_ The town of Russe is the
biggest Bulgarian city on the river Danube. The town is situated in
south East Part of the Republic Bulgaria and at about 300km away from
the Capital Sofia and is an administrative centre of the region and
municipality with the same names. Area 469170 decares. Population till
end of 2004: 183 344 residents
Mayor of Ruse
Bozhidar Ivanov Yotov
Maria Dimova
Regional Governor
Communications and Infrastructure
Russe is one of the major economic centres of Bulgaria and is a natural gateway to the biggest world markets – Europe, Russia and Middle East. The geographical location of the municipality, the important industrial and trade base in Russe and the good transport links are its key advantages. The wide outlet to Danube River is a premise for the complete development of industry, agriculture, transport and international co-operation. The transport and geographical position is very favourable because of the crossing of two of European transport corridors (No. 7 and No. 9) that ensure the link between the areas of Baltic and North Seas from one hand and Mediterranean and Black Seas from the other hand. The link between Danube River and Black Sea on Bulgarian territory (Russe – Varna) has been realized through Russe also. The only bridge over Danube River on the Bulgarian territory has been located here. The necessary infrastructure for full utilization of the favourable geographic position: the ports Russe – East and Russe West, the bridge over Danube River, Railway Administration – Russe, road network, parking lots and services, warehouses under customs control, Russe Free Zone. The headquarters of the main Bulgarian river carriers, forwarders and other institutions related to the river transport are based in Russe. Russe has the required human resources for ensuring the functions of the available transport infrastructure and has capability to service vastly larger cargo traffic. Practically, all types of transport have been developed here.
The following important international highways pass through Municipality’s territory” E70, E83, E85. The municipality has a good developed and relatively even distributed road network. The highest level of transport service is realized through first-class highways E83 (Russe- Byala – Pleven – Sofia), E85 (Russe – Byala – Veliko Tarnovo), E70 (Russe – Varna) and road I-21 (Russe – Tutrakan – Silistra). These routes ensure the links of municipality’s road network to the neighbouring regions and to the Romanian road network through the bridge over Danube River.
The communication infrastructure in the municipality is well developed and has quality connection. The phone density is higher than the mean phone density in the country. The strategic goal of the development of communication infrastructure is directed to increase the quality of the services and improvement of the access to actual information.
Economic and Business
Functioning companies – the municipality’s economy is relative diversificated and well balanced. The largest contribution in the production produced (55.82 %) and the number of working places (45.01 %) has the industrial sector followed by the trading and transport industries. The registered active functioning companies in Russe at the end of 2002 are 8810. Among these 92.4 % are micro-companies with a staff of 10 people, 5.93 % have a staff 11 to 50 people and 1.97 % over 50 people. The scope of these companies is varies greatly. Over 1100 of these companies operate in industrial sector and the most of the registered and functioning companies belong to the trade industry.
Russe is a modern city with European appearance, pleasant place for work and relaxation. It is sufficiently large to ensure all required modern communications and services and sufficiently small, beautiful and comfortable to make everyone at home. With the available qualified labour force, competitive prices of industrial terrains and well developed services Russe is able to bring every business to success. That is why over 30 foreign companies choose Russe as a partner in their new business initiatives. The seven main reasons to invest here are:
On 22nd December 2000 in Giurgiu (Romania) a Memorandum for Understanding between Municipalities of Russe and Giurgiu that become a base for contractual formation of long-term joint activities between the two cities. The memorandum follows the principles of the European Charter of Local Self-Government and European Framework Convention of Transborder Cooperation between the territorial communities and the authorities. Each partner of this agreement engages itself with the possibilities for active attraction of wide range of participants in the exchange of experiences in the range of economic development and local self-government. In 2002 an association “Euroregion Russe – Giurgiu” has been registered with headquarters in Russe. The two municipalities share the common intention to develop the business contacts, infrastructure, transport, tourism and communications, environment protection, scientific and cultural exchange. Besides of the Romanian partners, the Municipality of Russe has built long contacts with the town of Saint-Ouen (France) with which many culture and educational initiatives have been realized.
