Rousse - City of Bulgaria

Rousse is a city on the south bank of the Danube river, in the north-eastern Bulgarian county of Ruse. It is the most significant Bulgarian river port, serving an important part of the international trade of the country.

Rousse is known for its 19th- and 20th-century Neo-Baroque and Neo-Rococo architecture, which attracts many tourists. The Rousse-Giurgiu Friendship Bridge, the only one in the shared Bulgarian-Romanian section of the Danube, crosses the river nearby.

After it was liberated from the Ottoman Empire on 20 February 1878, Rousse was one of the key cultural and economic centres of the country and the seat of Bulgarian shipping. Intensive building during the period changed the city's architectural appearance to a typical Central European one. That was also a time for a number of firsts for Bulgaria centred on Rousse, including the first private bank , insurance company, chamber of commerce, filmshow, metal ship, and weather station.

All facades on main streets of Russe shall have rich decorations with plastic stone, postulate the Regulations for Constructions of Private Buildings of 1893, issued by the Municipality of Russe.

Today, Rousse is a large Bulgarian city, with a population over 170,000, and is one of the basic cultural and economic centres of northern Bulgaria. The country's accession to the European Union is expected to bring local benefit through new investments and opportunities for international business.

Approximately 15 km southeast of Rousse is the village of Shtraklevo, near which is the former military Rousse Airport . Plans exist to redevelop and reopen the airport by 2008–09 for internal, charter, and cargo flights. The runway is long enough for Boeing 747s .

Noted for its rich culture, Rousse hosts a philharmonic orchestra and the Rousse State Opera. The city is particularly famous for its Baroque and Rococo architecture.