Geography and population
Haskovo Province is in southern Bulgaria, neighboring Greece and Turkey to the southeast. It has a territory of 5543 sq.km. and has population of 307067. It comprises parts of the Thracian valley along the Maritsa River. Its main city is Haskovo. Haskovo Province has 11 municipalities: Dimitrovgrad; Harmanli; Haskovo; Ivaylovgrad; Lyubimets; Madzharovo; Mineralni Bani; Simeonovgrad; Stambolovo; Svilengrad; Topolovgrad.
Haskovo municipality occupies the most western part of Haskovo county. Its geographic location is extremely favourable and important. Haskovo municipality includes the town of Haskovo and 35 villages. It is a transport cross road between Europe, the Near East and the Middle East, which is a good prerequisite for an international commercial and cultural exchange.
The town of Haskovo is 225km far from Sofia; 80km from Plovdiv. The town is 196m above sea level. Its population is 96256.
Transportation System
Important automobile and transportation major roads cross the municipality. There are no highways and secondary roads crossing the territory of the municipality. The first-class road network occupies 30% of the road network in the municipality, the third-class roads comprise 19% and the forth-class roads - 51% from the total road network of the municipality. All roads in the municipality are asphalt-paved.
Two railroad lines cross the territory of the municipality: Sofia-Svilengrad and Ruse-Podkova.
- Bus Schedule Sofia-Haskovo
Places of interest
- A 32.8m-high statue of the Mother of God and the Infant Jesus was erected on the Hill of Youth near Haskovo in 2003. It is made of polymer concrete and weighs 80 tons. It entered the Guinness Book of Records as the highest monument to Our Lady in the world;
- The middle ages fortress Hisaria;
- Asenova Fortress in Klokotnitza;
- Ethnographic museum The Paskalevs' house;
- The Shishmans' house, in which there is an exposition of the local crafts;
- Kenane - a splendid oak forest.