Plovdiv
Plovdiv (Bulgarian: Пловдив, pronounced ['pɫovdif]) is
the second-largest city in Bulgaria, with a city population of 341,567
as of 2015[update] and 675,586 in the greater metropolitan area. It is
an important economic, transport, cultural, and educational center.
There is evidence of habitation in
Plovdiv
Plovdiv dating back to the 6th
millennium BCE, when the first
Neolithic
Neolithic settlements were established;
it is said to be one of the oldest cities in Europe.[4][5][6]
During most of its recorded history,
Plovdiv
Plovdiv was known in the West by
the name Philippopolis (Greek: Φιλιππούπολις; Turkish:
Filibe; "Philip's Town") after
Philip II of Macedon
Philip II of Macedon conquered the city
in the 4th century BCE. The city was originally a Thracian
settlement[6] and subsequently was invaded by Persians, Greeks, Celts,
Romans, Goths, Huns, Bulgars, Slavs, Rus people, Crusaders, and Turks.
On January 4, 1878,
Plovdiv
Plovdiv was liberated from Ottoman rule by the
Russian army. It remained within the borders of
Bulgaria
Bulgaria until July of
the same year, when it became the capital of the autonomous Ottoman
region of Eastern Rumelia. In 1885,
Plovdiv
Plovdiv and
Eastern Rumelia
.svg/500px-Principality_of_Bulgaria_(1890).svg.png)
Eastern Rumelia joined
Bulgaria.
Plovdiv
Plovdiv is situated in a fertile region of south-central
Bulgaria
Bulgaria on
the two banks of the
Maritsa
Maritsa River. The city has historically
developed on seven syenite hills, some of which are 250 metres (820
feet) high. Because of these hills,
Plovdiv
Plovdiv is often referred to in
Bulgaria
Bulgaria as "The
City
City of the Seven Hills".
Plovdiv
Plovdiv is host to a huge variety of cultural events such as the
International Fair Plovdiv, the international theatrical festival "A
stage on a crossroad", the TV festival "The golden chest," and many
more novel festivals, such as Night/
Plovdiv
Plovdiv in September, Kapana Fest,
and Opera Open. There are many preserved ruins such as the ancient
Plovdiv
Plovdiv Roman theatre, a Roman odeon, a Roman aqueduct, the Plovdiv
Roman Stadium, the archaeological complex Eirene, and others.
The oldest American educational institution outside the United States,
the American College of Sofia, was founded in
Plovdiv
Plovdiv in 1860 and
later moved to Sofia.
On September 5, 2014,
Plovdiv
Plovdiv was selected as the Bulgarian host of
the
European Capital of Culture
European Capital of Culture 2019.[7] This happened with the help
of the Municipal Foundation "
Plovdiv
Plovdiv 2019″, a non-government
organization, which was established in 2011 by Plovdiv's
City
City Council
whose main objectives were to develop and to prepare Plovdiv's bid
book for
European Capital of Culture
European Capital of Culture in 2019.
Contents
1 Name
2 Geography
2.1 Climate
3 History
3.1 Antiquity
3.2 Middle Ages
3.3 Ottoman Rule
3.3.1 National revival
3.4 Eastern Rumelia
3.5 Recent history
4 Population
4.1 Ethnicity and religion
5
City
City government
6 Districts and neighbourhoods
7 Main sights
7.1 Roman City
7.2 Museums and protected sites
7.3 Churches, mosques and temples
8 Culture
8.1 Theatre and music
8.2 Literature
8.3 Arts
8.4 European Capital of Culture
9 Economy
9.1 Economic Indicators
9.2 Industry
9.3 Shopping and commerce
10 Transport
11 Education
12 Sports and recreation
13 Notable citizens
14 International relations
14.1 Twin towns – Sister cities
15 Honour
16 Gallery
17 See also
18 References
19 External links
Name[edit]
Ancient settlements with names related to "deva". Pulpudeva denotes
Plovdiv
Plovdiv in which the latter name is rooted.
