The town of Pleven is located in the central part of the Danubian plain, past the Vit river. It has 113 382 inhabitants. The town is situated at a distance of 174 km to the north – east of Sofia, at the distance of 35 km. to the north of Lovech, at the distance of 55 km to the south – east of Nikopol, at the distance of 146 km to the south – west of Rousse. The town is a regional center.

Quick facts about City of Pleven
In Bulgarian Alphabets: Плевен
Location: North-Central Bulgaria
Distance to capital city: 134 km from Sofia
Latitude: 43.417 N
Longitude: 24.617 E
Altitude: 50 - 99 m above the sea level
Province: Pleven District
Municipality: Pleven Municipality
Area size of City of Pleven: 85.087 sq km
Population: 113 382 inhabitants (to 01/01/2007)
Post code (ZIP): 5800
Phone code: 064 from Bulgaria; 003564 from outside.

Landmarks
Most of the landmarks are related to the Russo – Turkish war of Liberation. About 200 monuments remind to the generations about the most sanguinary battles, which took place here. There is a Mausoleum – Ossuary dedicated to the Russian and Romanian soldiers killed during the war in the center of the town – 5 Vazrajdane Square (00359 64/30 033). The Museum of Liberation of Pleven stands not far from it. Another landmark is the Panorama “Pleven Epopee 1877”. It is situated at the top of the hill. Created in honour of the 100th anniversary of the Pleven Epopee, by analogy with the Borodin Panorama in Moscow.

A Monument to Victory raises on the high hill past the Vit river. You also can visit the Town Museum of History. It is situated not far from the center. It was erected in honor of the local citizens died in the Serbian – Bulgarian war in 1885. The unique of its kind park of Kailuka, is situated in the immediate proximity of the town on the south in the valley of the Tuchenitsa river.

Surrounding areas
The village of Grivnitsa is situated at a distance of 6 km. east of the town. During the war of Liberation the population of the village and the region took active participation. A mausoleum in memory of the killed Romenian soldiers can be seen there. It is located among a spacious park with a lot of monuments. One can reach it from the town by train or bus.
The town of Pordim is situated at the distance of 21 km. to the east of Pleven. The General Headquarters of the Russian army and of Emperor Alexander the 2 th was located here during the war of Liberation. There is another museum – “Rumanian soldier 1877 – 1878”.
A green zone was built up around Pleven about 25 thousand decares, involving the parks of: “Kailuka”, “General Lavrov”, “General Genetski” and others. There are three lakes in its surroundings. They are a favorite place for recreation, water motor sports, water tourism and fishing.

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The most remarkable attraction in the town of Pleven is the Panorama - Pleven Epopee 1877. Pleven became internationally famous with the five-month battles for its liberation during the Russian-Turkish war 1877-1878. The Pleven Epopee Panorama depicts these events combining painting and plastics. The interior was dexterously painted by a team of eleven Russian and two Bulgarian artists. As a monument it is the only one of its kind in Bulgaria, and recreates the events of the town siege and the defeat of the Turkish army in three-dimensional form. The Panorama was officially unveiled on 10 December 1977. Everything there is very realistic and wherever you stand, you will feel as if you're in the center of the battlefield.

Storgozia Fortress - The town of Pleven has a rich history, created by different tribes and nations, which occupied its territory and surrounding areas. The numerous archeological finds dating back the Bronze and Iron Age prove that these lands were already inhabited during antiquity. Interesting landmark is the Storgozia fortress, built in late antiquity (4th-6th c.) by the Romans, on an area of 31 decares. The remains of this fortress nowadays are found in the Kaylaka park near Pleven. There were a lot of settlements in Kaylaka, dating from the Bronze and the Iron ages. Preserved and restored are: the fortification system, early-Christian basilica and choreum. The basilica with dimensions 45 by 22 meters is three-nave, three-abscind, and with a colonnade on the south side.

Natural history museum Pleven - A hot sea, called Venna's basin existed part of the Neogene in Central and Southeastern Europe. A great variety of algae, mollusks, Echinodermats and others organisms lived in its pure and hot waters. The sea offered a perfect habitat even for corals, which left uncountable fossils near Pleven. The rich species variety is specified in the work of Ph. D. Koundjieva’s, a scientist from Geological institute in BAS and is represented in the Museum of Paleontology and Historical Geology in Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski” huge fossil collection. The fossils near Vienna are well studied. The paleontological treasure of the sea included more then 1000 fossilized species of mussels and snails, recognized by scientist from Vienna. That is why the basin is called Vienna's, even though it covered a vast territories. In Bulgaria it’s sediments can be found near Vidin, Vratsa and Pleven. The fossil sites near Pleven are under the protection of the law and are regarded as nationally important landmark. Up to the east, the sea reached the Caspian region, Kavkas and Crimean peninsula. The sea branch in these territories is characterized with less saltiness, because full-flowing rivers from the Russian plain infused their waters in it. The collection in the Pleven’s Paleontology Museum represents well, numerous species from that geological period. The samples are gathered by students and scientists. It also includes precious mammal fossils from Pliocene and Pleistocene (from bears, elephants). The Pleistocene flora is presented with enviously well preserved variety.