the encyclopedic entry of Dimitrovgrad

Dimitrovgrad

Dimitrovgrad, city (1993 pop. 50,740), S Bulgaria, on the Maritsa River. Located on the Belgrade-Sofia-Istanbul RR, the city has one of Bulgaria's largest cement works, as well as several thermoelectric power stations that provide power to coal-mining areas nearby. The city was built in 1947 and incorporated three existing towns—Rakovski, Mariino, and Chernakonovo. Several engineering schools are in the city, which is named for Bulgarian Communist leader Georgi Dimitrov.

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Dimitrovgrad, Bulgaria

Dimitrovgrad (Димитровград) is a town and a municipality in Haskovo Province of southern Bulgaria. Dimitrovgrad is located northwest of Svilengrad and the Greek and Turkish border, east of Plovdiv and the capital Sofia and west of Burgas. The motorway A1 is north of Dimitrovgrad.

The city was built in 1947 by the Communist government of the time and the brigades organized with that purpose. On the 2 September 1947 the town's establishment was officially announced, but its construction and expansion continued intensively for several more years, as the three villages (Rakovski, Mariyno and Chernokonyovo) that existed at the place were merged to form Dimitrovgrad. The main practical reason behind the new city was to create a modern industrial centre. Of course, there was also an ideological foundation for building it.The population in Dimitrovgrad has increased in recent years to above 47,000 inhabitants as of February 2008.

The city was named after Georgi Dimitrov, as were the other cities named Dimitrovgrad.

In 1970 the celebration of the national poetry feast named Penio Penev was set and that tradition continues up to the present. Since 1980 the beginning of biennial of Bulgarian theatrical poster were laid. In 1987 the museum – house Penio Penev was opened