Ruse
Visit Ruse, the fifth largest city in Bulgaria with a population of about 150 000 people. Ruse is located in northeastern Bulgaria on the right bank of the Southern Danube River. Therefore, to the north of Ruse is the Danube River. The river is the natural border between Bulgaria and Romania. The Ruse-Giurgiu Friendship Bridge crosses the river here and connects the two countries.
The city area has an elliptical shape and spans approximately 11 km along the river. Ruse has a distinct central area, residential areas, and two industrial areas. The industrial areas are named the East Zone and the West Zone, respectively, to reflect their location in the city. Furthermore, Ruse is known for its Neo-Baroque and Neo-Rococo architecture, built in the 19th and 20th centuries. Ruse is also the birthplace of the Nobel laureate in literature, Elias Canetti, and the writer Michael Arlen.
Ruse (also found with the name Rousse) was established 23 centuries ago as a Thracian port. In the late 1st century, the city became the northern frontier of the Roman Empire under the name Sexaginta Prista (from Latin "port for 60 ships"). During the 17th century, the port of Ruse became an important trade centre between Central Europe and the Balkan area. Today, the ruins of Sexaginta Prista are an open-air museum exposition.
One of the many interesting place to visit in Ruse is the Regional Historical Museum. The Rousse Regional Historical Museum was established in 1904. However, the building of the museum was built between 1879 and 1882. The initial purpose of the building was to serve as the Palace of Knyaz Battenberg. Nevertheless, it never happened. The architect of the Battenberg Palace was Friedrich Grünanger from Vienna.
Nowadays, the museum stores approximately 140,000 units, including excavations of the antique Danube castles of Yatrus and Sexaginta Prista, and the medieval Bulgarian city of Cherven. Other items include a collection of urban clothing, china, glass, and silver from the end of the 19th through the beginning of the 20th century.
When you visit Ruse and walk around the city center, you can enjoy the notable architectural heritage inspired by the broadminded spirit of its citizens. At the beginning of the 20th century, many well-known architects from all over Europe were invited to shape the remarkable architectural environment of Ruse. Nowadays, many of the preserved, heritage-listed buildings in Ruse have the European Heritage label. Some interesting places to visit and explore in the region of Ruse are the Rock-hewn churches of Ivano part of the UNESCO heritage list, and the Orlova Chuka Cave, located in the Rusenski Lom Nature Park approximately 20 km from the city of Ruse. Other places to visit in the area of Ruse are the Besarabovo Monastery and the medieval fortress of Cherven.