Samokov
Town in Sofia, Bulgaria / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Dear Wikiwand AI, let's keep it short by simply answering these key questions:
Can you list the top facts and stats about Samokov?
Summarize this article for a 10 year old
Samokov (Bulgarian: Самоков [ˈsamokof]) is a town in Sofia Province in the southwest of Bulgaria. It is situated in Samokov Valley between the mountain ranges of Rila, Vitosha and Sredna Gora, 55 kilometres from the capital Sofia. Due to the suitable winter sports conditions, Samokov, together with the nearby resort Borovets, is a major tourist centre.[2]
This article needs additional citations for verification. (January 2009) |
Samokov
Самоков | |
---|---|
Town | |
Coordinates: 42°20′N 23°33′E | |
Country | Bulgaria |
Province (Oblast) | Sofia |
Government | |
• Mayor | Vladimir Georgiev |
Area | |
• Town | 11.982 km2 (4.626 sq mi) |
Elevation | 950 m (3,120 ft) |
Population (2021)[1] | |
• Town | 24,629 |
• Density | 2,100/km2 (5,300/sq mi) |
• Urban | 35,384 |
Time zone | UTC+2 (EET) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC+3 (EEST) |
Postal Code | 2000 |
Area code | 0722 |
Website | http://www.samokov.bg/ |
In the past, Samokov was a centre of handicrafts and art, with notable Bulgarian National Revival figures like Zahari Zograf, Hristo Dimitrov and Nikola Obrazopisov. The town's name is a compound word of "samo" and "kov", respectively meaning "self" and the root of the verb "forge, hammer", and comes from the samokov, a mechanical forge powered by water, since the town of Samokov was a major iron-producing centre during the Middle Ages.