Plovdiv is the second largest city situated in Bulgaria, just next to the city of Sofia. Plovdiv is one of the oldest cities in Europe. It lies within the big plain between the Rhodope Mountains and Old Mountains or the Balkan Range, which runs through the middle of Bulgaria. Plovdiv is the administrative center of three municipalities, namely Maritsa, Rodopi, and Plovdiv, and the southern part of Bulgaria. In addition, this city is the most significant and the largest city on the Northern Thrace. It also includes the wider global historical region of Thrace. Plovdiv is a significant educational, cultural, transport, and economic center.Keep reading
During the olden days, Plovdiv was originally a Thracian settlement before becoming a major city ruled by the Romans and Greeks. During the middle ages, Plovdiv retained its intentional regional significance; changing hands between Bulgarian and Byzantine Empires. The city was under the Ottoman rule during the fourteenth century. In 1878, Plovdiv was made the capital of the independent Ottoman region of Eastern Rumelia.
Landmarks
The city of Plovdiv is a prime cultural center. It has more than 150 archaeological sites. About 20 of the 150 archeological sites have national significance. There are numerous remains from ancient times. For instance, Plovdiv is among the cities with two ancient theaters that are marked as remains of the medieval towers and walls. Ottoman mosques and baths are well-preserved. There is also an old quarter, showcasing beautiful churches, houses, and narrow paved streets, which survived from the National Revival period. There are many cultural institutes, museums, and art galleries. Plovdiv also hosts film, musical, and theater events.
Plovdiv is the starting point for excursion trips to several sites in the region, including the ski-resort of Pamporovo, which is 90 kilometers to the south, the Bachkovo Monastery, about 30 kilometers to the south, and the spa resorts of Krasnovo, Strelcha, Banya, and Hiserya. There are also more than 40 hotels with a total of 6,500 beds in the area. Moreover, there are numerous motels, hostels, and other forms of lodging in Plovdiv.
Antique City
The attractive Antique Theater is one of Bulgaria’s most famous monuments from antiquity. The theater was constructed in the early second century throughout the period of Roman Emperor Trajan. This theater is located in a natural saddle between Taksim Tepe and Dzhambaz Tepe Hills. The Antique Theater is separated into two parts, with about 14 rows each, which are separated from each other with a horizontal line. It can accommodate more than 3,000 people. It also has a three-storey scene, which is situated on the southern part of the theater, and is decorated with statues, friezes, and cornices. The Antique Theater was restored, studied, and conserved between the years 1968 and 1984. Several events are still celebrated in the venue, such as the International Folklore Festival and the Verdi Festival.
The Roman Stadium is also a significant monument in this ancient city. The stadium is located between Sahat Tepe and Three Hills in modern Dzhumaya Square. This Roman Stadium was constructed in mid-second century and designed after the beautiful stadium in Delphi.
Tourist Attractions
The Old Town of the city is a historic preservation site famous for its Bulgarian Rienaissance architectural style. It covers an area of three central hills, including Taksim Tepe, Nebet Tepe and Dzhambaz Tepe. About every house in Old Town has its own interior and exterior characteristics that distinguish it from the other houses in the area.
The Archaeological Museum is the People’s Museum of Eastern Rumelia, which was built in 1882. During the year 1928, the Archaeological Museum was moved to the nineteenth-century edifice in Saedinenie Square, which was built by Josef Schnitter, a popular Plovdiv architect. This museum contains rich collections of Thracian art. It has three sections, including Antiquity, Middle, and Prehistoric Ages, which contain valuable artifacts from the Paleolithic Era to the beginning of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries or the Ottoman period. The popular Panagyurishte treasure is also part of the Archaeological Museum’s collection.
The Natural Science Museum was established in the year 1955 in an old structure, which was constructed in 1880, in the city’s municipality. The museum is one of the most significant museums in Bulgaria and has rich collections in its Botany, Paleontology, and Mineralogy sections. There are also numerous rooms for wildlife and it houses Bulgaria’s biggest freshwater aquarium, which contains more than 30 species of fish. The Museum of Natural Science also contains collections of minerals from the Rhodope Mountains.
The Historical Museum was founded in 1951 as a cultural and scientific institute for researching, collecting, and saving historical evidence about Plovdiv during the sixteenth up to the twentieth century. The exhibition is located in three buildings.
The Aviation Museum was opened in September of 1991 in the vicinity of the Krumovo airbase. It is about 12 kilometers to the southeast of Plovdiv and possesses more than 45 aircrafts and outdoor and indoor exhibitions.
The Regional Ethnographic Museum of Plovdiv was opened in 1917. In October 1943, the museum was moved to a house in Old Town and in the year 1949 the Municipal House-museum was distinguished as the People’s Ethnographic Museum. It was renovated in 1962.
Temples, Churches, and Mosques
There are several nineteenth century churches in Plovdiv and most of them, such as the Churches of Saint Helena, Saint Constantine, Saint Nedelya, Saint Marina, Saint Petka, and the Holy Mother of God, follow the construction style of the Eastern Orthodox. There are also several Methodist, Presbyterian, Baptist, Apostolic, and Protestant churches in the city. There are two mosques remaining in Plovdiv from the period of the Ottoman rule.
Economy
Situated in the center of a rich agricultural region since the twentieth century, the city has grown as an industrial center. Brewing, textiles, food processing, and tobacco are the major pillars of the industry. During the period of communist rule, Plovdiv’s economy significantly expanded and was dominated by heavy industry. It now produces zinc and lead, cosmetics, chemicals, motor trucks, electronics, and machinery. After the collapse of communism and Bulgaria’s planned economy in 1989, a number of industrial complexes ceased to exist.
Transportation
By train – There are numerous daily trains that operate from and to Sofia. The time duration is approximately two and a half hours. There is also a train from Istanbul, Turkey that takes roughly about 11 hours.
By bus – Buses operate every hour from Sofia. They are slightly faster compared to trains. There are buses to most principal Bulgarian cities everyday.
By car – The expressway A1 connects Plovdiv westward to Sofia and extends a short distance to the east.