Knezha
Encyclopedia
Knezha is a town in Pleven Province
, Northern Bulgaria
. It is the administrative center of the homonymous Knezha Municipality
. As of December 2009, the town has a population of 11,191 inhabitants.
The town's name is most probably derived from the Slavic
word knyaz
("prince, duke"), most likely after a local ruler that defended the population in the area during the Ottoman rule of Bulgaria. Knezha is the third-largest town in the province, after Pleven
and Cherven Bryag
, and is the administrative centre of a municipality.
A local landmark is the 17 metres (55.8 ft) steel
Christian cross
constructed on a hill overlooking the town. The cross' construction was financed entirely by donations. It has luminescent lighting bodies attached to it and is illuminated in blue at night. The cross is similar to the larger Millennium Cross
above Skopje
. Knezha also has a historical museum and an amateur theatre
performing in the local community centre (chitalishte
). The Institute on Maize of the Agricultural Academy is based in Knezha; it was founded in 1924.
Notable natives include weightlifter and Sydney 2000
Olympic
gold medal
ist Galabin Boevski
(b. 1974), Bulgaria international footballer
Valentin Iliev
(b. 1980) and Bulgarian Army general and long-time Chairman of the National Assembly of Bulgaria
Ferdinand Kozovski
(1892–1965).
Pleven Province
Pleven Province is a province located in central northern Bulgaria, bordering the Danube river, Romania and the Bulgarian provinces of Vratsa, Veliko Tarnovo and Lovech. It is divided into 11 subdivisions, called municipalities, that embrace a territory of 4,333.54 km² with a population, as...
, Northern 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...
. It is the administrative center of the homonymous Knezha Municipality
Knezha Municipality
Knezha Municipality is a municipality in Pleven Province, Northern Bulgaria. It is named after its administrative centre - the town of Knezha....
. As of December 2009, the town has a population of 11,191 inhabitants.
The town's name is most probably derived from the Slavic
Slavic languages
The Slavic languages , a group of closely related languages of the Slavic peoples and a subgroup of Indo-European languages, have speakers in most of Eastern Europe, in much of the Balkans, in parts of Central Europe, and in the northern part of Asia.-Branches:Scholars traditionally divide Slavic...
word knyaz
Knyaz
Kniaz, knyaz or knez is a Slavic title found in most Slavic languages, denoting a royal nobility rank. It is usually translated into English as either Prince or less commonly as Duke....
("prince, duke"), most likely after a local ruler that defended the population in the area during the Ottoman rule of Bulgaria. Knezha is the third-largest town in the province, after Pleven
Pleven
Pleven is the seventh most populous city in Bulgaria. Located in the northern part of the country, it is the administrative centre of Pleven Province, as well as of the subordinate Pleven municipality...
and Cherven Bryag
Cherven Bryag
Cherven Bryag is a town in northern Bulgaria, a capital of the Cherven Bryag municipality, Pleven Province. It is situated on the right shore of the Zlatna Panega in river Iskar, 137 km north-east of Sofia, 53 km south-west of Pleven, 12 km north-west of Lukovit, 56 km east...
, and is the administrative centre of a municipality.
A local landmark is the 17 metres (55.8 ft) steel
Steel
Steel is an alloy that consists mostly of iron and has a carbon content between 0.2% and 2.1% by weight, depending on the grade. Carbon is the most common alloying material for iron, but various other alloying elements are used, such as manganese, chromium, vanadium, and tungsten...
Christian cross
Christian cross
The Christian cross, seen as a representation of the instrument of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, is the best-known religious symbol of Christianity...
constructed on a hill overlooking the town. The cross' construction was financed entirely by donations. It has luminescent lighting bodies attached to it and is illuminated in blue at night. The cross is similar to the larger Millennium Cross
Millennium Cross
The Millennium Cross is a 66 metre-high cross situated on the top of the Vodno Mountain in Skopje, Republic of Macedonia and is the biggest cross in the world...
above Skopje
Skopje
Skopje is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Macedonia with about a third of the total population. It is the country's political, cultural, economic, and academic centre...
. Knezha also has a historical museum and an amateur theatre
Theatre
Theatre is a collaborative form of fine art that uses live performers to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place. The performers may communicate this experience to the audience through combinations of gesture, speech, song, music or dance...
performing in the local community centre (chitalishte
Chitalishte
A chitalishte is a typical Bulgarian public institution and building which fulfils several functions at once, such as a community centre, library and a theatre. It is also used as an educational institution, where people of all ages can enroll in foreign language, dance, music and other courses....
). The Institute on Maize of the Agricultural Academy is based in Knezha; it was founded in 1924.
Notable natives include weightlifter and Sydney 2000
2000 Summer Olympics
The Sydney 2000 Summer Olympic Games or the Millennium Games/Games of the New Millennium, officially known as the Games of the XXVII Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was celebrated between 15 September and 1 October 2000 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
Olympic
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
gold medal
Gold medal
A gold medal is typically the medal awarded for highest achievement in a non-military field. Its name derives from the use of at least a fraction of gold in form of plating or alloying in its manufacture...
ist Galabin Boevski
Galabin Boevski
Galabin Boevski is a Bulgarian weightlifter. He was born in Knezha, and was both World Champion and Olympic Champion. He was later suspended for eight years after failing drug tests. He is now in a Brazilian prison awaiting a trial for an alleged cocaine trafficking...
(b. 1974), Bulgaria international footballer
Bulgaria national football team
The FIFA Bulgaria national football team is an association football team fielded by the Bulgarian Football Union, a member association of UEFA. The team's home ground is Vasil Levski in Sofia and Luboslav Penev is in charge manager after replacement of Lothar Matthäus...
Valentin Iliev
Valentin Iliev
Valentin Iliev is a Bulgarian footballer currently playing for the Romanian team Steaua Bucureşti in Liga I.-Background:Iliev's father, Iliya Valov, was goalkeeper for CSKA and Bulgaria's national team...
(b. 1980) and Bulgarian Army general and long-time Chairman of the National Assembly of Bulgaria
Chairman of the National Assembly of Bulgaria
The Chairperson of the National Assembly of Bulgaria presides the Bulgarian Parliament...
Ferdinand Kozovski
Ferdinand Kozovski
Ferdinand Todorov Kozovski was a Bulgarian communist politician and Lieutenant General in the Bulgarian Army who served as Chairman of the National Assembly of Bulgaria from 1950 to 1965....
(1892–1965).