Mezdra


Mezdra is a town in northwestern Bulgaria, part of Vratsa Province. It is located on the left bank of the Iskar River just north of its gorge through the Balkan Mountains.

History

Although the area around it has been inhabited continuously since prehistoric times, Mezdra remained a small village of 86 residents and continued to decline until 1893, when the construction of the Sofia-Varna railway began, with workers from all around the country arriving to update the infrastructure. As the village became an important railway junction with the opening of the railway on 20 February 1897, its population grew substantially. Mezdra had a population of 311 in 1900 and 1,015 in 1920.
Although it formally remained a village until proclaimed a town on 31 August 1950, Mezdra acquired the appearance of a small town through the work of architects who studied in Western Europe and established the Western European style in the village.
Today, Mezdra is a town of approximately 10,896 residents and serves as a vital rail link between Sofia and northern/western regions of Bulgaria. Industries include stone cutting, brickmaking and beer production.
Mezdra Point on Snow Island in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica is named after Mezdra.

Geography

Municipality

Mezdra is also the seat of Mezdra municipality, which includes the following 27 villages: