Russe
The city of Russe is located on the high right bank of the Danube River,496 km from the outflow of the big river in the Black Sea, 320 km northeast of Sofia.
The largest Bulgarian city on the Danube has a long history - from the 5000-year-old prehistoric settlement, the Roman town of Sexaginta Prista, or the Port of the Sixty Ships, and the important Ottoman harbour and fortress, to the present economic and cultural centre where Art Nouveau-inspired ornamentation drips from delicate turn-of the-century houses. The city acted an important part during the Bulgarian Revival Campaign. It was an essential link for the Bulgarian emigrant colony in Romania at that time and also acted strategic military role in The Russian-Ottoman Empire war.
Nowadays the city grows fast because of its prime transport location (important centre for the Danube river transportation routes, as well as the “Dunav most†bridge, providing vehicle and railway connection with Romania)
Russe was and still is a cultural centre with well established traditions. Approximately 200 buildings in Russe are currently listed in the architectural and historical heritage of Bulgaria, the most outstanding of which are: the 1908 Liberation Monument, the Drama Theatre and High School of Music, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Dohodnoto Zdanie, the Kaliopa house and many others. The ancient places of interest include Leventabia Fortress, the Kyuntukapu Gate, the 1632 Holy Trinity Church, the Mahmoud Column. Russe is an excellent base for exploring the nearby Rusenski Lom National Park, home of the spectacular Rock Monastery of Ivanovo and the medieval ruined town of Cherven.
Things to do
There are lots of things to do and see in Russe here is just a few:
- In the vicinity of the town are the forest park Lipnik and the Roussenski Lom natural reserve, most beautiful one of Europe with its flowers and arranged parks
- The Bridge of Friendship over the Danube connect Rousse with Romania town of Gyurgevo and is the border cross point between Bulgaria and Romania
