Silistra

{{about|the Bulgarian city|the Ottoman eyalet|Silistra Eyalet|the province in Bulgaria|Silistra Province|the municipality within the Silistra province|Silistra Municipality}} {{Infobox settlement  | name = Silistra | settlement_type = Town | native_name = {{Nobold|{{Lang|bg|Силистра}}}} | other_name = {{lang|tr|Silistre}} {{lang|ro|Silistra}}, {{lang|ro|Dârstor}} | subdivision_type = Country | subdivision_name = {{BUL}} | subdivision_type1 = [[Provinces of Bulgaria|Province]] (Oblast) | timezone = [[Eastern European Time|EET]] | utc_offset = +2 | timezone_DST = [[Eastern European Summer Time|EEST]] | utc_offset_DST = +3 | map_caption = Location of Silistra | pushpin_map = Bulgaria  | pushpin_label_position = bottom  | pushpin_map_caption = Location of Silistra | pushpin_mapsize = | image_flag = Flag of Silistra.svg | image_shield = Silistra-coat-of-arms.svg | leader_title = Mayor | postal_code_type = [[List of postal codes in Bulgaria|Postal Code]]| | area_total_km2 = 27.159 | population_density_km2 = auto | website = [http://www.silistra.bg/news.php Official website] | subdivision_name1 = [[Silistra Province|Silistra]]| | image_skyline = Silistra River Danube.jpg | image_caption = View of the river Danube | population_total = 29498 | population_urban = 43265 | population_footnotes = <ref>{{cite web |title=Population by districts, municipalities, place of residence and sex |url=https://nsi.bg/en/content/2975/population-districts-municipalities-place-residence-and-sex |website=National Statistical Institute |date=31 December 2021}}</ref> | population_as_of = 2021 | elevation_m = 6 | postal_code = 7500 | area_code = 086 | coordinates = {{coord|44|07|02|N|27|15|38|E|region:BG|display=inline,title}} | leader_name = Alexander Sabanov | blank_name = [[Köppen climate classification|Climate]] | blank_info = [[Humid subtropical climate|Cfa]]| }}

'''Silistra''' ({{langx|bg|Силистра}} {{IPA|bg|siˈlistrɐ|}}; {{langx|tr|Silistre}}; {{langx|ro|Silistra}} or {{lang|ro|Dârstor}}) is a town in [[List of cities and towns in Bulgaria|Northeastern]] [[Bulgaria]]. The town lies on the southern bank of the lower [[Danube]] river, and is also the part of the [[Romania]]n [[Bulgaria–Romania border|border]] where it stops following the Danube. Silistra is the administrative center of the [[Silistra Province]] and one of the important towns of the historical region of [[Dobruja]].

Silistra is a major cultural, industrial, transportation, and educational center of Northeastern Bulgaria. There are many historical landmarks including a [[Roman Tomb (Silistra)|richly-decorated Late Roman tomb]], remains of the medieval fortress, an [[Medjidi Tabia fortress|Ottoman fort]], and an art gallery.

== Etymology == The name Silistra is possibly derived from the root of the old [[Thracian language|Thracian]] name of the lower part of the [[Danube]] "[[Istrum]]".

The name of the city is given as ''Silistria'' in the [[Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition|''Encyclopædia Britannica'' Eleventh Edition]].<ref>{{EB1911|wstitle=Silistria|volume=25|pages=94-95}}</ref> == Geography ==

Silistra is in the northeastern part of Bulgaria on the southern bank of the [[Danube]] River. It is located in the Bulgarian part of [[Dobruja]].

