 Although it formally remained a village until proclaimed a town on 31 August 1950, Mezdra acquired the appearance of a small town through the work of architects who studied in Western Europe and established the Western European style in the village.Today, Mezdra is a town of approximately 10,896 residents and serves as a vital rail link between Sofia and northern/western regions of Bulgaria (including the Sofia-Varna route, linking the capital with Bulgaria's 3rd largest city and popular Black Sea destination).Industries include stone cutting, brickmaking and beer production.