The city of Odessa oblast.
Bolgrad (also spelled Bolhrad) is a city located in Odessa oblast of Ukraine, administrative center of Bolgrad district. The distance to the capital city of the region Odessa is 230 km. The distance to Izmail city (railway station, airport) is about 40 km.
Bolgrad city population is about 16,000 (2010).
The phone code of Bolgrad is +380 4846; the postal codes - 68700-69706.
In 4th-3rd millennium B.C. this area was inhabited by cultivators of copper epoch. The settlements of bronze epoch, 1st century A.C. and the time of Kievan Rus are also known. In 13th century the area was captured by Tatar-Mongols.
After Russian-Turkish war (1806-1812) was over and Bessarabia was added to Russian Empire territories, the area was rapidly inhabited. Especially by the Bulgarians from the opposite bank of the Danube, they escaped from the Turkish yoke.
Bolgrad foundation date is 1821. The settlement was founded by Bulgarians under the command of Ivan Inzov near the Yalpug lake.
Today Ivan Inzov is honored as the founder of Bolgrad. The town was under control of Moldavia in 1856-1859 and Romania in 1859-1878, 1918-1940, 1941-1944. Later Bolgrad town was included into the territory of Ukrainian SSR and independent Ukraine after 1991.
Bolgrad district population consists mostly of ethnic Bulgarians (about 61%). The city is also populated by Bessarabian Bulgarians. Bolgrad city is also known as unofficial capital of Budjak (Bessarabian historic district).
Agricultural production, mainly grape and grain growing, livestock has leading role in the economy of Bolgrad.
Bolgrad city, Ukraine street
Bolgrad city street scenery
Bolgrad city scenery
Near to the central square the Transfiguration church is located, it was founded in 1838, the donations were made by the population of the town. It is one of the most beautiful churches in southern Ukraine and the main place of interest in Bolgrad.
On Inzovskaya Street there is a statue of I.N.Inzov, the founder of the town.
On the central square there is a monument to Unknown soldier.
In Bolgrad city outskirts there is an Inzov Mausoleum - a church with the churchyard, built in 1844, general Ivan Nikitich Inzov was buried there in 1846. Inzov Mausoleum is also depicted in the coat-of-arms of Bolgrad.
On August 3rd, 2010, a memorial “Battle Brotherhood” was opened in the center of Bolgrad honoring landing troops forces. There is a division of air mobile forces located in Bolgrad city.
At the entrance to Bolgrad from Odessa there is a memorial sign. May 21, 1828 in this place the Emperor of Russia Nicholas I took a parade of Russian troops on their way to the Danube on the Russian-Turkish war.
St. Nicholas Church is the monument of architecture of the 19th century. The church was built in 1881 on the support of parishioners and was active until the 50s of the 20th century. Currently, the church is being reconstructed.
One of the oldest and most famous educational institutions of the region is Bolgrad gymnasium. In 1858 representatives of 40 Bulgarian colonies of Bessarabia appealed to the Moldovan government to open a secondary school in Bolgrad for children of Bulgarian settlers. In 1999 the gymnasium was named in honor of G.S. Rakovsky, revolutionary democrat, a prominent leader of the national liberation movement in Bulgaria. Today the school has 350 students.
The history of Bessarabia region is gathered in Bolgrad historical and ethnographic museum. Among the exhibits of the museum are the archaeological finds, household items, clothes of Bulgarians, Gagauzians and Albanians.
In 1997, regional center of Bulgarian culture was opened in Bolgrad. The purpose of the center is the popularization of Bulgarian culture and language, the revival of traditions, rituals, way of life of Bulgarians of Ukraine. There is ethnographic room where you can see the objects of Bessarabian Bulgarians life during the 20-30s of the 20th century. The center operates a Bulgarian library, where you can find both fiction and scientific-methodological, children’s literature.
There are tragic pages in the history of Bolgrad. One of them is the death of paratroopers of 8th Parachute Company stationed in the city. October 18, 1989 during the combat mission in Baku IL-76 carrying 48 soldiers and 9 crew members crashed. All the people were killed. In the park near the Cathedral of the Transfiguration there is a monument perpetuating the names of fallen soldiers.
Hotel “Zolotoy kolos”. Address: Bolgrad, Inzovskaya Str., 116. Contact phone: +380 4846 23176.
Hotel “Voennaya”. Address: Bolgrad, 25th Chapaev division Str., 66. Contact phone: +380 4846 23166.
Bolgrad city, Ukraine view
Bolgrad city view
Bolgrad city picture
Bolgrad city Pushkin monument
Bolgrad city church
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