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Kyustendil Region is situated in Southwestern Bulgaria.
It is bounded by the regions of Sofia, Pernik and Blagoevgrad, and its western boundary coincides with the Bulgarian national border with Macedonia and Yugoslavia.
The relief in the region varies from fertile kettles and dales to hilly lands and mountains.
The beautiful Stob earth pyramids, the Skakavitza Waterfall (70 meters high), the Rila National Park, Rila Monastery Nature Park are among its beauties.
It has a number of mineral springs, the most famous being in Kyustendil, Sapareva Banya (the warmest in continental Europe), in the villages of Nevestino and Chetirtzi as well as karsts waters.
The Skopje–Sofia highway and Nis(–Bosilegrad–Kyustendil highways as well as the Sofia–Blagoevgrad–Kulata and Sofia–Radomir–Gyueshevo railroads cross the region.
The fertile Kyustendil land is famous for its fruit-growing and vine-growing traditions (the Kyustendil plums are prominent) and Bobov Dol coalmine is one of the oldest industrial enterprises in the country (dating to 1891).
There are conditions for development of balneological tourism, mountain tourism and cultural tourism.
The mineral waters of the region have been attracting people since ancient times. Pre-historic settlements have been discovered at many sites (near Dupnitza, the villages of Nevestino, Mursalevo, Shishkovtzi, and Slatino).
In the Antiquity, the Thracian tribe Dantheletai dwelt the upper stream of the Sruma River.
Two large Thracian settlements were established there – Pautalia (today’s Kyustendil) and
Germania (today’s Sapareva Banya), which consequently were included in the Roman province of Dacia.
At the end of the 14th century the Velbuzhd Principality ruled the present southwestern Bulgarian lands.
One of the Bulgarian cultural monuments put in UNESCO’s List of Cultural and Natural Heritage is situated in the region – the Rila Monastery – the largest and most beautiful Bulgarian monastery, as well as a number of medieval churches and monasteries, monuments of culture.
Quick facts about District Kyustendil
Other transcriptions: Kustendil
In Bulgarian Alphabets: Кюстендил
Location: South-West Bulgaria
Area size of district: 3084.3km2
Population of district: 162534 people
Total Towns and Cities in Kyustendil province: 7
Total Villages in Kyustendil province: 174
Regional Center: Town of Kyustendil
Municipalities in Kyustendil Dsitrict: 9 |
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