Karlovo is a successor of the medieval fortress of Kopsis, a feudal possession of Smilets of Bulgaria in the 13th-14th century and the likely capital of his brother despot?s Voysil's short-lived realm. The modern town originated in 1483 at the place of the village of Sushitsa (still today Sushitsa is one of Karlovo's districts), but grew in importance in the 19th century as a centre of Bulgarian culture and revolutionary activity.From 1953 until 1962, the city was called
