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Kyustendil
is
situated
in
the
southern
part
of
the
Kyustendil
Valley,
90
km
south-west
of
Sofia.
Kyustendil
is a
national
balneological
resort
at
an
altitude
of
500
m.
The
town
has
a
population
of
54
000.
The
ancient
name
of
the
town
Pautalia
(a
town
of
springs)
is
Thracian.
The
fortress
was
built
by
the
Romans.
Therms,
basilicas,
floor
mosaics
have
been
uncovered.
In
the
11th
C.
the
town,
known
as
Velbuzhd,
after
the
name
of
its
heir,
Konstantin
Velbuzhd,
became
a
major
religious
and
administrative
centre.
About
1355
Velbuzhd
and
its
region
were
included
in
the
semi-independent
feudal
Velbuzhd
principality
of
Despot
Deyan.
In
the
15th
C.
the
town
was
called
Kyustendil,
which
means
a
land
of
Konstantin.
In
1372
the
Turks
conquered
the
town.
During
the
Bulgarian
National
Revival
crafts
and
trade
flourished.
There
are
more
than
40
mineral
springs
in
the
town.
The
waters
are
of
considerable
content
of
sulphite
compounds.
These
are
used
for
treatment
of
the
locomotory
system,
gynaecological
and
other
kinds
of
diseases.
The
resort
region
includes
several
baths,
balneological
complexes
and
others.
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