Rezovo Резово | |
|---|---|
  Rezovo Location of Rezovo | |
| Coordinates:41°59′N28°1′E / 41.983°N 28.017°E /41.983; 28.017 | |
| Country | Bulgaria |
| Provinces (Oblast) | Burgas |
| Municipality | Tsarevo |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Georgi Lapchev |
| Elevation | 0 m (0 ft) |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 59 |
| Time zone | UTC+2 (EET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+3 (EEST) |
| Postal code | 8281 |
| Area code | 0550 |
Rezovo (Bulgarian:Резово,pronounced[ˈrɛzovo]) is a village andseaside resort in far southeasternBulgaria, part ofTsarevo Municipality, Burgas Province, in the coastalStrandzha geographical region. It is situated on theBulgaria–Turkey border.
The village is inStrandzha Nature Park. Lying at the mouth of theRezovo River in theBlack Sea, Rezovo is the southernmost point of theBulgarian Black Sea Coast and the southeasternmost inhabited place in Bulgaria and theEuropean Union mainland.[1] The village is 11 kilometres south ofSinemorets, 17 km fromAhtopol and 36 km fromLozenets. As the Rezovo River constitutes the border between Bulgaria and the European part ofTurkey, Rezovo directly overlooks the Turkish bank of the river and the Turkish village of Beğendik, inDemirköy district,Kırklareli Province. Rezovo is the most southeastern point of the continental EU.[citation needed]
Researchers have attempted to link the village's name to that ofRhesus of Thrace, aThracian king of theIliad, and although the existence of an ancient settlement at the place of the modern village has been proven (with the oldest artifacts dating to the 4th century BC), it is hard to establish any connection with Rhesus' personality. In ancient times, the area was subject to large-scalemetallurgical activity, with the largest ancient deposit ofslag in Bulgaria. It is believed that themedieval fortress ofCastrition lay on Cape Kastrich north of modern Rezovo.
Today's village was first mentioned inOttoman registers asRezvi, a village of 41Christian families. In the 18th century, it was noted asBüyük Rezve ("Big Rezve") and marked as asea port on Ottoman maps. According to Austrian Wenzel von Brognard and other 18th-century western travellers, the river mouth at that place had a goodwharf suitable as a storm and winter shelter. Rezovo has changed its location slightly several times: its oldest known location is the same as today's, at the coast. However, the locals were forced to move inland because of persistent raids byCaucasianLazpirates, settling during the 19th century in theKladarsko Bardo area 10 kilometres to the west, also along the Rezovo River. By 1900, that "Old Rezovo" had 70–80 houses and anEastern Orthodox church of SaintElijah the Forerunner. The seaside land was not completely abandoned, as it was used as apasture because of the favourable climate.
In 1903, the residents of Rezovo took an active part in the BulgarianIlinden-Preobrazhenie Uprising, seeking unification with their compatriots in thePrincipality of Bulgaria. However, the revolt was crushed by the Ottoman authorities and most of Old Rezovo was burned to the ground. The surviving locals settled on the coast, approximately where the oldest known incarnation of the village had been. The Church of SaintsConstantine andHelena was built in 1906. After theBalkan Wars of 1912–1913, Rezovo became part of theKingdom of Bulgaria and a limited number of Bulgarian refugees (25 families) from other parts ofEastern Thrace that remained under Ottoman rule settled in the village. According toLyubomir Miletich's demographic survey of the Ottoman province ofEdirne inThe Destruction of Thracian Bulgarians in 1913, published in 1918, before the wars Rezovo (Рѣзово) was a village in the district ofVassiliko inhabited by 70 BulgarianExarchist families.[2]
After the wars, the main occupation of the locals wascharcoal production andlogging, with someagriculture,cattle breeding andfishing. Wood and charcoal were exported by means of the wooden pier in the Rezovo River. The population has gradually declined, however, but today Rezovo is a popular beach resort and a spot frequented by tourists because of its southeasternmost location. Until recently, it was part of the border zone and visitors were required to be checked by Border Police officials. As Bulgaria joined the European Union on 1 January 2007, Rezovo became the contiguous EU's southeasternmost point. On 2 January 2007, municipal mayor Petko Arnaudov hoisted theflag of Europe in the village, along with the national and municipal flags, and the street starting from the Bulgarian border sign was renamed the Europe Alley.[3]
Rezovski Creek onLivingston Island in theSouth Shetland Islands, Antarctica is named after Rezovo.
