Svishtov

Sister cities

• Dębica
• Ludza Municipality
• Hrubieszów
• Hlukhiv
• Ludza
• Barcelos
• Veles
• Kremenchuk

History

Svishtov is identified with the Roman colony Novae mentioned by Ptolemy. The emperor Vespasian sent the legion I Italica there 70 AD and Novae served as the legion's base for centuries. Novae served as a base of operations for Roman campaigns against Barbarian tribes including Trajan's Dacian Wars, and the last time during Maurice's Balkan campaigns. The legion was also responsible for bridge construction over the Danube. The colony of Novae was the residence of St. Lupus of Novae. For a short time the place was the main city for the Ostrogoths of Theodoric the Great. Theodoric occupied Singidunum in 471 and, after plundering Macedonia and Greece, settled in Novae (the modern Svishtov), on the lower Danube, in 483, where he remained till he transferred the sphere of his activities to Italy ten years later. It was destroyed some time after 613, as shown by coin founds minted up to this date. The Treaty of Sistova ended the last Austro-Turkish war (1787–91). Brokered by Great Britain, Prussia and the Netherlands,[1] it was signed in Sistova (modern Svishtov) in present-day Bulgaria on 4 August 1791.[2] The treaty was written in French and Turkish.[1] During one of the Russo-Turkish Wars in 19th century, Svishtov has been burnt down to the ground during the retreat of the Russian Army. The city fortress has been destroyed and the population has been forced to leave the city and move across the river Danube. It was done by the order of General Nikolay Kamenskij and executed by General Guillaume Emmanuel Guignard de Saint-Priest. The event has taken place on September 27, 1810 (Sept 14, according to Julian Calendar). Account in regards of that event has been given by Dr. Dimitar Pavlovich in his book "The life of Dimitar Hadzhivasilev", published in 1906 and in the…

Geography

Svishtov is situated in northern central Bulgaria on the right bank of the Danube river in its southernmost point, across from Zimnicea, Romania. The town lies north-east of the capital Sofia, and west of the major Black Sea port of Varna. Other important cities in the region are Pleven away, and Ruse away. The port of Svishtov is the southernmost harbor on the Danube. It is served around the clock by the Svishtov-Zimnich ferry — a regular operation Ro-ro ferryboat across the Danube between Svishtov and Zimnicea. The ferry shortens the road path to and from Turkey to Central and Western Europe by when compared to the traditional route over the Danube Bridge at Ruse-Giurgiu and allows a time gain of nearly four hours thus avoiding the traffic in and around the city of Bucharest.

Most-observed species

• Eurasian Collared-Dove

  Streptopelia decaocto (Frivaldszky, 1838) · Aves
  285
• Common Nightingale

  Luscinia megarhynchos C.L.Brehm, 1831 · Aves
  265
• Barn Swallow

  Hirundo rustica Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  237
• Great Tit

  Parus major Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  227
• Common Wood-Pigeon

  Columba palumbus Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  197
• Mallard

  Anas platyrhynchos Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  190
• European Starling

  Sturnus vulgaris Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  185
• Eurasian Magpie

  Pica pica (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  184

Most recent

• M 4.2 — 2017-01-03
  8 km ENE of Lyaskovets, Bulgaria
• M 4.1 — 2014-06-24
  4 km NNW of Corabia, Romania
• M 3.8 — 2009-02-07
  10 km NW of Shipka, Bulgaria
• M 2.7 — 2008-07-13
  1 km SW of Antonovo, Bulgaria
• M 4.1 — 2008-05-12
  4 km SSW of Strazhitsa, Bulgaria
• M 4.2 — 2008-04-15
  6 km NE of Gabrovo, Bulgaria