Svishtov Municipality

Svishtov Municipality is situated in the northernmost part of Veliko Turnovo District and borders through the Danube River on the Republic of Romania and the following municipalities: Polski Trambesh in Veliko Turnovo District, Tsenovo in Russe District, and Levski in Pleven District. This is where the southernmost point of the Danube River (43° H 37' northern latitude), is located, which means it is the shortest way from the Danube through Stara Planina and the valley of Maritsa River, to the Aegean Sea.
The founding and century-long historical development of Svishtov has been fatefully related to the Danube River. The first settlers arrived in the mid-Neolithic age, 3000-2600 B.C. In the first century A.D., at this important point of the Danube limes of the Roman Empire, a Roman fortress was built, laying the foundations of the once famous town of Nove.
In the territory of Svishtov there are presently 120 official archaeological, art, and architectural monuments of culture of local and national significance. Entire ensembles of architectural monuments dating from the 18th and 19th c. have been preserved. Among the town's highlights are the numerous stately temples built by patriotic Svishtov inhabitants.
Nowadays the peripheral situation of Svishtov Municipality is persistently cited as a very serious problem. It would seem to be a particular "complex" of Svishtov inhabitants and sometimes possibly an excuse for opportunities missed. It is imperative to consider this issue from both a historical and present-day perspective and to draw the appropriate conclusions and lessons. The district center Veliko Turnovo is perceived as too remote and weakly related to Svishtov Municipality in economic, functional, and cultural terms. There is little confidence and vision of common future development priorities and goals. The remoteness of the other large towns in the region - Russe and Pleven - on the one hand makes it difficult for them to become the natural servicing higher-category urban centers, but on the other hand, favors the emergence and establishment of Svishtov Municipality as a regional urban center in its own right.
Since 1990 the new realities in this country and the aspirations for European integration have been preconditions, and have generated hopes, for a positive change in the situation of the town of Svishtov and the Municipality. The role and importance of the town and its port have real prospects of increasing in connection with the development of transeuropean transport corridors and the expansion of communications along the Danube River. This brings out the greatest present-day challenge - how to turn the peripheral situation of the Municipality from a weakness into a strong point and an advantage. In this respect serious hopes are once again pinned on the Danube River in terms of transborder cooperation and European integration.