Northern Thrace, Historical region in southeastern Bulgaria.
Northern Thrace is a historical region in southeastern Bulgaria that stretches between the Balkan Mountains to the north and the Mesta River to the west. It contains the Upper Thracian Plain and much of the Rhodope Mountains, creating a landscape that shifts from flat plains to mountainous terrain.
The region gained a special status after the Congress of Berlin in 1878 as a semi-independent territory called Eastern Rumelia. Within a few years, this arrangement changed when it merged with Bulgaria in 1885.
The area has long been a crossroads where different peoples and traditions meet. Today, you can see this mixing reflected in the cities, their buildings, and the daily customs of residents.
The area contains several major cities like Plovdiv, Burgas, and Stara Zagora that serve as convenient bases for exploration. The mixed landscape means you will encounter both flat plains and mountainous sections depending on which parts you visit.
The town of Sadovo in this region holds the record for the hottest temperature ever measured in Bulgaria, recorded in the early 1900s. This shows just how extreme weather conditions can become in certain parts of the country.
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