The [[Silistra Municipality|municipality of Silistra]] covers an area of 516 km2<ref name="sl">{{Cite web |url= http://bg.guide-bulgaria.com/NE/Silistra/Silistra|title= Bulgaria Guide, Silistra Municipality |access-date=30 July 2009 }}</ref> and includes the town and 18 villages. The area of the city proper is 27.159 km2.<ref>{{Cite web |url= http://bg.guide-bulgaria.com/NE/Silistra/Silistra/Silistra|title= Bulgaria Guide, Silistra |access-date=30 July 2009 }}</ref>

Silistra is 431 km from Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria; 141 km from Varna; and 119 km from Ruse. === Climate === Silistra has a [[temperate climate]], with cold snowy winters and hot summers. {{Weather box |location = Silistra (normals 2005-2013) |metric first = Yes |single line = Yes | precipitation colour = green | Jan high C =3.2 | Feb high C =4.7 | Mar high C =11.9 | Apr high C =18.0 | May high C =23.9 | Jun high C =27.9 | Jul high C =30.1 | Aug high C =30.0 | Sep high C =23.9 | Oct high C =17.1 | Nov high C =11.1 | Dec high C =5.0 | year high C = | Jan mean C =0.6 | Feb mean C =1.6 | Mar mean C =7.7 | Apr mean C =13.3 | May mean C =19.0 | Jun mean C =22.9 | Jul mean C =25.1 | Aug mean C =24.8 | Sep mean C =19.4 | Oct mean C =13.2 | Nov mean C =8.1 | Dec mean C =2.6 | year mean C = | Jan low C =-2.1 | Feb low C =-1.5 | Mar low C =3.4 | Apr low C =8.7 | May low C =14.1 | Jun low C =18.0 | Jul low C =20.1 | Aug low C =19.7 | Sep low C =14.8 | Oct low C =9.6 | Nov low C =5.0 | Dec low C =0.3 | year low C =

|source 1 = Meteomanz<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.meteomanz.com/sy3?l=1&cou=6250&ind=15550&m1=01&y1=2000&m2=07&y2=2024 |title=Silistra - Weather data by months |access-date=8 July 2024 |website=meteomanz}}</ref> |source 2 = Open-Meteo (Snowfall 2000-2024)<ref>{{Cite web |title=Historical Weather API: 44.11 N 27.26 E, snowfall sum (2010-2024) |url=https://archive-api.open-meteo.com/v1/archive?latitude=44.11&longitude=27.26&start_date=2010-01-01&end_date=2024-12-31&daily=snowfall_sum&timezone=auto |access-date=2025-09-10 |website=open-meteo.com |publisher=Open-Meteo |type=API}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Historical Weather API: 44.11 N 27.26 E, snowfall sum (2000-2009) |url=https://archive-api.open-meteo.com/v1/archive?latitude=44.11&longitude=27.26&start_date=2000-01-01&end_date=2009-12-31&daily=snowfall_sum&timezone=auto |access-date=2025-09-10 |website=open-meteo.com |publisher=Open-Meteo |type=API}}</ref> }}

== History == [[File:Eastern Moesia 2.png|thumb|Eastern Moesia and Limes Moesiae]] [[File:Durostorum-walls.jpg|thumb|Durostorum]] After the Roman province of [[Moesia]] was founded in 12 AD, the [[Roman Empire|Romans]] built a fort in 29 on the site of an earlier [[Thracian]] settlement and kept its name, ''Durostorum'' (or ''Dorostorum''). During the reigns of [[Claudius]] (41-54 AD) and Nero (54-68), the eastern border of Moesia was extended to the mouth of the river Iatrus (the modern Yantra).<ref>Rumen Ivanov, Romans on the Danube: Durostorum, Athena Review, Vol. 2, No. 3 (2000) https://www.athenapub.com/AR/7durost1.htm</ref> Durostorum was one of several important river points along the [[Moesian Limes]] frontier. After [[Trajan's Dacian Wars]] the fort was enlarged into a legionary fortress for the [[Legio XI Claudia]] who stayed there from before 114 until c. 400.<ref>Lendering, Jona (26 May 2017). "Legio XI Claudia Pia Fidelis". Livius.org</ref> It became an important military centre of the Roman province of [[Moesia]], and grew into a city at the time of [[Marcus Aurelius]]. The city was strongly affected by an invasion of the [[Costoboci]] in 170.

Large thermal baths have been discovered in the ''canabae'' and residential buildings to the south. There were six periods of construction between the 2nd and 4th centuries AD.

When the Roman Empire split into the [[Byzantine Empire|Eastern]] and [[Western Roman Empire|Western empire]]s, the town became part of the Eastern Roman Empire.

