Knezha
{{Infobox settlement
| official_name = Knezha
| native_name = Кнежа
| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = Bulgaria
| subdivision_type1 = Province
(Oblast)
| timezone = EET
| utc_offset = +2
| timezone_DST = EEST
| utc_offset_DST = +3
| map_caption = Location of Knezha|
| image_skyline = Knezha1TB.jpg|
| pushpin_map = Bulgaria
| pushpin_label_position =
| pushpin_map_caption = Location of Knezha
| pushpin_mapsize =
| leader_title = Mayor
| postal_code_type = Postal Code|
| subdivision_name1 = Pleven
| population_total = 10,490
| population_as_of = 2020
| elevation_m = 136
| postal_code = 5835
| area_code = 09132
| coordinates = {{coord|43|30|N|24|5|E|region:BG|display=inline,title}}
| leader_name = Iliycho Lachovski|
}}
Knezha ({{langx|bg|Кнежа}}, {{IPA|bg|knɛˈʒa|pron}}) is a town in Pleven Province, Northern Bulgaria. It is the administrative center of the homonymous Knezha Municipality.
History
The town's name is most probably derived from the Slavic word knyaz ("prince, duke"), most likely after a local ruler that defended the population in the area during the Ottoman rule of Bulgaria. Knezha is the third-largest town in the province, after Pleven and Cherven Bryag, and is the administrative centre of a municipality. The town was located in Vratsa province until 2001, when a boundary change shifted the town into Pleven province.
A local landmark is the {{convert|17|m|ft|adj=on}} steel Christian cross constructed on a hill overlooking the town. The cross' construction was financed entirely by donations. It has luminescent lighting bodies attached to it and is illuminated in blue at night.{{cite news|url=http://www.pravoslavie.bg/content/view/10299/198/ |title=Силата на кръста да пази от градушки... |last=Диковски |first=Цветан |date=2008-10-15 |publisher=Pravoslavie.bg |language=bg |access-date=2008-10-18 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081017125024/http://www.pravoslavie.bg/content/view/10299/198/ |archive-date=2008-10-17 }} The cross is similar to the larger Millennium Cross above Skopje. Knezha also has a historical museum and an amateur theatre performing in the local community centre (chitalishte). The Institute on Maize of the Agricultural Academy is based in Knezha; it was founded in 1924.
Notable people
Notable natives include weightlifter and Sydney 2000 Olympic gold medalist Galabin Boevski (b. 1974), Bulgaria international footballer Valentin Iliev (b. 1980), and Bulgarian Army general and long-time Chairman of the National Assembly of Bulgaria Ferdinand Kozovski (1892–1965).
Gallery
File:Knezha2TB.jpg
File:Knezha3TB.jpg
File:Knezha4TB.jpg
Climate
Knezha has a continental climate (Dfb) with hot summers and cold winters, and relatively large temperature variations.
|location = Knezha, Bulgaria(1970-2004)
|single line = Yes
|metric first = Yes
|Jan record high C = 20
|Feb record high C = 20.8
|Mar record high C = 35.7
|Apr record high C = 32
|May record high C = 36.5
|Jun record high C = 38.2
|Jul record high C = 41.2
|Aug record high C = 42.7
|Sep record high C = 41.6
|Oct record high C = 37.4
|Nov record high C = 27.9
|Dec record high C = 21.6
|year record high C = 42.7
|Jan high C = 2.5
|Feb high C = 5.5
|Mar high C = 11.5
|Apr high C = 17.8
|May high C = 23.7
|Jun high C = 27.0
|Jul high C = 29.4
|Aug high C = 29.5
|Sep high C = 24.1
|Oct high C = 17.9
|Nov high C = 9.7
|Dec high C = 4.1
|year high C = 16.9
|Jan mean C = -1.3
|Feb mean C = 0.8
|Mar mean C = 6.2
|Apr mean C = 12.0
|May mean C = 17.6
|Jun mean C = 20.8
|Jul mean C = 23.2
|Aug mean C = 23.3
|Sep mean C = 18.2
|Oct mean C = 12.7
|Nov mean C = 5.4
|Dec mean C = 0.2
|year mean C = 11.6
|Jan low C = -5.1
|Feb low C = -4.0
|Mar low C = 0.8
|Apr low C = 6.2
|May low C = 11.5
|Jun low C = 14.6
|Jul low C = 16.8
|Aug low C = 16.9
|Sep low C = 12.3
|Oct low C = 7.5
|Nov low C = 1.1
|Dec low C = -3.7
|year low C = 6.3
|Jan record low C = -35.5
|Feb record low C = -32
|Mar record low C = -30.2
|Apr record low C = -7.5
|May record low C = -1.5
|Jun record low C = 6.3
|Jul record low C = 9.5
|Aug record low C = 8.8
|Sep record low C = -2.7
|Oct record low C = -7.4
|Nov record low C = -15.4
|Dec record low C = -28.2
|year record low C = -35.5
|Jan precipitation mm = 33
|Feb precipitation mm = 25
|Mar precipitation mm = 41
|Apr precipitation mm = 55
|May precipitation mm = 64
|Jun precipitation mm = 72
|Jul precipitation mm = 60
|Aug precipitation mm = 42
|Sep precipitation mm = 45
|Oct precipitation mm = 40
|Nov precipitation mm = 43
|Dec precipitation mm = 38
|year precipitation mm = 557
{{cite web
|url =http://www.stringmeteo.com/synop/bg_climate.php#15520 |title =Stringmeteo - Knezha Climate
|publisher=Stringmeteo
|year=2011
}}
Retrieved on June 21, 2013.
|date=June 2012
}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://kneja.acstre.com/ Knezha municipality website] {{in lang|bg}}
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20060523231306/http://www.ock.hit.bg/ Website of the Eastern Orthodox Church of the Holy Trinity in Knezha]
- [http://obc-knezha.worthyofpraise.org/ Website of the Evangelical Church “Christians” in Knezha]
{{Pleven Province}}
{{Cities in Bulgaria}}
{{Authority control}}