Map describing the city as "Philippopolis, que et Poneropolis,
Duloupolis, Eumolpiada, item Trimontium, at que Pulpudena"
Plovdiv
Plovdiv was given various names throughout its long history. The
Odrysian
Odrysian capital Odryssa (Greek: ΟΔΡΥΣΣΑ, Latin: ODRYFA) is
suggested to have been modern
Plovdiv
Plovdiv by numismatic research[8][9] or
Odrin.[10] The Greek historian Theopompus[11] mentioned it in the 4th
century BCE as a town named Poneropolis (Greek: ΠΟΝΗΡΟΠΟΛΙΣ
"town of villains") in pejorative relation to the conquest by king
Philip II of Macedon
Philip II of Macedon who is said to have settled the town with 2,000
men who were false-accusers, sycophants, lawyers, and other possible
disreputables.[12] According to Plutarch, the town was named by this
king after he had populated it with a crew of rogues and
vagabonds,[13] but this is possibly a folk name that did not actually
exist.[10] The names Dulon polis (Greek: ΔΟΥΛΩΝ ΠΟΛΙΣ
"slaves' town") and possibly Moichopolis (Greek: ΜΟΙΧΟΠΟΛΙΣ
"adulterer's town") likely have similar origins.[citation needed]
The city has been called Philippopolis (ΦΙΛΙΠΠΟΠΟΛΙΣ
pronounced [pilpopolis]; Greek: Φιλιππούπολη,
Philippoupoli pronounced [filpupoli]) or "the city of Philip",
from Greek Philipos "horselover", most likely in honor of Philip II of
Macedon[14] after his death or in honor of Philip V,[8][15] as this
name was first mentioned in the 2nd century BCE by
Polybius
Polybius in
connection with the campaign of Philip V.[8][15] Philippopolis was
identified later by
Plutarch
Plutarch and Pliny as the former Poneropolis.
Strabo
Strabo identified Philip II's settlement of most "evil, wicked"
(ponerotatus) as Calybe (Kabyle),[16] whereas
Ptolemy
Ptolemy considered the
location of Poneropolis different than the rest.
Kendrisia (Greek: ΚΕΝΔΡΕΙϹΕΙΑ) was an old name of the
city.[6] Its earliest recorded use is on an artifact mentioning that
king Beithys, priest of the Syrian goddess, brought gifts to Kendriso
Apollo;[17] the deity is recorded to be named multiple times after
different cities. Later Roman coins mentioned the name which is
possibly derived from Thracian god Kendriso who is equated with
Appolo,[18] the cedar forests, or from the Thracian tribe artifacts
known as the kendrisi.[6][15] Another assumed name is the 1st century
CE Tiberias in honor of the Roman emperor Tiberius, under whom the
Odrysian
Odrysian Kingdom was a client of Rome.[10] After the
Romans
Romans had taken
control of the area, the city was named in Latin: TRIMONTIUM, meaning
"The Three Hills", and mentioned in the 1st century by Pliny. At times
the name was Ulpia, Flavia, Julia after the Roman families.
