October 25, 1930 — King Boris III Marries Princess Giovanna of Savoy in Assisi
Bulgarian King Boris III married Princess Giovanna of Savoy, daughter of Italy’s King Victor Emmanuel III, in a Catholic ceremony in Assisi. The marriage carried personal, dynastic, religious, and diplomatic significance. Bulgaria was a predominantly Orthodox country, while Giovanna came from the Catholic House of Savoy, so the question of rite, dynasty, and the future faith of royal children mattered greatly. Giovanna later became Queen Joanna of Bulgaria and was warmly received in Sofia. The wedding linked Bulgaria symbolically with one of Europe’s major royal houses, but it also revealed the complicated place of monarchy in interwar politics. Only days later, the couple would take part in an Orthodox ceremony in Sofia, giving the marriage a distinctly Bulgarian public form.
October 25, 1966 — Unit One of Maritsa East 2 Goes into Operation
Unit One of Maritsa East 2 Thermal Power Plant went into operation near Kovachevo in southeastern Bulgaria. The plant became the largest thermal power facility in the country and a central part of the Maritsa East energy complex, built around lignite coal deposits. Its launch reflected the socialist period’s commitment to heavy industry, electrification, and large infrastructure projects. Energy production from Maritsa East 2 powered factories, towns, railways, and households, helping sustain Bulgaria’s industrial expansion. At the same time, the plant later became part of difficult debates over air pollution, coal dependence, energy security, and the transition to cleaner power. The first unit’s start in 1966 therefore marks both a major technical achievement and the beginning of a long environmental and economic story.
Continue with October 24 or October 26. For more stories and places, explore Bulgaria From Above and the guides in our Bulgaria category on Bronicable.