Durostorum became the seat of a Christian bishopric and a centre of Christianity in the region. The earliest saints of Bulgaria are Roman soldiers executed at Durostorum during the [[Diocletian Persecution]] (303–313), including [[Dasius of Durostorum|St. Dasius]] and [[Julius the Veteran|St. Julius the Veteran]]. [[Auxentius of Durostorum|Auxentius]] was expelled from Durostorum by an edict of Theodosius depriving Arian bishops in 383, and took refuge at Milan where he became embroiled in controversy with St [[Ambrose of Milan|Ambrose]].<ref>Mark O'Sullivan, ''The Social and Political Influence of Saint Ambrose as Reflected in his Letters'', B.Phil thesis, Liverpool University, 1976.</ref> The Roman general [[Flavius Aëtius]] was born in the town in 396.

As part of the [[First Bulgarian Empire|Bulgarian Empire]] Durostolon was known as ''Drastar'' in medieval times.

Around the end of the 7th century, the town was incorporated into the [[First Bulgarian Empire]] and the bishop of {{transliteration|bg|Drastar}} ({{lang|bg|Дръстър}} in Bulgarian) was proclaimed the first [[patriarch of Bulgaria]]. In 895 (during the [[Bulgarian-Hungarian Wars|Bulgarian-Hungarian War]] of 894–896), the Hungarians, allies of the Byzantines, besieged the Bulgarian army under the personal command of [[Simeon I of Bulgaria|Simeon I the Great]] in the fortress of the town but were repulsed.<ref>Andreev, J. ''The Bulgarian Khans and Tsars'' (''Balgarskite hanove i tsare'', ''Българските ханове и царе''), Veliko Tarnovo, 1996, p. 95, {{ISBN|954-427-216-X}}</ref> The next year the Hungarians were decisively defeated in the [[battle of Southern Buh]].

The town [[Sviatoslav's invasion of Bulgaria|was captured]] by the forces of [[Sviatoslav I of Kiev]] in 969, but two years later it was taken by the Byzantines during the [[Battle of Dorostolon]]. In 976, Tsar [[Samuel of Bulgaria|Samuel]] [[Samuel of Bulgaria#War with Byzantium|restored Bulgarian rule]] in the region until 1001, when it once again became part of the Byzantine Empire as ''Dristra''. Emperor [[Alexios I Komnenos]] [[Battle of Dristra|suffered a defeat]] at Dristra to the [[Pechenegs]] in 1087.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Rogers |first=Clifford J. |url= |title=The Oxford Encyclopedia of Medieval Warfare and Military Technology |date=2010 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-19-533403-6 |pages=549 |language= |chapter=Dristra, Battle of |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mzwpq6bLHhMC&pg=PA549}}</ref>

In 1186, after the [[Vlach-Bulgarian Rebellion|Rebellion of Asen and Peter]], the town became part of the Second [[Second Bulgarian Empire|Bulgarian Empire]] and renamed Drastar.

In 1279, under Emperor [[Ivailo of Bulgaria|Ivailo]], Drastar was attacked by the [[Mongols]]; but after a three-month-long siege the Bulgarians managed to break through.<ref>Andreev, J. ''The Bulgarian Khans and Tsars'' (''Balgarskite hanove i tsare'', ''Българските ханове и царе''), Veliko Tarnovo, 1996, p. 226, {{ISBN|954-427-216-X}}</ref> The town remained part of the Bulgarian Empire until the [[Ottoman conquest of the Balkans]] around 1400. Throughout the Middle Ages, Drastar (possibly known by the name Silistra too) was among Bulgaria's largest and most important cities.

