Самоков

Samokov — the city of Samokov, painters and the gateway to Rila and Borovets.

The area around today's Samokov has been inhabited since antiquity, attracted by the rich deposits of iron ore. In the 12th-14th centuries, during the years of the Second Bulgarian Kingdom, there was a fortified medieval settlement here - Shishmanovo Kale, with fortress walls, a citadel tower and a suburb. It is mentioned in the Rila Charter of Tsar Ivan Shishman dated September 21, 1378, which defines it as a fortress and the administrative center of the district. After the Ottoman conquest in 1372, the settlement did not disappear, but gradually shifted to its new place in the valley and became a craft and mining center. Its name comes from the samokovs, heavy water hammers powered by the mountain rivers used to forge iron. Ottoman registers mention the settlement under the name of Samakov as early as 1455, and over time the city established itself as one of the most important centers for iron production in the Balkans — with forests for coal, rich ore and abundant water, the three conditions for the development of the craft. During the Renaissance, Samokov experienced a real flourishing. Its population reached about 12,000 people, and the city became the center of goldsmithing, watchmaking, leatherworking and trade. From 1557 to 1907, the seat of the Samokov Metropolis was located here. The wealthy guilds built impressive houses, among which the Saraf House (1860), the work of master Stefan from Edirne stands out - a cultural monument with carved ceilings, frescoes and a preserved hammam, once inhabited by the wealthy Jewish family Arie. At the end of the 18th century, the painter Hristo Dimitrov from the village of Dospey laid the foundations of the Samokov art school — one of the most significant artistic phenomena of the Bulgarian Renaissance. His son Zahari Zograf (1810–1853) created the frescoes in the Rila, Bachkovo, Troyan and Transfiguration monasteries and is considered the progenitor of secular painting in our country. Other prominent masters of the school include Stanislav Dospevski, the first Bulgarian with an academic art education, Ivan Obrazopisov, Anastas Karastoyanov and the Popradoikov brothers. After the Liberation in 1878, traditional iron mining and Samokovo handicrafts gradually declined, pushed out by factory production and metal imports. However, the city retains its cultural role - the community center "Father Paisii" has been functioning since 1859, and in 1931 the Historical Museum was founded, which today houses over 30,000 exhibits. In June 1910, Samokov became the first Bulgarian municipality governed by a social democratic party. In the 20th century, Samokov also developed as a sports center - the only ski jump facility in Bulgaria "Cherni Kos" was built here, and the proximity to the mountain makes it a natural base for winter tourism. The Olympic skier Petar Popangelov is a native of the city, and the ski jumper Vladimir Zografski won the Junior World Cup. Today, Samokov is a municipal center in the Sofia region and one of the gateways to the Rila mountain — the Borovets resort is 10 km away, and the mountain trails lead to the Malyovitsa hut, Musala peak and Rila National Park. The combination of artisanal heritage, Renaissance architecture and nature makes the city a preferred year-round destination.