Aytos
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Aytos Айтос |
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Aytos from the Hisarya Heights above town
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 Aytos
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| Coordinates: 42°42′N 27°15′E / 42.700°N 27.250°E | |
| Country | Bulgaria |
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Province (Oblast) |
Burgas |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Vasil Edrev |
| Area | |
| • City | 79.033 km2 (30.515 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 95 m (312 ft) |
| Population (December 2014) | |
| • City | 19,615 |
| • Density | 250/km2 (640/sq mi) |
| • Urban | 32,243 |
| Time zone | EET (UTC+2) |
| • Summer (DST) | EEST (UTC+3) |
| Postal Code | 8500 |
| Area code(s) | 558 |
| Website | Official website |
Aytos (Bulgarian: Айтос), sometimes written Aitos and Ajtos, is a town located in eastern Bulgaria some 30 kilometers from the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast and belonging to the administrative boundaries of Burgas Province. It is the administrative centre of the homonymous Aytos Municipality. As of December 2009, the town has a population of 21,067 inhabitants.
Aytos has a rich and long history dating back to antiquity. An old settlement founded by Thracian tribes, archaeological finds near the town testify that its existence dates back to the 5th century BC. Throughout the centuries, the town has been known under different names including Aetòs (in Greek Αετός meaning eagle), Astòs (Αστός), Eidos (Είδος), Aquilia, Tchengis, etc.
During the reign of Khan Tervel, the region was incorporated in the Bulgarian Empire for the first time. The fortress Aetos took an important part in the defensive system of the Bulgarian lands against the sudden attacks of the Tatars, the Avars and the Crusaders.
In 1206, Aytos together with many cities in Bulgarian province of Thrace was destroyed by the Crusaders, led by Henry of Flanders. Henry of Flanders was a brother of Baldwin I, emperor of Latin Empire of Constantinople. A fortified city was rebuilt at 1488.
In 1378 the town was conquered by the armies of the Ottoman Empire under Murad I. During the Russian-Turkish War (1828–1829), General Hans Karl von Diebitsch turned the town into a strategic strong point. After the Treaty of Edirne in 1829, many of the town's citizens fled to Bessarabia to join the Bessarabian Bulgarians.
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Wikipedia