During [[History of Ottoman Bulgaria|Ottoman rule]], Silistra ([[Ottoman Turkish language|Ottoman Turkish]]: {{transliteration|ota|Silistre}}) was part of [[Rumelia Province, Ottoman Empire|Rumelia Province]] and was the administrative centre of the Silistra district (''[[sanjak]]''). This district was later upgraded to become the [[Silistra Province, Ottoman Empire|Silistra Province]] and stretched over most of the western [[Black Sea]] [[littoral]]. In 1570 ([[Hijri year|Hijri]] 977) the town of Silistra was inhabited by Muslims and Christians. It had 447 Muslim households in 20 neighbourhoods and 633 Non-muslim households in 15 neighbourhoods. The defter also recorded that there was a Jewish and a Christian Romani congregation.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=GÖKBİLGİN |first=M. TAYYİB |date=1956 |title=KANUNÎ SULTAN SÜLEYMAN DEVRİ BAŞLARINDA RUMELİ EYALETİ, LİVALARI, ŞEHİR VE KASABALARI |url=https://belleten.gov.tr/tam-metin-pdf/1214/tur |journal=Belleten |volume=20 |issue=78 |pages=247–294 |issn=0041-4255 |eissn=2791-6472 }}</ref>

The town was captured and recaptured by [[Imperial Russia|Russian]] forces numerous times during several [[Russo-Turkish Wars]] and was besieged between 14 April and 23 June 1854 during the [[Crimean War]]. [[Namık Kemal]] wrote his most famous play, ''[[Vatan Yahut Silistre]]'' ("Homeland or Silistre"), a drama about the [[Siege of Silistria (1854)|siege of Silistra]] (''Silistria''), in which he expounded on the ideas of patriotism and liberalism. The play was first staged on 1 April 1873 and led to his exile to [[Famagusta]].

The Ottoman Silistra Province was reduced in size, as the districts of [[Ochakov|Özi]] and [[Odesa|Hocabey]] and the region of [[Bessarabia]] were ceded to the Russian Empire at the end of the 18th century and the beginning of the 19th century. Edirne Province was created from its southern regions in 1830. Finally, Silistra Province merged with the provinces of [[Vidin]] and [[Niš]] in 1864 to form [[Danube Province, Ottoman Empire|Danube Province.]] Silistra was downgraded to a ''kaza'' centre in [[Ruse, Bulgaria|Ruse]] district in this province in the same year.

Between 1819 and 1826, [[Eliezer Papo]] — a renowned [[Jew]]ish scholar — was the [[rabbi]] of the community of Silistra, making this town famous among observant Jews. Up to the present, his grave is a focus of [[pilgrimage]], some pilgrims flying from [[Israel]] and even from [[Latin America]] to Bulgaria for that purpose.<ref>[[Maariv]], 12 September 2009, [http://www.nrg.co.il/online/16/ART1/941/075.html]</ref>

In 1878, following the [[Russo-Turkish War, 1877–1878|Russo-Turkish War of 1877–1878]], Silistra was included in Bulgaria. [[Kingdom of Romania|Romania]] was opposed to this as it wanted to acquire the city and established the short-lived [[Silistra Nouă County]], which was abolished a year later.

In May 1913, as the [[First Balkan War]] was winding down, tensions between Bulgaria and both [[Kingdom of Greece|Greece]] and [[Kingdom of Serbia|Serbia]] that ultimately led to the [[Second Balkan War]] were escalating and after unsuccessful negotiations between Bulgaria and Romania in [[London]], the two countries accepted the mediation of the [[Great Powers]], who awarded Silistra and the area in a 3 km radius around it to Romania at the [[Saint Petersburg]] Conference. The 1913 [[Treaty of Bucharest, 1913|Treaty of Bucharest]] following the Second Balkan War confirmed Romanian possession of Silistra and moved the border further away, with Bulgaria ceding the whole of [[Southern Dobruja]] to [[Romania]] which had conquered it during the war. Bulgaria regained ''de facto'' control of the town in 1916 during [[World War I]]. This became finalised with the [[Treaty of Bucharest, 1918|Treaty of Bucharest]] in 1918 after Romania surrendered to the [[Central Powers]] (of which Bulgaria was a part). The [[Treaty of Neuilly]] (1919) following [[World War I]] returned Silistra and the rest of Dobruja to Romania. The town remained a part of Romania until the [[Axis Powers|Axis]]-sponsored [[Treaty of Craiova]] in 1940, when Southern Dobruja including Silistra once again became part of Bulgaria, a transfer confirmed by the [[Paris Peace Treaties, 1947|Paris Peace Treaties]] in 1947. Between 1913 and 1938, Silistra was the capital of [[Durostor County]] (except during Bulgarian rule). It became part of [[Ținutul Mării]] ("Sea District") between 1938 and 1940 during Romanian rule. Following the establishment of the People's Republic of Bulgaria, Silistra developed as a center of industry and agriculture in the region, comparable to Ruse (because of the strategic position on the Danube) and Dobrich (due to the abundant fertile lands). This led to a major population increase which continued until 1985. After that, the population slowly started to decrease. Following the collapse of the People's Republic in 1989, many of its inhabitants migrated to other parts of the country or emigrated outside Bulgaria.

