The town of Russe (population: 182 500) is located on the right bank of the Danube river, near to the mouth of Rusenski Lom river.
It is situated 320 km north-east of Sofia, 203 km north-west of Varna and 106 km north-east of Veliko Turnovo.
Russe is an old Bulgarian town with traditions in culture, art and education and with developed industry and trade. The greatest and the most important town on the Danube River, known also as “Little Vienna”, because of its ancient architecture. It is a regional centre.

In 69 – 79 year of the new era, on a part of the territory of the modern town an ancient settlement of Sexaginta Prista came to existence. The roman Emperor Vespasian founded it. The name means “Port of the sixty ships”.
In Medieval times the settlement is one of the most developed and prosperous regions in Bulgaria. During the Ottoman Rule it turned into an important harbor and a strong border fortress. In 16th century the town was called Rossi and in 17th – Rouschouk.
In 19th century Russe is considered the most European Bulgarian town with flourishing economy.
The first Bulgarian newspaper, printed in Bulgaria was published there. In 1866 the building of the first Railway road in Bulgarian lands Russe – Varna was completed. The first navy school and the first weather service were established in the town of Russe. It became a centre of the struggle for spiritual and national liberation. A lot of foreign and Bulgarian celebrated architects, arts and writers did their creative work there.
Nowadays Russe is a big economic, transport, cultural and tourist centre.