Etropole Municipality

Etropole has over 2500 years old history. Its first inhabitens were Thraciansfom the tribe Tribals. For many centuries the village is an important crossroad between Danube, Macedonia and Thrace, and its close to two important mountain passes – Etropolski pass and Zlatishki pass. In I century BC the Tribals tribe occupies a wide area on both sides of the Western Balkan. Numerous monuments remaining from that time are Thracian burial mounds and ruins in “Chertigrad” fortress, “Bogotvor”, “St. Atanas”, “Ostruma.” During the Renaissance Etropole was one of the most important craft and trade centers Bulgaria. The city is developing 42 craft: goldsmith, coppersmith, homespun tailoring, blacksmithing, gunny maker, leather, carpentry, wine vessel making and more. Products of Etropole masters spread the fame of the city to Vienna, Budapest, Istanbul, Alexandria, Odessa, Bucharest. In XV – XVII century. town is a mining center. Etropole has a significant place in history of the Liberation of Bulgaria during the Renaissance. Etropole took part in Hadji Dimitar and Stefan Karadza rebellion force, in Panayot Hitov and Rakovski legions. Five people from Etropole were in Hristo Botev’s detachment. Vasil Levski had founded the Secret Revolutionary Committee in Etropole in the fall of 1870. Todor Peev – a revolutionary, a teacher, a writer, associate of Levski and Botev- was elected as Chairman. . During the same period, the Etropole educational and literary school, which was unrivalled at that time in Bulgaria, was active in this region. There are five churches in the town, which are located in the shape of a cross and which, according to legends, protect the settlement and its inhabitants.