Ivaylovgrad

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Ivaylovgrad is a town in southern Bulgaria, in Haskovo Province, near the Arda River at the eastern edge of the Rhodope Mountains. It is the administrative center of Ivaylovgrad Municipality and sits about two miles from the Greek border.

The area has ancient roots. In the 9th–10th centuries, Lyutitsa was a bishop’s center on the site. A fortress there was noted by John VI Kantakouzenos in the 1340s. The town was destroyed by the Ottoman Turks in the 14th–15th centuries and later became Ortaköy, a local center under Ottoman rule in Edirne Province. After Bulgaria’s liberation in 1878 and unification in 1886, the town remained under Ottoman control until the Balkan Wars, suffering from raider attacks.

Landmarks nearby include the Ivaylovgrad Reservoir, the Roman Villa Armira (2nd–3rd century), the Lyutitsa fortress, the 16th-century Aterenski Bridge, several Thracian sites, and 19th-century churches.

As of September 2022, Ivaylovgrad has about 3,132 residents. The town lies 104 meters above sea level. Time zone is EET (UTC+2) and EEST (UTC+3) in summer. Postal code 6570 and area code 03661.