Pirdop
Encyclopedia
Pirdop is a town located in South-West Bulgaria
of Sofia Province
in the southeastern part of the Zlatitsa
- Pirdop Valley at 670 m above sea level. It is surrounded by the Balkan Range (also known as the Stara Planina) to the north, Sredna Gora
Mountain to the south, and Koznitsa
and Galabets
saddles to the east and west, respectively. The town has a population of 8,040.
. The Pirdop copper
smelter and refinery
is the biggest in the Balkans
and whole of South-Eastern Europe. It was privatized in 1997 for $80,000,000 and is now owned by the German Aurubis
. It has a capacity of 160,000 tons and additional capacity of 180,000 tons worth €82,000,000 is being built. The factory also produces 830,000 tons of sulphuric acid and employs 1,420 workers. The main chimney of the factory is 325 metres tall and shares together with the chimneys of Maritza East Power Stations the title of tallest man-made objects of Bulgaria
.
with 9,460 inhabitants. The territory of the municipality is crossed by main road I -6 Sofia
- Bourgas, which is a part of the Republican road network, as well as by the Sub-Balkan railway line to Bourgas. The municipality consists of municipal center town of Pirdop and the village of Dushantsi
. The town is the center of tourist routes to the Balkan Range and Sredna Gora
Mountain. There are some mountain huts conveniently located and equipped for visits. There are convenient roads leading to Doushantsi Dam Lake, Koufarita Bridge, the localities of Borova Gora, Bobyovitsa, Elensko and Kazanite, and others. Doushantsi Dam Lake on the Topolnitsa River is one of the most beautiful mountainous water reservoirs in Bulgaria
. Although the accommodation facilities are insufficient, there are good opportunities for short vacations for recreation and sports fishing. There are also good conditions for water sports and attractions.
on Livingston Island in the South Shetland Islands
, Antarctica is named after Pirdop.
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...
of Sofia Province
Sofia Province
Sofia Province is a province of Bulgaria. The province does not include Sofia in its territories, but Sofia however remains its administrative center...
in the southeastern part of the Zlatitsa
Zlatitsa
Zlatitsa is a town in southern Bulgaria located in the Zlatitsa-Pirdop valley, between Stara Planina to the north and Sredna Gora to the south at 680 meters above the sea level. It is situated immediately south in the lap of the Zlatitsa -Teteven Mountain...
- Pirdop Valley at 670 m above sea level. It is surrounded by the Balkan Range (also known as the Stara Planina) to the north, Sredna Gora
Sredna Gora
Sredna Gora is a mountain range in central Bulgaria, situated south of and parallel to Balkan mountain range and extending from the river Iskar to the west and the elbow of Tundzha north of Yambol to the east. Sredna Gora is 285 km long, reaching 50 km at its greatest width...
Mountain to the south, and Koznitsa
Koznitsa
Koznitsa may refer to any of the following locations in Bulgaria:* Koznitsa - a village in Bulgaria, Burgas Province;* Koznitsa - a ridge connecting Stara planina and Sredna gora mountains;...
and Galabets
Galabets
Galabets may refer to:*Galabets , a railway tunnel in Bulgaria*Galabets, Burgas Province, a village in Burgas Province, Bulgaria*Galabets, Haskovo Province, a village in Haskovo Province, Bulgaria...
saddles to the east and west, respectively. The town has a population of 8,040.
Economy
The main economic activity is non-ferrous metallurgyMetallurgy
Metallurgy is a domain of materials science that studies the physical and chemical behavior of metallic elements, their intermetallic compounds, and their mixtures, which are called alloys. It is also the technology of metals: the way in which science is applied to their practical use...
. The Pirdop copper
Copper
Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu and atomic number 29. It is a ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. Pure copper is soft and malleable; an exposed surface has a reddish-orange tarnish...
smelter and refinery
Refinery
A refinery is a production facility composed of a group of chemical engineering unit processes and unit operations refining certain materials or converting raw material into products of value.-Types of refineries:Different types of refineries are as follows:...
is the biggest in the Balkans
Balkans
The Balkans is a geopolitical and cultural region of southeastern Europe...
and whole of South-Eastern Europe. It was privatized in 1997 for $80,000,000 and is now owned by the German Aurubis
Aurubis
Aurubis AG is the largest copper producer in Europe. The company is headquartered in Hamburg, Germany.- History :In 1866 Norddeutsche Affinerie was incorporated as a stock company....
. It has a capacity of 160,000 tons and additional capacity of 180,000 tons worth €82,000,000 is being built. The factory also produces 830,000 tons of sulphuric acid and employs 1,420 workers. The main chimney of the factory is 325 metres tall and shares together with the chimneys of Maritza East Power Stations the title of tallest man-made objects of 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...
.
Municipality
Pirdop is a centre of a small municipalityMunicipality
A municipality is essentially an urban administrative division having corporate status and usually powers of self-government. It can also be used to mean the governing body of a municipality. A municipality is a general-purpose administrative subdivision, as opposed to a special-purpose district...
with 9,460 inhabitants. The territory of the municipality is crossed by main road I -6 Sofia
Sofia
Sofia is the capital and largest city of Bulgaria and the 12th largest city in the European Union with a population of 1.27 million people. It is located in western Bulgaria, at the foot of Mount Vitosha and approximately at the centre of the Balkan Peninsula.Prehistoric settlements were excavated...
- Bourgas, which is a part of the Republican road network, as well as by the Sub-Balkan railway line to Bourgas. The municipality consists of municipal center town of Pirdop and the village of Dushantsi
Dushantsi
The Dushantsi dam is settled in the Balkan Mountains, Bulgaria.The dam wall can be easily reached by car, driving along the old road to Burgas. The area around the dam is used for outgoings, picnics, water sports and fishing....
. The town is the center of tourist routes to the Balkan Range and Sredna Gora
Sredna Gora
Sredna Gora is a mountain range in central Bulgaria, situated south of and parallel to Balkan mountain range and extending from the river Iskar to the west and the elbow of Tundzha north of Yambol to the east. Sredna Gora is 285 km long, reaching 50 km at its greatest width...
Mountain. There are some mountain huts conveniently located and equipped for visits. There are convenient roads leading to Doushantsi Dam Lake, Koufarita Bridge, the localities of Borova Gora, Bobyovitsa, Elensko and Kazanite, and others. Doushantsi Dam Lake on the Topolnitsa River is one of the most beautiful mountainous water reservoirs in 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...
. Although the accommodation facilities are insufficient, there are good opportunities for short vacations for recreation and sports fishing. There are also good conditions for water sports and attractions.
Honour
Pirdop GatePirdop Gate
Pirdop Gate is a 300-m wide pass between Maritsa Peak and Atanasoff Nunatak in eastern Bowles Ridge, Livingston Island in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica. It has an elevation of 376 m at its northern entrance from Struma Glacier, and 261 m at the southern entrance from Huron Glacier...
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 after Pirdop.