Property For Sale in the Municipality of Svishtov - Veliko Tarnovo Region

Villages in the municipality of Svishtov: Alekovo, Aleksandrovo, Bulgarsko Slivovo, Chervena, Gorna Studena, Delyanovtsi, Dragomirovo, Hadjidimitrovo, Kozlovets, Morava, Oresh, Ovcha mogila, Sovata, Tsarevets, Vardim.

The Danube town was originally a Roman naval town called Nove (1st century) and due to its location was a strategically important trading centre with naval functions since the Danube was a water highway to the Black Sea, as it still is today. On the map of Fra Maura, which is considered one of the best examples of medieval cartography and drawn around 1450 by the Italian monk of the same name, Fra Mauro. It is a detailed planisphere drawn on linen and set in an ornate wooden frame 2 metres in diameter and Svishtov is named as Sistovo. In 1651 the first book written in the new Bulgarian language was created in Svishtov. Svesht, meaning candle, is where the current name originates from, during the Ottoman Rule the small town lit fires along the banks of the Danube allowing boats to safely navigate this stretch of the river at night. Over time the town of Svishtov expanded and the town attained mass development during the 19th century despite its destruction during the Russian-Turkish War of 1810. By 1870 nearly a thousand stores were open for business and over seven hundred warehouses were built to support these stores. A high school of economics was established in Svishtov in 1873, which was the 1st such school in Bulgaria. Felix Kanits the 19th Century geographer often called "The Balkan Columbus” wrote, "Svishtov has been enjoying the reputation of a European town with a European market for a long time." Shipping developed at a fast pace with a steam shipping company being based in Svishtov, towing huge barges carrying cereals and other agricultural produce.

The wealth and welfare of the town folk is reflected in its cultural life, Hristaki Pavlovich established a new Bulgarian school and a secular school for girls. One of the first chitalishta (reading-clubs) in Bulgaria with a museum with it was built in Svishtov in 1856, thanks to Elenka and Kiril Avramovi donating part of their wealth. In 1833 the first Bulgarian mathematics textbook was written and in 1836 the first Bulgarian geometry textbook was written. In 1884, the first in Bulgaria Commercial High School opened its gates (today's High School of Economy). Bulgarian Revival notable people including Emanuil Vaskidovich, Nikolai Pavlovich and Hristaki Pavlovich based themselves in Svishtov.

In June 1877 the specialist platoons of the Russian Army crossed the Danube River in the locality of the village of Vardim only 3km from Svishtov which commenced the Russian-Turkish War of Liberation. The occupying Turks put up a ferocious defence during this 1st battle and 814 members of the Russian army lost their lives. After the Liberation, Svishtov remained an important economic and cultural centre, whilst Ruse grew as a commercial centre. Since 1936 Svishtov gained its title as an academic town, after the opening of the Dimitar Tsenov Academy of Economics, which now has 4 faculties: Faculty of Economic Accounting; Faculty of Management and Marketing; Faculty of Production and Commercial Business; School of Finance. When Dimitar Apostolov Tsenov died he left 50 million Bulgarian leva for the construction and operation of a European based academy in Svishtov - this is now the Tsenov Academy of economics.

Svishtov is the birthplace of Tsvetan Radoslavov famous for writing the song, Mila Rodino (Dear Motherland) which the Bulgarian national anthem music was composed around and birthplace of the famed and revered Bulgarian writer, Patron of the Bulgarian hiking movement, humorist and democrat Aleko Konstantinov. One of his books, "To Chicago and Back" consisted of his intriguing travel notes from his American trip, which initiated an interest in the USA and specifically Chicago which draws the largest concentration of Bulgarians emigrating to the US, furthermore in keeping with Svishtov's academic history, the writer is honoured with a bust of Aleko in the Regenstein Library, Chicago University.

What to do in Svishtov?

Svishtov has in excess of 120 architectural monuments, buildings and artifacts of local and national significance. Museums consist of the Museum of History being the oldest museum in Bulgaria, dating back to 1856, the Aleko Konstantinov House-Museum (his heart being pickled in a glass container), the Ethnographic Museum, the Holy Trinity Church built in 1867, another great example of the Bulgarian master builder and architect of the Revival period Kolyo Ficheto and decorated internally by Nikolai Pavlovich's icons, who lived in Svishtov. The church was damaged during the earthquake of 1977; however it was lovingly restored by 1992. Also worth visiting are the medieval St. Dimiter Church (1640) and St. Peter and Pavel Church (1644). The clock tower built in 1760 in the centre of Svishtov is a landmark. Look for the School of Hristaki Pavlovich built in 1815 and the House of Peace, which gets its name from the Austrian-Turkish separation peace treaty signed in 1729. The beautiful old Revival houses of Sladkarov, Danailov, Hrulev, Bruchkov, Cherkezov, Radoslavov and the house of the Subevs Brothers are all worth checking out as well.

Take a 3km journey east to Pametnitsite Historical Park which commemorates the Russian soldiers who died while liberating Svishtov in the Russo-Turkish War. There are granite and white marble statues and lovely parklands along with a small museum about the historical events which changed the future of Bulgaria. The remains of the ancient town of Nove dating back to the first century AD and the medieval town of Stuklen are found nearby, being forerunners of the modern day Svishtov town. Pisanite Kamuni, meaning the inscribed stones is an area 2 km east of Svishtov and here you can find artifacts and tools from the early Paleolithic time.

The island of Vardim, an ornithologist’s delight, is sited about 10 km east of Svishtov in the river Danube and after Belene and Kozlodui is the 3rd largest Bulgarian island on the Danube. It is now a nature reserve thanks to colonies of birds nesting there including birds dependent on riverside forest habitats. It supports 75 bird species, 31 of which are of European conservation concern. The international importance of Vardim Island is determined by the fact, that it is one of the five most valuable Bulgarian sites for the breeding Night Heron and Spoonbill that form considerable colonies there and the White-tailed Eagle is breeding once again on the island.

20 km further east its worth going to see a white stone monument in the Yaakov Gurlo area, close to the intersection of the river Yantra with the Danube, which commemorates the 18th June 1868 when a detachment of armed volunteers of Harzhi Dimiter and Stefan Karadzha disembarked from the sailing boat Gemiya onto their native riverbank, thereby making further Bulgarian history. Further afield, 30km south, at Gorna Studena its worth visiting the Headquarters of the Russian Emperor, but check the opening times 1st!

Alternative spellings of Svishtov: Zvishtov, Tsvishtov, Svishtof, Свищов

Nearest Towns: Veliko Tarnovo – 82km, Ruse – 83km, Polski Trambesh - 45km
Nearest Villages: Vardim - 9km Tsarevets - 7km
Area size of town 110.271km2
Altitude 50 - 99m above sea level
Post code for Svishtov Town - 5250
Latitude: 43.62042N Longitude: 25.34632E
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