Asenovgrad

Asenovgrad (Bulgarian: Асеновград [ɐˈsɛnovˌɡrat]) is a town in central southern Bulgaria, part of Plovdiv Province. The seat of Asenovgrad Municipality, it is the largest town in Bulgaria that is not a province center. Previously known as Stanimaka (Станимака) or Stenimachos, it was renamed in 1934 after the 13th-century tsar Ivan Asen II. Asenovgrad includes the districts of Gorni Voden and Dolni Voden, which until 1986 were separate villages. The town is situated between the Upper Thracian Plain and the Rhodope Mountains along the river Chepelarska reka. Above the town are the remains of the Asen's Fortress, an old castle that was strengthened under Ivan Asen II and turned into an important military post in the defense of the southern borders of the Second Bulgarian Empire. The city is known for its many churches, monasteries and chapels and is often called Little Jerusalem. It is also known as the "City of Bridal Gowns" because of the large number of ateliers and shops for wedding dresses and accessories. According to the census data of 2021, the population of the city is 47 815 people.