultural landmarks
- Ethnographic Complex "Genger" — A small Etara-like ethnographic center built in the traditional local architectural style. The complex has a variety of different traditional Bulgarian arts and crafts shops as well as a traditional hotel, taverns, cafes and restaurants.
- Museum of "Peter Stanev"
- Theater "Vasil Levksi"
Famous citizens
- Eva Kirilova — Singer from TonikaTonikaTonika is a Bulgarian Pop Music group similar in style to the Italian group, Ricchi e Poveri-History:Tonika was first formed in Burgas in 1969 by a graduate of Bulgaria's National Music Academy, Stefan Diomov...
- Filip KutevFilip KutevFilip Kutev was a Bulgarian composer and founder of the Bulgarian State Television Female Vocal Choir. He is widely considered "the father of Bulgarian choir and folk music". Kutev also created and conducted the Bulgarian National Ensemble & Choir in 1951.He was born in Aitos, Burgas Province....
— Composer and founder of the Bulgarian National Ensemble & Choir - Zhivko Mutafchiev — Painter
- Panayot PanayotovPanayot PanayotovPanayot Panayotov is a Bulgarian football forward who played for Bulgaria in the 1962 FIFA World Cup. He also played for CDNA.-External links:*...
— Singer - Pencho Peev — Poet
- Marie George Pepper - Psychotherapist, Cambridge, England
- Georgi Popgeorgiev — Painter and founder of the Young Bulgarian Painters Society
- Petar StanevPetar StanevPetar Stanev is a Bulgarian footballer who plays for Dimitrovgrad. He is a central forward.-Career:Stanev started his career playing football at his local club Maritsa. Then moving onwards to Lokomotiv Sofia, Chernomorets Burgas, CSKA Sofia and Akademik Sofia...
— Painter - Hristo Tanev — Sculptor
- Yovi Tenev — Federal Prosecutor for the United States Department of JusticeUnited States Department of JusticeThe United States Department of Justice , is the United States federal executive department responsible for the enforcement of the law and administration of justice, equivalent to the justice or interior ministries of other countries.The Department is led by the Attorney General, who is nominated...
- Sava Tanev — Sculptor
- Tatyana Yotova — Poet
- Rositsa Zhivkova — Poet
- Ivan Angelov - Singer
Honour
Aytos PointAytos Point
Aytos Point is a point on the coast of Bransfield Strait, Livingston Island, Antarctica formed by an offshoot of Christoff Cliff...
on Livingston 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 for Aytos.