1800 years Silistra Monument

LOCATION

The 1800 years Silistra monument is located on Albena Square, between the bus station and the railway station in Silistra. The city is 429 km away from Sofia. There is a bus three times a day leaving from the Sofia Central Bus Station to Silistra, as well as a train three times a day from the Sofia Central Railway Station.

DESCRIPTION

The 1800 years Silistra monument was built in 1969 on the occasion of the first organized celebration of the 1800th anniversary of the announcement of Silistra as a self-governing city in 169 by the Roman Emperor Mark Aurelius. The monument is a pylon that is basically covered by a frieze. It depicts historical symbols from the city‘s history. The monument‘s authors are the sculptor Blagoy Petkov Iliev and architect Kiril Boychev.

HISTORY

The first organized celebration of the 1800th anniversary of the announcement of Silistra as a self-governing city took place in 1969.

The ancient Durostorum and the medieval Drastar (Silistra) was founded in 106 AD when, at the order of the Roman Emperor Trajan, one of the elite units of the Roman Empire - the XI Claudius Legion - was housed in the territory of today's city. This was the beginning of a remarkable and glorious story.

In 169, the emperor philosopher Mark Aurelius declared Durostorum a self-governing Roman city, a municipium. two of them auxiliaries, and two quaestors - treasurers of the municipality. Durostorum as an administrative and business center and an important customs station was in its bloom. Large and beautiful public buildings, temples, basilicas, baths and private homes in the city were constructed; marble statues and bas-reliefs in the squares, and water pipes were built. The fortress became a military center of great importance. The population and the city grew. The place became an important trade center and the administration resembled the one in Rome, but on a smaller scale. The inhabitants of Durostorum enjoyed many privileges. Two Roman helmets from this period were found on the territory of Durostorum. Between the II and the VI century Durostorum was the main fortress of the empire against the barbarians of the Lower Danube.[1]

During the epoch of the First Bulgarian Kingdom at Khan Omurtag in Drustar, the Danube Residence "The House of the Danube" of the Bulgarian khanes and kings was built in which king Simeon the Great stationed himself between 896 - 897. In 870 the town received a Bulgarian Bishopric, led by Bishop Nikolay, and in 927 the first Bulgarian Patriarchal Department, led by the first Bulgarian Patriarch Damyan, was founded in Drustar.

During the Second Bulgarian Kingdom - Drustar is a Metropolitan Department and a residence of regional governors. King Ivailo lived there, in 1279, with his army, defeating the Tatar raids. A little later, Drustar was ruled by the despot Theodor Svetoslav before his dethronement in Turnovo in 1299. In around 1370 Drastar became the capital of an independent feudal principality led by Terter, the son of the Dobrudzha Despot Dobrotita. After the Ottoman domination (1388 and finally in 1416) the city became the capital of the huge Silistra sanjak covering all Dobrudja, Bessarabia and present-day Eastern Bulgaria. In the 15th-16th century Silistra was the theater of military clashes of the Ottoman Empire with the vlach voivods and West European knights and fleets. At the beginning of the 15th century the Metropolitan Cathedral of the city was restored. A remarkable period of the history of Silistra were the Russo-Turkish wars at the end of the 18th century - the first half of the 19th century when the generals Rumyantsev, Kutuzov, Suvorov, Bagration, Dibic fought there and in 1877 the city was completely liberated. Silistra became one of the centers of pedagogical education in Bulgaria.[2]

The monument is a pylon that is basically covered by a frieze. It depicts historical symbols from the history of the city, and the composition is completed by a water mirror. The construction of monuments on such occasions and large anniversary celebrations with a Roman occasion were first permitted in the state in 1969, when the monument was officially opened. They have not been made before neither in the capital nor in other centuries old cities in the country.

On April 24, 2018 was opened the completely renovated Albena Square, in Silistra, at the entrance of the town, under an European project of Silistra Municipality for reconstruction and rehabilitation of Albena Square and restoration of the monument. There is a new park environment around the restored historical 1800 years Silistra Monument, with park areas and alleys, water mirror, attractive playground, bicycle alleys, irrigation system for green and flower areas, energy saving lighting and video surveillance, accessible architectural environment for people with disabilities, rehabilitation and a beautiful park.

It was made a restoration of the 1800 years Silistra Monument, the paneling and the adjacent terrain. Albena Square is the newest acquisition in the card of millennium Silistra.[3]

April 24, 2018 in Silistra was opened the completely renovated Albena Square, at the entrance of the town, under European project of Silistra Municipality for reconstruction and rehabilitation of Albena Square and restoration of the monument. There is a new park environment around the restored historical monument "1800 years Silistra Monument , with park areas and alleys, water mirror, attractive playground, bike alley, irrigation system for green and flower  areas, energy saving lighting and video surveillance, accessible architectural environment for people with disabilities, and a beautiful park.

A restoration of "1800 years Silistra Monument", its paneling and the adjacent terrain was made. Albena Square is the newest acquisition in the card of Millennium Silistra.[4]

SITE SIGNIFICANCE

The monument is a symbol of pride of the citizens of Silistra and marks the 1800th anniversary of the announcement of Silistra as a self-governing town in 169 by the Roman Emperor Mark Aurelius.

VISITOR INFORMATION

It is located outside and is free to visit.

SITE CLASSIFICATION

Monumental monument

[1] Srs-bg.com <http://www.srs-bg.com/topmenu/silistra.htm> (24.04.2018)

[2] Silistra.bg <https://www.silistra.bg/index.php?op=silistra&view=historical-reference> (24.04.2018)

[3] Aostkin.org <http://aostkin.org/silistra/> (24.04.2018)

[4] Aostkin.org <http://aostkin.org/silistra/> (24.04.2018)