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Harmanli (Bulgarian: Õàðìàíëè) is a town in south-easternBulgaria. Its population is about 22,000. Harmanli came into being in about 1510 along the road that connects Central Europe and Anatolia. Harmanli is the main town of Harmanli municipality. Its territory spreads over some parts of the Upper Thracian Lowlands between the oblique south slopes of the Sredna Gora and precipitous north slopes of the Rhodope Mountains. The south boundary of theThracian lowlands is outlined by the north Rhodope foot, along which it leans close on the north Rhodopes, between the lower end of the Momina Klisura defile (at 300 m elevation) and the beginning of the Harmanli defile (at 80 m elevation). The Maritsa River flows near the city. The climate of the area is temperate continental, which determines the variety of the vegetative types, some of which pertain to the evergreen groups (south of Harmanli). The soils are mainly maroon and woody. It is located 270 km from the capital Sofia. The first historical records of it date back to 1530. They belong to the Slovene Benedit Kuripešič, who would sojourn there as an interpreter in his mission. Skillful masters built a solid caravansary on the right bank of the Harmanli river (then Oludere). Bulgarian municipalities were charged with some fiscal, administrative and other functions in 1834. The written rules, called 'Instructions for mayors, masters and village criers,' which were a herald of the first Bulgarian Act of local self-government, are of interest. Historic fountain was built at the White-legged Girl's Spring (Ak baldır çeşmesi), half an hour way from the bridge. The legend about Guergana, eternalized in the beautiful poem by Petko Slaveikov. Another legend relating that boyar Valkashin orVukasin, father of the legendaryKrali Marko, was killed near this spring fighting the Ottoman sultan Murad. Although the fountain is an object of local lore disputes, even if it is a fiction story, it is an emblem of Harmanli.