Shipka (town)
Shipka
Шипка | |
|---|---|
The Memorial Temple of the Birth of Christ | |
Shipka Location of Shipka (town) | |
| Coordinates: 42°42′N 25°23′E / 42.700°N 25.383°E | |
| Country | Bulgaria |
| Provinces (Oblast) | Stara Zagora |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Stoyan Ivanov |
| Elevation | 650 m (2,130 ft) |
| Population (2005) | |
• Total | 1,398 |
| Time zone | UTC+2 (EET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+3 (EEST) |
| Postal Code | 6150 |
| Area code | 04324 |
| License plate | CT |
Shipka (Bulgarian: Шипка [ˈʃipkɐ], "Rosa canina") is a town in central Bulgaria, part of Kazanlak Municipality, Stara Zagora Province. It lies in the Central Balkan Mountains at 650 metres above sea level, facing the Kazanlak Valley. As of 2005, Shipka had a population of 1,398.
The town is known for being located near the historic Shipka Pass, the location of several key battles in the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-78. Local sights include the Shipka Memorial (1934) on Stoletov Peak, the Buzludzha Monument, the Russian-style Shipka Memorial Church (1885–1902) and the recently discovered Thracian tomb Golyamata Kosmatka.
The population is overwhelmingly Eastern Orthodox and ethnically Bulgarian, with a notable minority of Karakachans (a Greek-speaking transhumant people of obscure origin).