Landmarks and Culture Sites
One of the most known features of Russe is its European architectural appearance. Almost for two decades the city architect is Eng. Eduard Winter. A constellation of architects really transformed the city and bring unique atmosphere and attraction. Among them are the names of Nino Roseti, Udo Ribau, Raul-Paul Brang, Valsamaki, Georg Lang, Negehos Bedrosyan, Frank Scholz, Edwin Petritcky, Petko Momchilov, Nikola Lazarov, Petar Petrov, etc. Elements of gothic, baroque, empire, rococo are interlaced in fantastic combinations and form the unique atmosphere. The emblematic for Russe Dohodno Zdanie is located on the central Russe square “Svoboda” (“Freedom”) Square where star-shaped streets lead to other squares and notable ancient and modern buildings. It has been built in 1902 by the architects Raul-Paul Brang, Georg Lang, Frank Scholz and master Petar Atanasov. another symbol represented in the coat of arms of Russe is located in the city garden in front of the Dohodno Zdanie – The Monument of Liberty built in 1908 on the occasion to to 30-years anniversary of the liberation of Bulgaria. The monument is a work of the famous Florentine architect and sculptor Arnoldo Zocchi. The woman’s figure represents the Liberty of Bulgaria. The building of Russe Court of Justice is located on the square and alongside of it on Alexandrovska Str. Is the House with the Clock where the first bank “Girdap” has been located. The central square transforms with a cascade of modern fountains and behind them is located the big administrative hall of the city council and the regional administration and alongside of it the Largo with St. Trinity Square are located. The Russe Opera House of architect Bonev is placed there. Next to it is the orthodox cathedral church “St. Trinity: built in 1632 were older chapel has been placed. The Russe Library (1911) of arch. Nikola Lazarov, the building of former County Administration were the Museum of History is placed now, the oldest Russe high-school so-called First Men’s Secondary School (1898) of arch. Petko Momchilov and Frank Scholz form a real ensemble.
The square in front of the Pantheon of Writers of Bulgarian National Revival is located at the entrance of the Park of the Writers of Bulgarian National Revival. The Pantheon is opened in 1978 and is a work of arch. N. Nikolov and D. Kanev. Under the gold-plated dome of the building were the bones of the famous Bulgarian Revival figures as Baba (grandmother) Tonka, Lyben Karavelov, members of Obretenovs family, Zahari Stoyanov, Stefan Karadzha, etc., are laid. Among the Russe museums are the Museum of History with several departments were valuable relics and finds are kept and among them are the components of the silver Borovo Thracian treasure. The Museum House of Urban Life has arranged a very interesting collection of furniture, every-day features, vessels, accessories and complete interior from the end of 19 and the beginning of 20 centuries. A presentation of complete arrangement of Russe houses during this period has been given. The museum is opened in 1987 in the house of Caliopa Kalish the wife of Austrian consul in Ruschuk before the Liberation. The National Transport Museum unique for Bulgaria is opened in 1966 and is located in the building of the first railway station – the oldest in the country. On the railway tracks in front of the station are showed old locomotives and carriages among them is the carriage of the sultan Abdul Azis, these of Bulgarian tsars Ferdinand and Boris and of marshal Tolbuhin. The regional library “Lyuben Karavelov” is founded in 1885. Its funds have over 800 thousand volumes of belles letters and specialized literature in 18 languages, funds with audio, video and CD-carriers. The building where the library is located is a culture landmark. The dramatic theatre “Sava Ognyanov” is founded in 1903 and from 1907 is located in the scene of the Dohodno Zdanie. For the young spectators the Puppet Theatre gives the possibility to experience the adventures of the characters of the old stories and the new characters of modern plays. One of the first in the country with 40-year history the Russe Opera is opened in 1949. Its first staging is “Traviata” by Verdi.
Ecology and Tourism
Russe is a city with 19-century traditions that make it unique combining the Bulgarian urban traditions with typical European style and spirit. The rich cultural and historical legacy of Russe and its adjoining region, Danube River and beautiful waterside nature bring possibilities for creation of specialized tourist products that meets the requirements of the modern trends in the tourism industry.
Tourist Resources
On the territory of Russe the European transport corridors No. 7 and No. 9 are crossed. The city is a border point located at 72 km from Bucharest – the capital of Romania – a big potential market including for short trips. Russe is unique with the heaping of hotels, restaurants and cultural attractions that are missing in a radius of 150 km and is near to big tourist landmarks as Nature Park “Rusenski Lom”, the cities Veliko Tarnovo, Shumen and Gabrovo that create capabilities for development of regional routes related to the cultural tourism.
