c. Kiustendil. Municipality Kiustendil. State Kiustendil.
The town of Kyustendil is known as a balneological resort for 25 centuries and also called “the town of springs”. The millennial history of the town is closely connected with its healing mineral waters. In ancient Roman times Kyustendil had been known as Ulpia Pautalia health resort. The ancient Romans highly appreciated the natural healing factors – sun, mineral waters, therapeutic mud, and built here the largest Asclepion in the Balkans with the area of 3,600 sq. m. – a place for health treatment, rest and entertainment of thousands of Roman warriors tired of the prolonged battles. Today, the warm mineral waters are the main healing factor which makes Kyustendil famous as a health resort of national importance.
The mineral water has the temperature of 74 Ñ. It is determined as hydrocarbonate-sulphate-sodium, sulfide, fluoric and silicon, slightly radioactive, with alkaline reaction. The water is suitable for internal and external balneotreatment. For internal use, a doctor’s consultation is advised.
Kyustendil stands on 86 km southwest from Sofia /about 90 minutes drive from the Sofia airport/; 23 km west from the border with the Republic of Macedonia); 30 km from the border with the Republic of Serbia. The spa resort is situated 527 m above the sea level, at the foot of the Osogovska mountain. The climate of the resort is mild, moderately continental, with Mediterranean influence. The average annual air temperature is 11 Ñ. The summer is long and hot while the winter is relatively short and not very cold.
Natural and cultural sights in Kyustendil are the Natural Park Hisarlaka, the Art Gallery “Vladimir Dimitrov-The Master”, the Museum of Dimitar Peshev, the Asclepion of Pautalia (II-III century), the Pirgova tower (XVI-XVII century), the waterfall of Skakavitsa. Remarkable events in the annual cultural calendar ot Kyustendil are “The Spring of Kyustendil” in March and “Cherry Holidays” in June.