Kuklen

Kuklen (Bulgarian: Куклен [ˈkuklɛn]) is a town in southern Bulgaria, part of Plovdiv Province. It is located 7 km to the south of the nearest major city, Plovdiv, and is approximately 140 km south east of the Bulgarian capital, Sofia. Kuklen was proclaimed a town on 23 May 2006, and as of 2005 had a population of 6,877. It is the center of Kuklen Municipality.

Kuklen Куклен
Town
View of Kuklen from the road to the Kuklen Monastery
Coat of arms
Kuklen Kulken in Bulgaria
Coordinates: 42.033°N 24.783°E / 42.033; 24.783
Country	Bulgaria
Province	Plovdiv
Municipality	Kuklen
Government
• Mayor	Maria Belcheva (GP)
Area
• Total	31.524 km2 (12.171 sq mi)
Elevation	393 m (1,289 ft)
Population  (2015)
• Total	6,046
Postal code	4101
Area code	03115
Vehicle registration	РВ

Kuklen is notable for having, despite its low population, not only a majority Bulgarian Orthodox population with several Orthodox churches, but also Muslim residents and a mosque, as well as a Greek Catholic community and a Catholic place of worship, with all three religious communities living on good terms with each other.

Geography

Kuklen is located in the plains of the Rhodopes, 7 km. east of Plovdiv.

Population

The number of permanent residents in Kuklen is 6,881, and 6,000 more are temporary.

As of February 2011, Kuklen has 5,858 residents.

Born in Kuklen

• Recep Küpçü, Bulgarian poet of Turkish origin

The war memorial in Kuklen.

Honor

Kuklen Point on Livingston Island, South Shetland Islands is named after Kuklen.