Ruse

Ruse (rʊ'sĕ), city (1993 pop. 170,209), NE Bulgaria, on the Danube River bordering Romania. The chief river port of Bulgaria, it is also an industrial and communications center. It has shipyards, a petroleum refinery, and varied manufactures, including chemicals, dyes, varnishes, heavy machinery, computer hardware, foodstuffs, and textiles. Ruse is the seat of an Eastern Orthodox metropolitan and of a Roman Catholic bishop. Founded (2d cent. B.C.) as Prista, it became a Roman naval station. Under Turkish rule (15th-19th cent.) Ruse, known as Ruschuk, served as a military base. Elias Canetti was born there. The city has a polytechnic institute and is noted for its old churches and mosques.