- published: 05 Dec 2013
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Dupnitsa (Bulgarian: Дупница, (previously Дубница) sometimes transliterated Dupnica) is a town in western Bulgaria. It is located at the foot of Rila, about 65 km south of the capital Sofia. Dupnitsa is the second largest city in Kyustendil Province. In the first half of the 20th century Dupnitsa was bigger than the current administrative centre Kyustendil.
Dupnitsa is also referred to as "The Green and Shady Town", because of its location which makes it quite shady in summer and due to the abundance of trees in the town. One of the interesting things about Dupnitsa is that it's often called "The Little Italy of Bulgaria". This nickname comes from the fact that many inhabitants have gone over the years to work and live in Italy and every summer they return to their hometown. Another reason for this name is that Dupnitsa is the town with the most used-car lots in the country and they are mainly shipped in from Italy.
The town has existed since Antiquity. The names Tobinitsa, Doupla and Dubnitsa are mentioned throughout history, the last one surviving until the Liberation of Bulgaria, when the official name was changed to Dupnitsa. In 1948 the town was renamed to Stanke Dimitrov; for a short period in 1949 was called Marek, but the name was once again changed to Stanke Dimitrov in 1950. After the democratic changes, the old name Dupnitsa was restored.