Description of the attraction
Svezhen is a small village in the Plovdiv region in Bulgaria. The village has a long history: it was founded in the XIV century. It is believed that the first settlers chose this place because of its inaccessibility - the Turkish cavalry could not quickly reach the mountainous region.
Until 1850 the village was called Adjar, which in translation from Turkish means "strong", "stone". According to another version, the name of the village comes from the Arabic word "khanjar", which translates as "dagger", "knife".
Svezhen is known as one of the busiest centers of education and culture among the Bulgarian communities during the Ottoman Empire. After the Liberation, in 1850, the first school was opened here, and in 1868 - the first rural library in Bulgaria.
The villagers took an active part in the April Uprising of 1876, because of which the village was burned down. As a result of the fire, about a hundred buildings survived. Currently, they are part of the architectural and historical reserve. Also here you can see Thracian burial mounds, ruins of castles, fortresses and monasteries.
The architectural image of the settlement is of interest. The streets of Svezhena are decorated with low wooden houses enclosed by stone walls. Some houses are finished with wood on the outside, stair railings and cornices are decorated with decorative elements, etc.
At the beginning of the 20th century, the population of the village numbered more than 2 thousand people, but now it has turned into a quiet corner, an ideal place for those who appreciate peace and quiet.
