Sapareva Banya
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Sapareva Banya Сапарева баня |
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| Town | |
Sapareva Banya with the geyser
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 Sapareva Banya
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| Coordinates: 42°17′N 23°16′E / 42.283°N 23.267°ECoordinates: 42°17′N 23°16′E / 42.283°N 23.267°E | |
| Country | Bulgaria |
| Province (Oblast) | Kyustendil |
| Municipality | Sapareva Banya |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Sasho Ivanov |
| Elevation | 983 m (3,225 ft) |
| Population (13.09.2005) | |
| • Total | 4,425 |
| Time zone | EET (UTC+2) |
| • Summer (DST) | EEST (UTC+3) |
| Postal Code | 2650 |
| Area code(s) | 0707 |
| License Plate | KH |
| Website | www.saparevabanya.bg |
Sapareva Banya (Bulgarian: Сапарева баня, transliterated Sapareva banya) is a town in southwestern Bulgaria, part of Kyustendil Province. As Ancient Germania (in Dacia), a former bishopric, it is a Latin Catholic titular see.
It is located at the north foot of the Rila mountain 15 km east of Dupnitsa. The town is known for its hot mineral (103 °C (217 °F)) and clear mountain water, as well as the geyser in the town centre that sprang forth in 1957.
The former Roman town of (in Dacia) (having namesakes) or Germane once stood at the location of modern Sapareva Banya and in the 3rd century was an important town in Dacia province. It was the birthplace of the great Byzantine general Belisarius and was mentioned in the 6th century as Γερμανία, Γερμανός, Γέρμεννε. In an 11th-century charter of Byzantine Emperor Basil II (Porphyrogenitus/ the Young), it was listed as Γερμάνεια (Germaneia).
Germania in Dacia was important enough in the late Roman province of Dacia Mediterranea to become a suffragan bishopric of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Sardica in the capital (now Sofia), in the sway of the Patriarchate of Constantinople, but the see faded (due to the Huns?). No historical resident Bishop is recorded.
The diocese was nominally restored in 1933 as Latin Titular bishopric of Germania in Dacia (Latin) / Germania di Dacia (Curiate Italian) / Germanien(sis) in Dacia (Latin adjective).
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Wikipedia