Dimitar Sveshtarov

Dimitar Sveshtarov (1851-1900) was a Bulgarian politician and mayor of Plovdiv in 1890-1893. Born in Plovdiv, he worked in the local Ottoman administration until 1878. Together with his brother Petar he ran a candle-making workshop, and both joined the city's revolutionary committee. During the April Uprising they tried, with Kocho Chistemenski, to signal revolt by setting fire to their shops, but were arrested; Sveshtarov was exiled to Diyarbakir and escaped after five months. After the Berlin Congress he joined the Unity committee, took part in the Unification and volunteered in the Serbo-Bulgarian War, later serving as city councillor and member of parliament. His name is associated with completing Plovdiv's new municipal water pipeline during his mayoral term.