Historical Region of Dobrudza
Dobrich is a town in northeastern Bulgaria and the administrative centre of Dobrich Province. Dobrich is the eighth most populated town in Bulgaria, being the centre of the historical region of Southern Dobrudza, and is located 30 km west of
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the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast, not far from resorts such as Albena, Balchik, and Golden Sands.
“The first evidence of settlement in what is now Dobrich date from 4th-3rd century BC. Ruins from 2nd-4th century and 7th-11th century have also been found, including a Bulgar necropolis featuring pagan graves in the centre of the town.”
History
During the 11th century, Pecheneg invasions devastated the interior of Dobruja, leaving many settlements in the region uninhabited at the time of the Second Bulgarian Empire.
The settlement was founded for a second time in the 16th century by the Turkish merchant Hacıoğlu Pazarcık, whose name it bore until 1882. According to Turkish data from 1646–1650, there were over 1000 houses in the town, about 100 shops, 3 inns, 3 Turkish baths, twelve mosques and twelve schools.
From the 17th to the 19th century, the town developed as a handicraft, trade and agricultural centre, being famous for its weaving, homespun tailoring, coppersmith’s trade, leather-work and agricultural products, such as wheat, linseed, wool and cheese.
At the beginning of the 19th century, the town’s population reached 12,000, many of whom refugees from eastern Bulgaria after the Russo-Turkish Wars. The cultural appearance of the town was also formed. The first Orthodox church was built in 1843.
The town was liberated from the Ottoman Empire on 27 January 1878 and renamed Dobrich on 19 February 1882 after Dobrotitsa, a medieval ruler of Dobruja. This was done by means of a decree issued by knyaz Alexander I.
After the Treaty of Bucharest of 1913 (confirmed by the Treaty of Neuilly of 1919), Dobrich and the whole of Southern Dobruja were incorporated in Romania for a period until 1940. During that time, the city bore the name Bazargic and was centre of Caliacra County (judeţ for Romanian). On 25 September 1940, the Bulgarian army marched into the town after signing Treaty of Craiova in September 7, 1940; that date is celebrated as the town’s holiday.
During the period of Communist rule, Dobrich was renamed Tolbukhin after Russian military commander Fyodor Tolbukhin. On 19 September 1990, a presidential decree restored the town’s old name of Dobrich.
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