DanubeLandscape, WaterResources
The Municipality’s territory offers various and attractive landscapes despite that it is located in the Danube Plane and low altitude. Park “Lipnik” and its adjoining lake, park zone “Prista Hut”, the Lyulyaka Island, Basarbovo Monastery, Alpinist Hut and also the huts Zdravets and Minzuhar near to Obraztsov Chiflik and Chiflishki Inn are in the immediate vicinity of the city and give attractive possibilities for development of rest and relaxation facilities.
Cultural and Historical Legacy. Landmarks:
Russe is characterized with the European urban architecture unique for Bulgaria from the end of 19th and the beginning of 20th centuries, original architecture reserve, developed network of museum expositions with archeology and traditional ethnography, religious monument temples of 13 different faiths. The culture and historical legacy is highly concentrated on the territory of Russe. A number of architectural and historical and reserves of world and national significance are located n the vicinity of the city as “Ivanovo Rock Churches under the protection of UNIESCO, the medieval town of Cherven and Thracian tomb of Sveshtari. It must be noted that the Ivanovo Rock Churches and the medieval town of Cherven together with their adjoining areas are integral part of Nature Park “Rusenski Lom” that itself is a synthesis of the environment and traditional human intervention in the environment so called “a complex of cultural and historical objects and traditional culture valuables and unique ecological landscape”. The monuments of various nature from various periods are important condition for formation of various development programmes for cultural tourism.
The Tourist Resources of Culture and Art. Traditional Calendar Events
Russe was always one of the leading centres of the culture life in the country. The Opera and Philharmonic Society in the city, the Dramatic and Puppet Theatres, art-galleries and Museum of History are well-known cultural institutes with big traditions and capabilities for professional expressions. An important element in city’s culture life are the youth centres, the cultural clubs, dance groups, choirs and ensembles as well as the associations related to the development of the arts and culture. The actions of these associations and amateur formations give certain possibilities for development of specialized tourist programmes. Russe is a host-city of several important periodical culture events and festivals: March Music Days, International Jazz Festiva.
Associations, Memberships, Friendship Cities and Partnerships
Russe realized its first friendship-city relationship in 1964 with the Kotovsk Region of Moldova. In 1967 is the beginning of the very useful co-operation with Riga – Latvia survived 26 years and 10 years with Simpheropol – Krim Autonomous Republic in Ukraine. These relationships are realized on the base of direct contacts of over 46 companies, institutions, offices, education institutions and culture organizations of two sides. Exactly the close professional friendship links are left long-term practical traces in the integration processes of international and regional significance. In 2001 the Panoramic Museum of Stalingrad Battle in Volgograd was officially signed the contract for co-operation between Volgograd and Russe. In the base of the agreement lays the desire for co-operation in the range of culture and economic particularly the establishment of joint companies and productions in particular for the development of small-scale business. Not at last position is also the information exchange in the range of local self-government. Saint-Ouen – France: the friendship agreement is signed in 1961 by the mayors of the two cities. The links with Russe are expressed in exchange of student’s and youth’s groups, delegations of specialists – artists, doctors, architects, sportsmen, representatives of local administrations for many years. Mutual projects at various levels are realized. Peristeri – Greece: the friendship agreement was signed in 1986 by the mayors of the two cities. During the past years there are cultural, educational and working contacts are established between Russe and Peristeri. Huainan – People's Republic of China: The official contacts of Russe with Huainan started in 1991 and the culture contacts in 70s of 20th century, With the co-operation of the Bulgarian-Chinese Friendship Association on 24th September 1994 in Huainan, China, is sighed the agreement for establishment of friendship links and co-operation. The Bulgarian-Chinese Friendship Association has an active role in the contacts between the two sides. With such co-operation from 1991 to 1994 in Russe the first municipality company of Huainan realized its actions due which the Russe citizens made familiar with the Chinese traditional cuisine and Chinese traditional medicine through the medical centre opened in July.
Municipality’s Membership in National and International Organizations (Associations, Societies)
NATIONAL – Municipality of Ruse is a member of the Association of Danube Municipalities and the National Association of the Municipalities in Republic of Bulgaria
INTERNATIONAL – The EUROREGION RUSSE – GIURGIU Association – member of the European Association of Transborder Regions from 2002.
