Troyan

Troyan
Troyan; Троян
	White Osum river running through the town
	; Coat of arms
	; Coat of arms
	Troyan Location of Troyan
	Coordinates: 42°52′58.8″N 24°43′1.2″E / 42.883°N 24.717°E
Country	Bulgaria
Province; (Oblast)	Lovech
	Government
• Mayor
Elevation	380 m (1,247 ft)
	Population (December 2009)
• Total	21,997
Time zone	EET (UTC+2)
• Summer (DST)	EEST (UTC+3)
Postal Code	5600
Area code(s)	0670

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For villages named Troian in Leova district, Moldova and Vâlcea County, Romania, see Vozneseni and Râmnicu Vâlcea.

Not to be confused with Trojan.

Troyan (also spelled Troian, Bulgarian: Троян) is a town in Lovech Province in central Bulgaria with population of 21,997 inhabitants, as of December 2009,.^[1] It is the administrative centre of the homonymous Troyan Municipality. The town is about 160 km away from the country capital Sofia. The nearest civilian airport is Gorna Oryahovitsa, 105 km away. The river of Beli Osam passes through the heart of the town.

Minko Akimov of Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria has been the town's mayor since 2007.

[edit] History

Troyan was named a town in 1868, when it developed as a craft center for the region. After the liberation it grows slowly. A spark in the town growth was the creation of a small water electrical plant and textile factories. In 1948, the town was connected to the railway Lovech – Levski – Svishtov. Later in time factories producing electrical motors, electrotechnical products, building machines, wool and furniture developed in the town.

[edit] Culture

The Troyan region is home to the cultural and historical site of the Troyan Monastery. August 15 is the day of the Monastery's Patron Saint, when thousands of people from the country gather to celebrate and see a unique icon of Mary. The icon is unique in that Mary has three hands made of silver. The origins of the icon are unknown but there are many stories, some of which involve miracles.

The town is famous for its traditional pottery, probably developed partly as a result of the qualities of the local clay soil. Pottery was a main source of income for the local craftsmen during the Bulgarian Renaissance age. Now handmade pottery items are sold as souvenirs to tourists. Fine examples of traditional pottery can be seen in the town's museum, across from the municipal building.

Also notable are the Nunki Complex and the St Paraskeva Church, both built in the first half of the 19th century.

The production of premium quality plum brandy (rakia) has become a part of the local culture. In connection with this, the town holds the annual Festival of the Plum in the autumn. Plum brandy from Troyan has gained national and international acclaim at major showcases.

The official day of Troyan is October 14, the day of the town's patron saint, St Petka Paraskeva.

Troyan Peak in Tangra Mountains on Livingston Island in the South Shetland Islands is named after the town.

[edit] Nature

The Troyan region is home to three National Reserves: Kozia Stena, Steneto and Severen Jendem, part of the larger Central Balkan National Park. The reserves are rich in interesting rock formations, waterfalls and wild life. Most of the interesting spots are tourist-accessible.

[edit] Industry

Troyan is the home of the large Actavis [1] generic pharmaceuticals plant as well as the light machinery factories Elma and Mashstroi [2]. Another major industry is the famous plum brandy (slivova rakia) production brewery Vinprom-Troyan.