Bobov Dol

On October 27th is celebrated the holiday of Bobov Dol. On that date in 1967 the village of Bobov Dol was declared a town. It is located in Western Bulgaria, in the Kyustendil region. The region is inhabited since ancient times by the Thracians. In the nearby village of Babinska Reka are found Thracian rock niches, unique for the southwestern part of Bulgaria. At the peak of Kolosh were found remains of fortifications from the 12th century (the period of Byzantine domination over the Bulgarian lands). In the 1930s the French geologist Ami Boue visited the area and studied the deposits of coal. The industrial development of these fields began after the Liberation of Bulgaria from the Ottoman rule. From 1891 the deposit became a state-owned mine and mining became the main occupation of the male population. In 1917 a narrow-gauge railroad was built near Dupnitsa. An economic upturn began after 1944. The economic mining power plant Bobov dol was built with mines: Babino, Bobov Dol, Minyor, Hr. Botev and others. Bobov Dol is built as a center of coal industry. Near the city was built the big power plant - Bobov Dol TPP, which contributed to the transformation of Bobov Dol into a new industrial city. In recent years, coal mining in the region has been eradicated. There is a museum collection dedicated to coal mining in the town of Bobov Dol and in the village of Mlamolovo there is a museum dedicated to folk art. (Photo: bobovdol.eu)