Blagoevgrad
Occupying a significant part of south-western Bulgaria, and forming one of the major educational centres south of the capital, the province of Blagoevgrad is carved by the Blagoevgradska Bistritsa River, and incorporates Rila and Pirin, the country's largest mountain massifs. The municipality of Blagoevgrad includes the South-West University and American University, both of them ranking among the best academic institutions outside Sofia. Historically, the area was first inhabited by the Thracians, later operated as an arm of the Roman Empire, was a strategic place during the Ottoman rule, and is still a disputed territory among several Macedonian nationalistic circuits. During the 19th Century, in the years preceding the Independence War, the province provided grounds for the activities of the Bulgarian National Revival, and served a vital purpose during the Balkan War. The name Blagoevgrad can be traced back to the Communist era and the party's founder, Dimitar Blagoev.