The town of Lom (27 897 inhabitants, 50 metres above sea level) is situated on the right bank (the Bulgarian one) of the Danube River, at its estuary with the Lom river. It is 162 km north of Sofia, 56 km southeast of Vidin, 49 km north of Montana and 42 km west of Kozlodoui. It is the second most important port on the Danube after Rousse.
History: It was founded by the Thracians under the name of Artanes. After them the Romans called the fortress and the town Almus, from where the name of the today’s town and of the Lom River comes. There are no reports proving that there existed a big settlement in the Middle Ages. It was not until Turkish rule when it enlarged but for a long time it was under the shadow of the dominant towns of Vidin, Nikopol and Silistra. It is assumed that the Turkish village was founded in 1695 by Kara Mustafa and Murad Bei who were defeated at Vienna in 1683 and who came here sailing rafts along the Danube River.
The name Lom Palanka was mentioned for a first time in 1704. The settlement then called “palanka” was something between a village and a town in size and importance. In 1798 Lom was suffered by the kurdzhalii (Turkish brigands). With the development of shipping along the Danube after 1830 the importance of the town grew. The road to Sofia contributed to its progress and turned it into a main export port to Vienna (Austria). By 1869 there were 120 shops, 148 trade offices, 175 food shops, 34 coffee bars, 6 hotels, 2 mills. The town was centred around the old Kale (fortress), which was entered through three kapii (gates) - Vidinska, Belogradchishka, Sofiiska. The tradesmen from Lom offered goods at the biggest fairs in the region and beyond. In 1880 there were 7500 inhabitants in the town.
Lom is proud of its traditions from the period of the national Revival. In 1856 the first community centre in Bulgaria was founded there, the first women’s society in this country was founded here (1858) and one of the first theatre performances took place in the town. Krustyu Pishurka, an educator worked here.
Landmarks: The Town Museum of History (tel.: 0971 2466 is housed in the interesting building of the old town-hall. The foundations of the antique fortress Almus are preserved. The oldest community centre in this country - “Postoianstvo”. The building of the former School of Pedagogy. The Borunska Church. The monument of Tseko Voivoda (1807 -1881) - a participant in the battles for liberation from Serbia and pronounced by its government to be a voivoda (revolutionary leader).
Accomodation: At The Dounav Hotel.
Tourist information: - at the hotel and at the Asparuchov Hulm Tourist Association (5, Nikola Chukov Str., 3600 Lom, tel.: 0971 24194, 24586).
Transport: Two types of transport connect it to the rest of the world - bus and railway transport. There are bus lines to Vidin, Kozlodoui, Montana as well as to other smaller settlements in the region. The bus station telephone is 0971 22093. The town is a last stop on the railway line Brusartsi-Lom, through which it is connected with the national railway system. The railway station telephone is 0971 22485. There is a river port, too (tel.: 0971 22057), but so far there is no regular transport provided from Bulgaria.
