THE TOWN OF KLISSURA HISTORY

Klissura is a town picturesquely situated in the west-most part of the Rose Valley. The name Klissura - “gorge”, the town gains because of its specific location – it is perched on the slopes of the defile between the Balkan mountain range-Stara Planina and Sredna Gora, through which the only road  from Zlatishka to Stremska Valley is passing. The population of the town has always been entirely of Bulgarian origin, consisting of about 2000 people who are considered intelligent and enterprising.
At the end of 18th century there were 1200 houses and a population of  7000 people in Klissura. The main occupations of the local people were sheep-breeding, pasture livestock rearing (suvatchiystvo) and livestock trade (djelepchiystvo), which flourished till the beginning of the 19th century. After the Crimean War (1853-1856) sheep-breeding was replaced by rose-oil manufacture. In Klissura, 140 pounds of rose-oil a year were produced which was estimated as one fourth of the total Bulgarian rose-oil production. Because of its high quality, the rose-oil from Klissura was many times awarded with diplomas and medals at the World Exhibitions in England, France and Bulgaria. In the exposition of the Town History Museum in Klissura, the rose-oil manufacture is represented by a number of documents and original exhibits visualizing the entire process of rose-water distillation and extraction of the rose-oil which gained world fame for Bulgaria.
Another craft, developed in 19th century in Klissura was “abadjiystvo”- homespun tailoring (weaving, sewing and braiding of a woolen fabric called “aba”). Master craftsmen were organized in a professional association - guild, a remote ancestor of today’s syndicates. The production of the master tailors-abadjii from Klissura was exported to the vast Turkish Empire, Europe and the Middle East and nowadays a part of it could be seen at the ethnographical section of the History Museum situated in the renowned Pavurdjieva House.
During the Bulgarian Renaissance, Klissura with population entirely of Bulgarian origin was a town-stronghold of the national self-consciousness. Throughout the dark years of the Turkish slavery in Klissura, a one-room school was initially opened followed by a mutual two-year school, where the method “studying through teaching” was used. Later, a class school and a girls’ school were also founded.
In the words of Ivan Vazov, a large number of educational specialists, so-called “teachers-deacons”, were taught in Klissura and “exported” to the neighbouring towns. The most prominent figure among them was Hristo G. Danov (1828-1911), born in Klissura, who worked as a teacher in many Bulgarian towns and was the founder of the first cultural community center in Klissura in 1854.
In Plovdiv, the notable literary man of the Bulgarian revival established the first book publishing company, which played an outstanding role in the development of the Bulgarian enlightenment and education. 900 books, textbooks and school manuals were published by Hristo Danov. Therefore, he deservedly was given the name “the Apostle of the Bulgarian education”.
Rashko Il. Bluskov (1819-1884), a figure of the Bulgarian Revival - a renowned enlightener and literary man, was also born in Klissura. He was the creator of the first Bulgarian pedagogical journal and the author of many literary, political and educational works. His son Iliya R. Bluskov (1839-1913), one of the first Bulgarian novelists, was the author of the popular short novels “Lost Stanka”, “Misfortunate Krastinka” and many others.
Another prominent personality from Klissura was Marko Balabanov (1837-1921). He was a highly educated, talented,  literary man and professor in law who was elected a Minister of Foreign Affairs in the Principality of Bulgaria after the Bulgarian liberation from the Turkish Yoke. Remarkable emissary, Balabanov personally informed the Russian Emperor Alexander about the acts of cruelty and outrage against the Bulgarians during the April Uprising’s suppression and greatly contributed to the beginning of the Russian-Turkish War of liberation (1877-1878).
Klissura played a significant role in the April Uprising in 1876 and will always remain in the Bulgarian history among the most heroic towns in Bulgaria. Tragic was the fate of this small sub-mountain town which was completely burnt down. In the course of 6 long days people from Klissura fought for life and on the seventh day over 400 of them were killed, and all the houses, the two schools and the church were burnt down. Tsana Kozinarova’s heroism occupies a special place in the national memory. She threw herself in a draw-well along with her four young children in order to save her dignity and not to be violated.
The fresco composition “Klissura is burning”, which is exposed in the Town History Museum, immortalizes the heroism of Tsana Kozinarova and the other residents of Klissura who were burnt down in the flames of the uprising. Among the victims of the April Uprising was Ivan Tankov – “Borimechkata” (The bear fighter), glorified by Ivan Vazov in his epochal novel “Under the Yoke”.
In the open exposition “Zli Dol” (“Evil Glen”) the renowned “battery” of cherry-trees cannons could be seen. They were used by the rebels from Klissura to defend the town in the April days of the memorable 1876. Exactly here cultural and educational life in Klissura was concentrated and the organization of the April Uprising was prepared.
The remains of the burnt “Old church” remind the visitors of the events which occurred behind its stone walls. The church was the centre of cultural history life in Klissura where the April Uprising was organized and the first signal proclaiming the beginning of the Uprising from the bell tower was given on the historical 20th April, 1876, only 2 hours later after it was announced in Koprivshtitsa. At the same sacred place, the Apostle Panayot Volov and the rebels he led inaugurated their flag before heading to the battle positions at “Evil Glen”. The remains of the people from Klissura who perished during the April Epopee are kept in the basement of the chapel near the church.
The bell which proclaimed the beginning of the Uprising is kept in the Town History Museum in Klissura as an exceptionally valuable exhibit.