Southern Dobruja, also romanized as Dobrudja, Dobrudza and Dobrudzha among other spellings (Bulgarian: Добруджа) is a Bulgarian region, a part of the greater Dobrudja area located in both Bulgaria and Romania. The region is located in the Bulgarian Northeast, on the eastern part of the Danubian Plain, between the rest of North Bulgaria to the west, the Balkan to the south and the Black Sea Coast to the east. To the north, its boundary is drawn by the Danube river and the international border that separates the region from Northern Dobruja in Romania.
Understand
The region is commonly referred to as the granary of Bulgaria because most of the grain in the country is a product of the region. Grain-rising has historically been the major economical sphere in Dobruja and thus in previous centuries an important economical region. As a result, the area was suitable for a government centre and was the home of the first two capitals of Bulgaria. For centuries, its fertile grounds generated the wealth of its owners so the region has always been well developed. The fruitful environment meant that even after Bulgaria gained back its independence from the Ottoman empire in the late 19th century, many Turks decided to stay in Dobrudja and live in the reinstated Bulgarian country. Today, the region has many ethnic Turks so it is not uncommon to hear people speaking Turkish for example.
Cities
- Dobrich (Добрич) — the administrative center of Dobrich Province, and the ninth largest city in the country by population.
- Isperih (Исперих) — town with a multi-ethnic population, close to Thracian tomb of Sveshtari, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
- Razgrad (Разград) — the administrative center of Razgrad Province.
- Shumen (Шумен) — consists primarily of new buildings, but there is a small area with nice older buildings. Half of the boulevard is pedestrian area with a lot of cafes and night life. The administrative center of Shumen Province and the tenth largest city in the country by population.
- Silistra (Силистра) — city on the banks of Danube. The administrative center of Silistra Province.
- Targovishte (Търговище) — the administrative center of Targovishte Province.
- Tutrakan (Тутракан) — chic town with an old fishing area, also where the Tutrakan Battle took place, so there is a military cemetery which commemorates the battle.
- Veliki Preslav (Велики Преслав) — a small town in Shumen Province. Notable for the extensive ruins of the medieval city of Preslav, the second capital of the First Bulgarian Empire (see below).
Get in
Get around
See
Do
- Watch football at PFC Ludorets Razgrad, who play soccer in the Bulgarian First League, the country's top tier. Their home ground is Huvepharma Arena, capacity 10,400, in Razgrad town centre.
Eat
Drink
Stay safe
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