{{Wide image|SilistraPanorama1.jpg|1000px|A panorama of Silistra and the Danube}}

== Population == In January 2012, Silistra was inhabited by 35,230 people within the city limits, while the [[Silistra Municipality]] along with the legally affiliated adjacent villages had 50,780 inhabitants.<ref name="cities 2012">{{in lang|bg}} [http://www.nsi.bg/otrasal.php?otr=19&a1=376&a2=377&a3=378 National Statistical Institute - 2012] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110411180456/http://www.nsi.bg/otrasal.php?otr=19&a1=376&a2=377&a3=378 |date=2011-04-11 }}</ref> The number of the residents of the city (not the municipality) reached its peak in the period 1986–1991, when it exceeded 70,000.<ref name="pop1992"/> The following table presents the change of the population after 1887.

{{Table BG town population | city = Silistra | 1887 = 11,415 | 1910 = 11,046 | 1934 = > 17,415{{Ref label|tribox|a|}} | 1946 = 15,951 | 1956 = 20,350 | 1965 = 33,041 | 1975 = 59,296 | 1985 = 70,537 | 1990 = 61,907 | 1992 = 49,304 | 2001 = 41,952 | 2005 = 39,358 | 2009 = 37,837 | 2011 = 35,607 | 2021 = 29,498 | highest number = 70,537 | highest year = 1985 | ref 1 = <ref name="pop1992">{{in lang|bg}} [http://statlib.nsi.bg:8181/isisbgstat/ssp/lister.asp?content=/Fullt/extpages/DN_21_2_1992_1994/DN_21_2_1992_1994_P*.pdf&from=1&to=282&index=&cont=/Fullt/extpages/DN_21_2_1992_1994/DN_21_2_1992_1994_content.pdf&type=%F1%F2%F0%E0%ED%E8%F6%E8 National Statistical Institute - Towns population 1956-1992] {{dead link|date=November 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref><ref name="nsi.bg">{{cite web | title=НАСЕЛЕНИЕ КЪМ 31.12.2022 Г. ПО ОБЛАСТИ, ОБЩИНИ, МЕСТОЖИВЕЕНЕ И ПОЛ | website=nsi.bg | url=https://nsi.bg/bg/content/2975/%D0%BD%D0%B0%D1%81%D0%B5%D0%BB%D0%B5%D0%BD%D0%B8%D0%B5-%D0%BF%D0%BE-%D0%BE%D0%B1%D0%BB%D0%B0%D1%81%D1%82%D0%B8-%D0%BE%D0%B1%D1%89%D0%B8%D0%BD%D0%B8-%D0%BC%D0%B5%D1%81%D1%82%D0%BE%D0%B6%D0%B8%D0%B2%D0%B5%D0%B5%D0%BD%D0%B5-%D0%B8-%D0%BF%D0%BE%D0%BB | language=bg| access-date=3 January 2024}}</ref> | ref 2 = <ref>{{cite web |title=Population by districts, municipalities, place of residence and sex |url=https://nsi.bg/en/content/2975/population-districts-municipalities-place-residence-and-sex |website=National Statistical Institute |date=31 December 2021}}</ref> | ref 3 = <ref name="pop-stat">[http://pop-stat.mashke.org/bulgaria-cities.htm България / Bălgarija] pop-stat.mashke.org </ref> | ref 4 = <ref name="BAN">{{in lang|bg}} [http://www.geography.iit.bas.bg/2009/1-09/13-17.pdf Bulgarian Academy of Sciences] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110706142758/http://www.geography.iit.bas.bg/2009/1-09/13-17.pdf |date=2011-07-06 }}</ref> {{note|tribox}}a. Population in 1930: 17,415<ref>[http://romaniainterbelica.memoria.ro/judete/durostor/index.html Durostor County, as per 1930 Romanian census] {{in lang|ro}}</ref> }}