Ruse - Ancient, First, European
Ruschuk was the first window that I bent over to watch all human races, to listen all languages, to study all customs, to get familiar with all nations that indeed worked in harmony with each other very well in this microcosm.Elias Canetti – a Nobel Prize in Literature Laureate born in Russe.
Before getting familiar with a city like Russe you have to had a dream of it or at least to had read about it, to had felt that it had dreamed it, and then you had met it. If the houses’ facades were made you to return for your eyes to drink again and again, you can tell about it.
Its fate has given it the best – the chance to be first.
The time has agreed with the History and it made a curtsy – the memories return here – coloured with the aquarelle of the present.
For many long years the chroniclers hold on that when Vespasian was a Roman emperor the castle here was called Pristis. So six centuries. Persistence of the Romans reached to that point of the seventh century when barbarians running on these lands. They "rearrange" the region that it razed to the ground. The ruins of a Roman fortress wait for centuries until a new village – Rusi – was founded. It has been mentioned for the first time in 1380. It was a crossroad for travellers and traders. Here the East accepts the West and the South imbibes the influence of the North. In XVI century its geographical position pushes the town on the proscenium of local history. It was already Ruschuk and was of factor of the empire “furnished” with a strong Turkish garrison and well-settled port. According to the German geographer Johann Gutemus in the beginning of XIX century the town had 30 000 people while in Sofia lived 3000 people. The time dragged with oriental slowness but not much to miss the Midhad Pasha the Reformer. In 1864 Ruschuk became an administrative centre of Tuna Vilayet – the vast province covering 7 sanjaks – Tulcea, Varna, Ruschuk, Tarnovo, Sofia, Vidin and Nis where the municipalities were 1500. The sultan appointed Midhad Pasha as a governor. His chance had a magic force. The “Dunav” newspaper appeared – it was the first printed in Bulgaria and … in Bulgarian. Some Bulgarian schools were founded. The streets are renamed and numbered for the first time in Bulgarian lands. A post-office, hospital, home for the aged were founded. Three empires met here for trading: Austro-Hungary, Russia, Great Britain, France and Italy founded consulates in Ruschuk. Imperceptibly, the modern city arose from the shades of the settlement. In 1865 the Obraztsov Chiflik was founded on the place where the English Consul’s farm was and it was the first modern farm on the territory of the whole Ottoman Empire of that time.
“All facades on main streets of Russe shall have rich decorations with plastic stone”, postulate the Regulations for Constructions of Private Buildings of 1893, issued by the Municipality of Russe. Fortunately the public interests were respected. Today the connoisseur’s eye may catch the peaceful co-existence of the empire and the rococo. The European architecture wind meets the styles, makes them to join and to sound as one. Thus the town’s face gets some features that are not known for the local manners.
In the new century Ruschuk is a multi-language and many-faced – a small Babylonian Tower on the Danube’s bank. Bulgarians, Turks, Jews, Armenians live here in harmony. The streets are in the dust of their common history. And even if the city breads the Orient’s air for centuries it succeeded to surprise the fed up old Europe. Two boys start from here in that the world knows later as Jules Paskin and Michael Arlen – the firs is a painter and the other writer. The Bulgarian Lautrec as Jules Pascin was called signed his first caricatures as “Pascin of Ruschuk”. It was the only artist of such scale recognized thus the magnetism of the Danube town. Today in some encyclopaedias is written for him as he comes from far, far away. From the place where later starts also Dikran Kouyoumdjian.
I have read that Dikran Kouyoumdjian became an English citizen and accepted the name Michael Arlen to have a better chance to succeed as a writer. His novel “The Green Hat” wan a great popularity in 20s of the last century that even Scott Fitzgerald made a comment in “Tender Is the Night”. After moving in USA Arlen writes scenarios for MGM. In 1928 the movie “A Woman of Affairs” was released the literature base of which was the scandalous “Hat”, casting Greta Garbo, John Gilbert, Douglas Fairbanks Jr., etc. The movie got a nomination for “Oscar”. In the memories of his son Michael J. Arlen the city was presented as it was covered by the magical atmosphere of some Markes’ novel.
