Plevna

Plevna is the historical name for the Bulgarian city now known as Pleven, located in northern Bulgaria. It is the capital of Pleven Province and serves as a regional administrative, economic, and cultural center. The city sits in the Danubian Plain along the Osam River and functions as a key hub for transport and commerce in the region.

The area around Pleven has been inhabited since antiquity, with Thracian and Roman connections evident in archaeological finds. The settlement took the name Plevna during Ottoman rule, a form that appears in historical texts and maps. The name is especially associated with the Siege of Plevna in 1877, one of the major battles of the Russo-Turkish War (1877–1878). Ottoman forces garrisoned the fortress at Plevna and defended it against Russian and Romanian troops for several months, delaying the Russian advance until relief arrived later that year. The siege had a significant humanitarian and political impact and helped mobilize international support that contributed to Bulgaria’s eventual liberation in 1878.

Following liberation, the city adopted the Bulgarian name Pleven for administrative purposes, though Plevna remains a common reference in historical contexts. In contemporary Bulgaria, Pleven functions as the provincial capital and hosts cultural institutions such as the Pleven Panorama, a museum dedicated to the 1877 siege, and the Pleven Regional Historical Museum. The city continues to be an important regional center for education, culture, and industry in northern Bulgaria, connected by rail and road to Sofia and other major centers.

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