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Smolian

The new modern town center deserves to be seen, as its architecture was built in accordance with local traditions and environment. It was completed in year 1983. The Rhodopi Dramatic Theater stages performances in Smolian town (“Bulgaria” boulevard). The town is a university center and the Faculty of Pedagogy at Plovdiv University “Paisii Hilendarski” is located here.

Landmarks in Smolian town

Smolian_01The Bulgarian Renaissance houses–Meramova house, the house of Sarievi family, of Prisadov and some other Bulgarian Renaissance houses can be seen here. The arch bridge (named Beiskata kyupria ) above the river Cherna was built here in the beginning of XVIII century. The natural reserve “The Plane Tree” is another landmark here as it is a 250-year-old tree. The planetarium (20 Bulgaria Boulevard) is the biggest one in Bulgaria. The Middle Rhodopi history museum (located in the living quarter Nov center) has more than 150 000 exhibits. You will see several thousand works of painters and sculptors at the town art gallery (situated in the living district Nov center)

Living district Raikovo: Pangalova house–a precious architectural monument of culture dating from year 1860. Ali bey resting house is an important landmark here-it is an old housing and economic complex in the upper part of the living quarter. You must also see Cheshiteva house in Cheshitska living district, as well as other interesting Bulgarian Renaissance Rhodopi houses in Dolno Raikovo. There is a monument-charnel house dedicated to all local people who have died for the liberty of this area. There are many icons in the Orthodox church “Saint Nedelya” (built in year 1836).

Living quarter Usogovo: you must see Mazoleva drinking fountain with an inscription, mentioning the settlement name. You must see Sheremeteva house, Takova house and Hadjichonova house. You may also visit Keliavska house, where the inscription of the military writer Parhomenko mentions, that the Cossacks from the first platoon of II Russian regiment have stayed at this house. The Orthodox church Saint Nicolas has many icons and original architecture.

The Planetarium in Smolian town

Smolian_03The biggest planetarium in Bulgaria was opened for the first time in Smolian town on 06.09.1975. The planetarium in Smolian town is one of the most visited landmarks in the town and in the region. During the last 30 years, it was visited by over 2 million people. The “heart” of the Planetarium is the round starry hall, having a diameter of 12.5 meters and 150 seats. The main projector is situated in its center-a planetarium for space flights (RFP), manufactured by Carl Zeiss factory in Jena, Germany, as it creates an artificial starry sky, which is an exact copy of the real one. The device is a perfect combination of optics and mechanics, which allows the exact reproduction of the movements on the sky, of the Sun, of the Moon and of planets, as well as of different astronomical objects and phenomena.

Experts have installed a 15-centimeter-long telescope under the 3-meter high dome of the observatory at the Planetarium-a reflector, using the system Kassegren-Meniscus 150/2250. The planetarium has also a telescope-a reflector Celestron, model NEXSTAR 130 SLT, 130/650 and several smaller ones. When the sky is clear, visitors can observe the Sun and the active areas of the Sun’s photosphere during the day by the help of these telescopes; you can observe the Moon, planets, double stars, constellations and nebulae every Wednesday evening. There is a permanent exhibition of original paintings in the central lobby.

Periodically, there are also temporary thematic exhibitions and there are more than 5000 books at the library nearby, as most of them deal with astronomy.

Architectural complex „Cheshitska living district“

Smolian_02The architectural complex in the living district Dolno Raikovo consists of three main areas: Cheshitska housing complex, Rdeva housing complex and the houses, forming the street silhouette of this living quarter. The most remarkable houses here are Bratska Cheshiteva House, Milion Cheshiteva house, Giordjeva house and Cheshitska house.