Written by: Viliana Molnar
Pictures by: Ivan Nedelchev and Zhivko Arabov
Mayor of Ruse
Bozhidar Ivanov Yotov
Maria Dimova
Regional Governor
Communications and Infrastructure
Russe is one of the major economic centres of Bulgaria and is a natural gateway to the biggest world markets – Europe, Russia and Middle East. The geographical location of the municipality, the important industrial and trade base in Russe and the good transport links are its key advantages. The wide outlet to Danube River is a premise for the complete development of industry, agriculture, transport and international co-operation. The transport and geographical position is very favourable because of the crossing of two of European transport corridors (No. 7 and No. 9) that ensure the link between the areas of Baltic and North Seas from one hand and Mediterranean and Black Seas from the other hand. The link between Danube River and Black Sea on Bulgarian territory (Russe – Varna) has been realized through Russe also. The only bridge over Danube River on the Bulgarian territory has been located here. The necessary infrastructure for full utilization of the favourable geographic position: the ports Russe – East and Russe West, the bridge over Danube River, Railway Administration – Russe, road network, parking lots and services, warehouses under customs control, Russe Free Zone. The headquarters of the main Bulgarian river carriers, forwarders and other institutions related to the river transport are based in Russe. Russe has the required human resources for ensuring the functions of the available transport infrastructure and has capability to service vastly larger cargo traffic. Practically, all types of transport have been developed here.
The following important international highways pass through Municipality’s territory” E70, E83, E85. The municipality has a good developed and relatively even distributed road network. The highest level of transport service is realized through first-class highways E83 (Russe- Byala – Pleven – Sofia), E85 (Russe – Byala – Veliko Tarnovo), E70 (Russe – Varna) and road I-21 (Russe – Tutrakan – Silistra). These routes ensure the links of municipality’s road network to the neighbouring regions and to the Romanian road network through the bridge over Danube River.
The communication infrastructure in the municipality is well developed and has quality connection. The phone density is higher than the mean phone density in the country. The strategic goal of the development of communication infrastructure is directed to increase the quality of the services and improvement of the access to actual information.
Economic and Business
Functioning companies – the municipality’s economy is relative diversificated and well balanced. The largest contribution in the production produced (55.82 %) and the number of working places (45.01 %) has the industrial sector followed by the trading and transport industries. The registered active functioning companies in Russe at the end of 2002 are 8810. Among these 92.4 % are micro-companies with a staff of 10 people, 5.93 % have a staff 11 to 50 people and 1.97 % over 50 people. The scope of these companies is varies greatly. Over 1100 of these companies operate in industrial sector and the most of the registered and functioning companies belong to the trade industry.
Russe is a modern city with European appearance, pleasant place for work and relaxation. It is sufficiently large to ensure all required modern communications and services and sufficiently small, beautiful and comfortable to make everyone at home. With the available qualified labour force, competitive prices of industrial terrains and well developed services Russe is able to bring every business to success. That is why over 30 foreign companies choose Russe as a partner in their new business initiatives. The seven main reasons to invest here are:
- Favourable geographical position;
- Well developed river, road and railway transport and good logistic network;
- Low operational costs and prices of industrial terrains compared to the county’s capital;
- Qualified labour force;
- Large education and research base with a network of 2 science institutes, university, medical college and 15 high vocational schools;
- Modern and varied service industry;
- The support of the business of over 10 business associations, Commerce Chamber, educational and vocational centres for business development.
On 22nd December 2000 in Giurgiu (Romania) a Memorandum for Understanding between Municipalities of Russe and Giurgiu that become a base for contractual formation of long-term joint activities between the two cities. The memorandum follows the principles of the European Charter of Local Self-Government and European Framework Convention of Transborder Cooperation between the territorial communities and the authorities. Each partner of this agreement engages itself with the possibilities for active attraction of wide range of participants in the exchange of experiences in the range of economic development and local self-government. In 2002 an association “Euroregion Russe – Giurgiu” has been registered with headquarters in Russe. The two municipalities share the common intention to develop the business contacts, infrastructure, transport, tourism and communications, environment protection, scientific and cultural exchange. Besides of the Romanian partners, the Municipality of Russe has built long contacts with the town of Saint-Ouen (France) with which many culture and educational initiatives have been realized.
