Samokov

Samokov
Самоков
Town
Samokov Historical Museum with the statue of Zahari Zograf
Samokov Historical Museum with the statue of Zahari Zograf
Coat of arms of Samokov
Samokov is located in Bulgaria
Samokov
Samokov
Location of Samokov
Coordinates: 42°20′N 23°33′E / 42.333°N 23.550°E / 42.333; 23.550
CountryBulgaria
Province
(Oblast)
Sofia
Government
 • MayorVladimir Georgiev
Area
 • Town11.982 km2 (4.626 sq mi)
Elevation
950 m (3,120 ft)
Population
 (2021)[1]
 • Town24,629
 • Density2,100/km2 (5,300/sq mi)
 • Urban
35,384
Time zoneUTC+2 (EET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+3 (EEST)
Postal Code
2000
Area code0722
Websitehttp://www.samokov.bg/

Samokov (Bulgarian: Самоков [ˈsamokof]) is a town in Sofia Province in the southwest of Bulgaria. It is situated in Samokov Valley between the mountain ranges of Rila, Vitosha and Sredna Gora, 55 kilometres from the capital Sofia. Due to the suitable winter sports conditions, Samokov, together with the nearby resort Borovets, is a major tourist centre.[2]

In the past, Samokov was a centre of handicrafts and art, with notable Bulgarian National Revival figures like Zahari Zograf, Hristo Dimitrov and Nikola Obrazopisov. The town's name is a compound word of "samo" and "kov", respectively meaning "self" and the root of the verb "forge, hammer", and comes from the samokov, a mechanical forge powered by water, since the town of Samokov was a major iron-producing centre during the Middle Ages.

  1. ^ "Население по области, общини, местоживеене и пол | Национален статистически институт". nsi.bg (in Bulgarian). Retrieved 3 January 2024.
  2. ^ "*** Guide Bulgaria *** - Town Samokov". Guide Bulgaria. Retrieved 11 June 2021.