Vratsa

Beneath the sheer cliffs of the Leva River gorge, Vratsa grew at the foot of the western Balkan Mountains. The mountains held deposits of copper, lead, silver and gold, and the town became known for the skill of its metalworkers. Its goldsmiths fashioned jewelry and church objects, while vineyards and farms spread through the surrounding country.

Under Ottoman rule Vratsa's craftsmen and merchants supplied markets far beyond the town. Goldsmiths worked precious metals into crosses, book covers and other objects, while households raised silkworms and produced silk. Local notables built substantial towers in the 16th and 17th centuries, visible signs of the wealth and insecurity of their age. The town's trades included clothmaking and leatherworking, with goods reaching such distant cities as Bucharest, Vienna and Constantinople.