Landmarks and Culture Sites
One of the most known features of Russe is its European architectural appearance. Almost for two decades the city architect is Eng. Eduard Winter. A constellation of architects really transformed the city and bring unique atmosphere and attraction. Among them are the names of Nino Roseti, Udo Ribau, Raul-Paul Brang, Valsamaki, Georg Lang, Negehos Bedrosyan, Frank Scholz, Edwin Petritcky, Petko Momchilov, Nikola Lazarov, Petar Petrov, etc. Elements of gothic, baroque, empire, rococo are interlaced in fantastic combinations and form the unique atmosphere. The emblematic for Russe Dohodno Zdanie is located on the central Russe square “Svoboda” (“Freedom”) Square where star-shaped streets lead to other squares and notable ancient and modern buildings. It has been built in 1902 by the architects Raul-Paul Brang, Georg Lang, Frank Scholz and master Petar Atanasov. another symbol represented in the coat of arms of Russe is located in the city garden in front of the Dohodno Zdanie – The Monument of Liberty built in 1908 on the occasion to to 30-years anniversary of the liberation of Bulgaria. The monument is a work of the famous Florentine architect and sculptor Arnoldo Zocchi. The woman’s figure represents the Liberty of Bulgaria. The building of Russe Court of Justice is located on the square and alongside of it on Alexandrovska Str. Is the House with the Clock where the first bank “Girdap” has been located. The central square transforms with a cascade of modern fountains and behind them is located the big administrative hall of the city council and the regional administration and alongside of it the Largo with St. Trinity Square are located. The Russe Opera House of architect Bonev is placed there. Next to it is the orthodox cathedral church “St. Trinity: built in 1632 were older chapel has been placed. The Russe Library (1911) of arch. Nikola Lazarov, the building of former County Administration were the Museum of History is placed now, the oldest Russe high-school so-called First Men’s Secondary School (1898) of arch. Petko Momchilov and Frank Scholz form a real ensemble.
The square in front of the Pantheon of Writers of Bulgarian National Revival is located at the entrance of the Park of the Writers of Bulgarian National Revival. The Pantheon is opened in 1978 and is a work of arch. N. Nikolov and D. Kanev. Under the gold-plated dome of the building were the bones of the famous Bulgarian Revival figures as Baba (grandmother) Tonka, Lyben Karavelov, members of Obretenovs family, Zahari Stoyanov, Stefan Karadzha, etc., are laid. Among the Russe museums are the Museum of History with several departments were valuable relics and finds are kept and among them are the components of the silver Borovo Thracian treasure. The Museum House of Urban Life has arranged a very interesting collection of furniture, every-day features, vessels, accessories and complete interior from the end of 19 and the beginning of 20 centuries. A presentation of complete arrangement of Russe houses during this period has been given. The museum is opened in 1987 in the house of Caliopa Kalish the wife of Austrian consul in Ruschuk before the Liberation. The National Transport Museum unique for Bulgaria is opened in 1966 and is located in the building of the first railway station – the oldest in the country. On the railway tracks in front of the station are showed old locomotives and carriages among them is the carriage of the sultan Abdul Azis, these of Bulgarian tsars Ferdinand and Boris and of marshal Tolbuhin. The regional library “Lyuben Karavelov” is founded in 1885. Its funds have over 800 thousand volumes of belles letters and specialized literature in 18 languages, funds with audio, video and CD-carriers. The building where the library is located is a culture landmark. The dramatic theatre “Sava Ognyanov” is founded in 1903 and from 1907 is located in the scene of the Dohodno Zdanie. For the young spectators the Puppet Theatre gives the possibility to experience the adventures of the characters of the old stories and the new characters of modern plays. One of the first in the country with 40-year history the Russe Opera is opened in 1949. Its first staging is “Traviata” by Verdi.
Ecology and Tourism
Russe is a city with 19-century traditions that make it unique combining the Bulgarian urban traditions with typical European style and spirit. The rich cultural and historical legacy of Russe and its adjoining region, Danube River and beautiful waterside nature bring possibilities for creation of specialized tourist products that meets the requirements of the modern trends in the tourism industry.
Tourist Resources
On the territory of Russe the European transport corridors No. 7 and No. 9 are crossed. The city is a border point located at 72 km from Bucharest – the capital of Romania – a big potential market including for short trips. Russe is unique with the heaping of hotels, restaurants and cultural attractions that are missing in a radius of 150 km and is near to big tourist landmarks as Nature Park “Rusenski Lom”, the cities Veliko Tarnovo, Shumen and Gabrovo that create capabilities for development of regional routes related to the cultural tourism.
