Osikovo, Blagoevgrad Province Explained

Official Name:Osikovo
Native Name:Осиково
Settlement Type:Village
Pushpin Map:Bulgaria
Pushpin Label Position:Location in Bulgaria
Subdivision Name:Bulgaria
Subdivision Type1:Province
Subdivision Name1:Blagoevgrad Province
Subdivision Type2:Municipality
Subdivision Name2:Garmen
Leader Title:Mayor
Leader Name:Fikret Bayramov
Leader Party:GERB
Area Total Km2:57.475
Population As Of:15 December 2011[1]
Population Note:GRAO
Population Total:500
Timezone:EET
Utc Offset:+2
Timezone Dst:EEST
Utc Offset Dst:+3
Postal Code Type:Postal Code
Postal Code:2965
Area Code:07533
Coordinates:41.7°N 70°W
Elevation M:1000

Osikovo is a mountainous village in Garmen Municipality, in Blagoevgrad Province, Bulgaria. It is situated in the Dabrash part of the Rhodope Mountains, 11 kilometers north-northwest of Garmen and 66 kilometers southeast of Blagoevgrad.

The village is mentioned in old Ottoman documents from 1636 as "a village with 65 non-Muslim households".[2] In 1900, Osikovo was described as a mixed village with 464 Bulgarian-Christian and 240 Bulgarian-Muslim people.[3] There is an old church "St Demetrius" (Bulgarian: Свети Димитър,), built in 1846 and an artistic monument of culture of local significance.[4]

Nowadays, Osikovo is a pomak village with no industrial subjects. People grow tobacco or go to work in other settlements or abroad. The village lies on the asphalt road between Ognyanovo, Blagoevgrad Province and Ribnovo after the village of Skrebatno, 15 kilometers from Ognyanovo. There are no health care or educational institutions in the village.

Osikovo Ridge on Graham Land, Antarctica is named after the village.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Таблица на населението по постоянен и настоящ адрес област БЛАГОЕВГРАД община БАНСКО. 16 April 2023. grao.bg. bg. 15 December 2015.
  2. Book: Горозданова , Елена . Архивите говорят No. 13 – Турски извори за българската история . 2001 . Главно управление на архивите при МС . София . 954-9800-14-8 . 41.
  3. Book: Кънчов , Васил . Македония. Етнография и статистика . 1900 . II . 1996 . Проф. М. Дринов . София . bg. 195 . Неврокопска Каза . http://www.promacedonia.org/vk/vk_2_21.htm.
  4. Web site: Other Landmarks . 2012-02-07 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120426071500/http://www.nicopolisadnestum.eu/drugi_en.php . 2012-04-26 . dead .