Isperih

) is a town in northeastern Bulgaria, part of Razgrad Province and situated in the central part of the Ludogorie region. It was called "Kemallar" during the Ottoman rule of Bulgaria and was later renamed in honour of Bulgarian khan Asparuh, whose name in Slavic was "Isperih".

The town has a mixed population of Bulgarians and Turks, with an Orthodox church and a mosque being present. Isperih emerged in 1545 at the place of a medieval settlement, with the earliest known traces of human presence in the area dating from the Bronze Age. The village was first mentioned as "Kemallar" in an Ottoman tax register from 1573 and was renamed "Isperih" in 1934, becoming a town on 31 January 1960.

The Thracian Tomb of Sveshtari, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is located nearby. Another landmark in the area is the 17th-century Bektashi Demir Baba Tekke, uniting Bektashi, Sunni, Christian and pagan traditions. The oldest active windmill in the country can also be found in Isperih municipality; it was built in the early 19th century. [http://www.travelbg.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=90&Itemid=214&lang=bg] [http://journey.bg/bulgaria/bulgaria.php?guide=2139]

External links

* [http://isperih.eu/ Web Site of Isperih]
* [http://www.razgradnews.com/ Razgrad province]
* [http://getika.com/ "Gaetica" website covering the municipality]
* [http://www.museumisperih.org/ Isperih Historical Museum]
* [http://www.balkanlar.net/index.php?ind=video&op=foto_show&ida=164 Balkanlar TV Isperih] Isperih Video