DanubeLandscape, WaterResources
The Municipality’s territory offers various and attractive landscapes despite that it is located in the Danube Plane and low altitude. Park “Lipnik” and its adjoining lake, park zone “Prista Hut”, the Lyulyaka Island, Basarbovo Monastery, Alpinist Hut and also the huts Zdravets and Minzuhar near to Obraztsov Chiflik and Chiflishki Inn are in the immediate vicinity of the city and give attractive possibilities for development of rest and relaxation facilities.
Cultural and Historical Legacy. Landmarks:
Russe is characterized with the European urban architecture unique for Bulgaria from the end of 19th and the beginning of 20th centuries, original architecture reserve, developed network of museum expositions with archeology and traditional ethnography, religious monument temples of 13 different faiths. The culture and historical legacy is highly concentrated on the territory of Russe. A number of architectural and historical and reserves of world and national significance are located n the vicinity of the city as “Ivanovo Rock Churches under the protection of UNIESCO, the medieval town of Cherven and Thracian tomb of Sveshtari. It must be noted that the Ivanovo Rock Churches and the medieval town of Cherven together with their adjoining areas are integral part of Nature Park “Rusenski Lom” that itself is a synthesis of the environment and traditional human intervention in the environment so called “a complex of cultural and historical objects and traditional culture valuables and unique ecological landscape”. The monuments of various nature from various periods are important condition for formation of various development programmes for cultural tourism.
The Tourist Resources of Culture and Art. Traditional Calendar Events
Russe was always one of the leading centres of the culture life in the country. The Opera and Philharmonic Society in the city, the Dramatic and Puppet Theatres, art-galleries and Museum of History are well-known cultural institutes with big traditions and capabilities for professional expressions. An important element in city’s culture life are the youth centres, the cultural clubs, dance groups, choirs and ensembles as well as the associations related to the development of the arts and culture. The actions of these associations and amateur formations give certain possibilities for development of specialized tourist programmes. Russe is a host-city of several important periodical culture events and festivals: March Music Days, International Jazz Festiva.
Associations, Memberships, Friendship Cities and Partnerships
Russe realized its first friendship-city relationship in 1964 with the Kotovsk Region of Moldova. In 1967 is the beginning of the very useful co-operation with Riga – Latvia survived 26 years and 10 years with Simpheropol – Krim Autonomous Republic in Ukraine. These relationships are realized on the base of direct contacts of over 46 companies, institutions, offices, education institutions and culture organizations of two sides. Exactly the close professional friendship links are left long-term practical traces in the integration processes of international and regional significance. In 2001 the Panoramic Museum of Stalingrad Battle in Volgograd was officially signed the contract for co-operation between Volgograd and Russe. In the base of the agreement lays the desire for co-operation in the range of culture and economic particularly the establishment of joint companies and productions in particular for the development of small-scale business. Not at last position is also the information exchange in the range of local self-government. Saint-Ouen – France: the friendship agreement is signed in 1961 by the mayors of the two cities. The links with Russe are expressed in exchange of student’s and youth’s groups, delegations of specialists – artists, doctors, architects, sportsmen, representatives of local administrations for many years. Mutual projects at various levels are realized. Peristeri – Greece: the friendship agreement was signed in 1986 by the mayors of the two cities. During the past years there are cultural, educational and working contacts are established between Russe and Peristeri. Huainan – People's Republic of China: The official contacts of Russe with Huainan started in 1991 and the culture contacts in 70s of 20th century, With the co-operation of the Bulgarian-Chinese Friendship Association on 24th September 1994 in Huainan, China, is sighed the agreement for establishment of friendship links and co-operation. The Bulgarian-Chinese Friendship Association has an active role in the contacts between the two sides. With such co-operation from 1991 to 1994 in Russe the first municipality company of Huainan realized its actions due which the Russe citizens made familiar with the Chinese traditional cuisine and Chinese traditional medicine through the medical centre opened in July.
Municipality’s Membership in National and International Organizations (Associations, Societies)
NATIONAL – Municipality of Ruse is a member of the Association of Danube Municipalities and the National Association of the Municipalities in Republic of Bulgaria
INTERNATIONAL – The EUROREGION RUSSE – GIURGIU Association – member of the European Association of Transborder Regions from 2002.
