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Dupnitsa

Dupnitsa

Dupnitsa, also Dupnica, is a municipality in western Bulgaria. It is located at the foot of the Balkan Peninsula’s tallest peak, the Rila Mountain, about 50 kilometers (31 miles) south of the capital Sofia. Dupnitsa is the province of Kyustendil’s second biggest town.

Dupnitsa is dubbed „The Green and Shaded Town“ owing to its shady summer setting and the town’s abundance of trees. Dupnitsa is dubbed „Bulgaria’s Little Italy.“ This term derives from the fact that many residents have worked and lived in Italy throughout the years and return each summer to their hometown. The town is also known as „the town of pharmacy.“

According to the 2011 census, ethnic identification was distributed in the following manner:

  • Bulgarians: 29,099 (92.0%)
  • Roma: 2,333 (7.4%)
  • Others: 102 (0.3%)
  • Indefinable: 106 (0.3%)
  • Undeclared: 1,879 (5.9%)

History of Dupnitsa

The settlement dates all the way back to prehistoric times. In 1499, the German explorer Arnold von Harff praised Dupnitsa as a „wonderful town.“ Tobinitsa, Doupla, and Dubnitsa are all names that have been referenced throughout history, with the latter being used until Bulgaria’s liberation, when the official name was changed to Dupnitsa. Stanke Dimitrov was renamed Stanke Dimitrov in 1948; Marek was briefly renamed Stanke Dimitrov in 1949; and Stanke Dimitrov was renamed Stanke Dimitrov in 1950. The original name Dupnitsa was reinstated after the democratic reforms.

On 15 October 1902, some 600 women and children escaped Macedonia towards the neighborhood of Dupnitsa to avoid being attacked by Turkish forces.

A large cross stands on a hill above the town, honouring Bulgarians who fell in the Balkan wars and World War I. The remnants of a medieval stronghold were located on the same hill.

During World War II, almost 4,000 Jews from Bulgaria-annexed portions of Greece and Yugoslavia were detained and transported, some to an internment camp in Dupnitsa. Numerous them originated in Komotini and Xanthi. Following 11–12 days in the Dupnitsa camp, they were transported by rail to Lom on the Danube on 18–19 March for extermination at Treblinka. Dupnitsa was also the location of a ghetto for 1,624 Jews removed from Sofia between June 1943 and September 1944, as part of the Bulgarian Commissariat for Jewish Affairs’ policy of deporting Jews, despite the fact that there were no exterminations of Jews living inside Bulgaria’s pre-war boundaries.

Nowadays, Dupnitsa is a town in rapid development, mixing new constructions with contemporary architecture beside its old landmarks. The town is a wonderful vacation destination due to its picturesque setting at the foot of the Rila mountain. One of the most important sectors of business is the pharmaceutical corporation Actavis (previously HeFeKa), which employs around 30% to 40% of the population. Due to the town’s economic prosperity, small businesses are thriving.

Dupnitsa is well-known for its cultural events. From 1 May to 2 June, the town hosts a variety of festivities, owing to the richness of the Bulgarian holiday calendar. The nightlife scene is well established. There are several bars and clubs in the neighborhood where young people congregate and have fun. Other popular gathering spots include the freshly renovated Town Park and the Town Garden.

The village has gained notoriety in recent years as a result of the actions of an organized criminal ring headed by two Bulgarian gangsters, former police officers Angel Hristov and Plamen Galev, dubbed the „Galevi brothers.“ Through intimidation and extortion, and with the assistance of corrupt police officers, they gained control of Dupnitsa to the point that they were dubbed „the proprietors of Bulgaria’s first private town.“ Hristov and Galev are on the run after serving five and four years in prison, respectively, but are still thought to dominate the town.

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