===Ethnic, linguistic and religious composition=== According to the latest 2011 census data, the individuals declared their ethnic identity were distributed as follows:<ref>{{in lang|bg}} [http://www.nsi.bg/ORPDOCS/Census2011_1.pop_by_age.xls Population on 01.02.2011 by provinces, municipalities, settlements and age; National Statistical Institute] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130908134107/http://www.nsi.bg/ORPDOCS/Census2011_1.pop_by_age.xls |date=2013-09-08 }}</ref><ref>[http://www.nsi.bg/ORPDOCS/Census2011_4.pop_by_ethnos.xls Population by province, municipality, settlement and ethnic identification, by 01.02.2011; Bulgarian National Statistical Institute] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120422120657/http://www.nsi.bg/ORPDOCS/Census2011_4.pop_by_ethnos.xls |date=2012-04-22 }} {{in lang|bg}}</ref> *[[Bulgarians]]: 29,677 (88.3%) *[[Turks in Bulgaria|Turks]]: 3,458 (10.3%) *[[Roma in Bulgaria|Romani]]: 123 (0.4%) *Others: 190 (0.6%) *Indefinable: 180 (0.5%) **Undeclared: 1,979 (5.6%) Total: 35,607

==Notable people== * [[Flavius Aetius]] (396–454), a [[Roman Empire|Roman]] general, defeated [[Attila the Hun]] * [[Parteniy Pavlovich]] ({{circa}} 1695–1760), cleric, author of the first autobiography in South Slavic literature * [[Süleyman Hilmi Tunahan]] (1888–1959), Islamic scholar and mystic * [[Marcel Dinu]] (1935–2019), Romanian diplomat * [[Orfi (magician)|Orfi]] (1943–1999), magician * [[Yıldız İbrahimova]] (1952–), jazz singer * [[Veselin Metodiev]] (1957–), former minister of culture * [[Denislav Kalchev]] (1973–), swimmer

== Twin towns – sister cities == Silistra is [[Sister city|twinned]] with:

* {{Flagicon|North Macedonia}} [[Veles, North Macedonia|Veles]], North Macedonia * {{Flagicon|Hungary}} [[Dunaújváros]], Hungary * {{Flagicon|Germany}} [[Dresden]], Germany * {{Flagicon|Serbia}} [[Leskovac]], Serbia * {{Flagicon|Turkey}} [[Lüleburgaz]], Turkey * {{Flagicon|Romania}} [[Slobozia]], Romania * {{Flagicon|Belarus}} [[Lida]], Belarus * {{Flagicon|Hungary}} [[Óbuda-Békásmegyer]], Hungary

==Honour== [[Silistra Knoll]] on [[Livingston Island]] in the [[South Shetland Islands]], [[Antarctica]] is named after Silistra.

"Silistra" is also the name of a fictional planet in [[Janet Morris]]' book ''[[High Couch of Silistra]]'' (1977).

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== {{Commons category|Silistra}} *[http://silistra.bg/ Official municipality website] (in Bulgarian and English) *[https://www.srebarnabirding.blogspot.com/ News from UNESCO nature reserve in Silistra] *[https://web.archive.org/web/20121103132827/http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/sectors/tourism/eden/themes-destinations/countries/bulgaria/silistra-region/ Awarded "EDEN - European Destinations of Excellence" non traditional tourist destination 2010]

[[Category:Silistra| ]] [[Category:Populated places in Silistra Province]] [[Category:Port cities and towns in Bulgaria]] [[Category:Populated places on the Danube]] [[Category:Bulgaria–Romania border crossings]] [[Category:Jewish pilgrimage sites]] [[Category:Capitals of former Romanian counties]] [[Category:Roman legionary fortresses in Bulgaria]] [[Category:Roman towns and cities in Bulgaria]]