Ruse - Ancient, First, European
Ruschuk was the first window that I bent over to watch all human races, to listen all languages, to study all customs, to get familiar with all nations that indeed worked in harmony with each other very well in this microcosm.Elias Canetti – a Nobel Prize in Literature Laureate born in Russe.
Before getting familiar with a city like Russe you have to had a dream of it or at least to had read about it, to had felt that it had dreamed it, and then you had met it. If the houses’ facades were made you to return for your eyes to drink again and again, you can tell about it.
Its fate has given it the best – the chance to be first.
The time has agreed with the History and it made a curtsy – the memories return here – coloured with the aquarelle of the present.
For many long years the chroniclers hold on that when Vespasian was a Roman emperor the castle here was called Pristis. So six centuries. Persistence of the Romans reached to that point of the seventh century when barbarians running on these lands. They "rearrange" the region that it razed to the ground. The ruins of a Roman fortress wait for centuries until a new village – Rusi – was founded. It has been mentioned for the first time in 1380. It was a crossroad for travellers and traders. Here the East accepts the West and the South imbibes the influence of the North. In XVI century its geographical position pushes the town on the proscenium of local history. It was already Ruschuk and was of factor of the empire “furnished” with a strong Turkish garrison and well-settled port. According to the German geographer Johann Gutemus in the beginning of XIX century the town had 30 000 people while in Sofia lived 3000 people. The time dragged with oriental slowness but not much to miss the Midhad Pasha the Reformer. In 1864 Ruschuk became an administrative centre of Tuna Vilayet – the vast province covering 7 sanjaks – Tulcea, Varna, Ruschuk, Tarnovo, Sofia, Vidin and Nis where the municipalities were 1500. The sultan appointed Midhad Pasha as a governor. His chance had a magic force. The “Dunav” newspaper appeared – it was the first printed in Bulgaria and … in Bulgarian. Some Bulgarian schools were founded. The streets are renamed and numbered for the first time in Bulgarian lands. A post-office, hospital, home for the aged were founded. Three empires met here for trading: Austro-Hungary, Russia, Great Britain, France and Italy founded consulates in Ruschuk. Imperceptibly, the modern city arose from the shades of the settlement. In 1865 the Obraztsov Chiflik was founded on the place where the English Consul’s farm was and it was the first modern farm on the territory of the whole Ottoman Empire of that time.
“All facades on main streets of Russe shall have rich decorations with plastic stone”, postulate the Regulations for Constructions of Private Buildings of 1893, issued by the Municipality of Russe. Fortunately the public interests were respected. Today the connoisseur’s eye may catch the peaceful co-existence of the empire and the rococo. The European architecture wind meets the styles, makes them to join and to sound as one. Thus the town’s face gets some features that are not known for the local manners.
In the new century Ruschuk is a multi-language and many-faced – a small Babylonian Tower on the Danube’s bank. Bulgarians, Turks, Jews, Armenians live here in harmony. The streets are in the dust of their common history. And even if the city breads the Orient’s air for centuries it succeeded to surprise the fed up old Europe. Two boys start from here in that the world knows later as Jules Paskin and Michael Arlen – the firs is a painter and the other writer. The Bulgarian Lautrec as Jules Pascin was called signed his first caricatures as “Pascin of Ruschuk”. It was the only artist of such scale recognized thus the magnetism of the Danube town. Today in some encyclopaedias is written for him as he comes from far, far away. From the place where later starts also Dikran Kouyoumdjian.
I have read that Dikran Kouyoumdjian became an English citizen and accepted the name Michael Arlen to have a better chance to succeed as a writer. His novel “The Green Hat” wan a great popularity in 20s of the last century that even Scott Fitzgerald made a comment in “Tender Is the Night”. After moving in USA Arlen writes scenarios for MGM. In 1928 the movie “A Woman of Affairs” was released the literature base of which was the scandalous “Hat”, casting Greta Garbo, John Gilbert, Douglas Fairbanks Jr., etc. The movie got a nomination for “Oscar”. In the memories of his son Michael J. Arlen the city was presented as it was covered by the magical atmosphere of some Markes’ novel.
Written by: Viliana Molnar
Pictures by: Ivan Nedelchev and Zhivko Arabov