Ammianus Marcellinus
.jpg/400px-Bust_of_Constantius_II_(Mary_Harrsch).jpg)
Ammianus Marcellinus wrote in the 4th century CE that the then city
had been the old Eumolpias/Eumolpiada, (Latin: EVMOLPIAS,
EVMOLPIADA),[19] the oldest name chronologically.[10] It was named
after the mythical Thracian king Eumolpos, son of Poseidon[20] or
Jupiter,[21] who may have founded the city around 1200 BCE[22] or 1350
BCE,.[23] It is also possible that it was named after the Vestal
Virgins in the temples - evmolpeya.[6]
In the 6th century CE,
Jordanes
Jordanes wrote that the former name of the city
was Pulpudeva (Latin: PVLPVDEVA) and that
Philip the Arab
Philip the Arab named the
city after himself. This name is most likely a Thracian oral
translation[6] of the other as it kept all consonants of the name
Philip + deva (city). Although the two names sound similar, they may
not share the same origin as
Odrin
Odrin and
Adrianople
Adrianople do, and Pulpudeva
may have predated the other names[24][25] meaning "lake city" in
Thracian.[15] Since the 9th century CE the Slavic name began to appear
as Papaldiv/n Plo(v)div, Pladiv, Pladin, Plapdiv, Plovdin, which
evolved from a Thracian variant Pulpudeva.[26] As a result, the name
has lost any meaning. In British English the Bulgarian variant
Plòvdiv has become prevalent after World War I.[24] The Crusaders
mentioned the city as Prineople, Sinople and Phinepople.[15] The
Ottomans called the city Filibe, a corruption of "Philip", in a
document from 1448.[27]
Geography[edit]
Plovdiv
Plovdiv seen from space
A view around the banks of the Maritsa.
A view of
Plovdiv
Plovdiv with the Balkan mountains in the background.
Plovdiv
Plovdiv is located on the banks of the
Maritsa
Maritsa river, southeast of the
Bulgarian capital Sofia. The city is in the southern part of the Plain
of Plovdiv, an alluvial plain that forms the western portion of the
Upper Thracian Plain. From there, the peaks of the Sredna Gora
mountain range rise to the northwest, the
Chirpan
Chirpan Heights to the east,
and the
Rhodope mountains
Rhodope mountains to the south.[28] Originally, Plovdiv's
development occurred south of Maritsa, with expansion across the river
taking place only within the last 100 years. Modern
Plovdiv
Plovdiv covers an
area of 101 km2 (39 sq mi), less than 0.1% of
Bulgaria's total area. It is the most densely populated city in
Bulgaria, with 3,769 inhabitants per km2.
Inside the city proper are six syenite hills. At the beginning of the
20th century, there were seven syenite hills, but one (Markovo tepe)
was destroyed. Three of them are called the Three Hills (Bulgarian:
Трихълмие Trihalmie), the others are called the
Hill
Hill of the
Youth (Bulgarian: Младежки хълм, Mladezhki halm), the Hill
of the Liberators (Bulgarian: Хълм на
освободителите, Halm na osvoboditelite), and the
Hill
Hill of
Danov (Bulgarian: Данов хълм, Danov halm).[29]
Climate[edit]
Plovdiv
Plovdiv has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen climate
classification Cfa) with considerable humid continental influences.
There are four distinct seasons with large temperature jumps between
seasons.
Summer (mid May to late September) is hot, moderately dry, and sunny
with July and August having an average high of 33 °C
(91 °F).
Plovdiv
Plovdiv sometimes experiences very hot days which are
typical in the interior of the country. Summer nights are mild.
Autumn starts in late September; days are long and relatively warm in
early autumn. The nights become chilly by September. The first frost
usually occurs by November.
Winter is normally cold and snow is common. The average number of days
with snow coverage in
Plovdiv
Plovdiv is 15. The average depth of snow
coverage is 2 to 4 cm (1 to 2 in), and the maximum is
normally 6 to 13 cm (2 to 5 in), but some winters coverage
can reach 70 cm (28 in) or more. The average January
temperature is −0.4 °C (31 °F).
Spring begins in March and is cooler than autumn. The frost season
ends in March. The days are mild and relatively warm in mid spring.
The average relative humidity is 73% and is highest in December at 86%
and lowest in August at 62%. The total precipitation is 540 mm
(21.26 in) and is fairly evenly distributed throughout the year.
The wettest months of the year are May and June, with an average
precipitation of 66.2 mm (2.61 in), and the driest month is
August, with an average precipitation of 31 mm (1.22 in).
Gentle winds (0 to 5 m/s) are predominant in the city with wind
speeds of up to 1 m/s, representing 95% of all winds during the
year. Mists are common in the cooler months, especially along the
banks of the Maritsa. On average there are 33 days with mist
during the year.[30]
Climate data for
Plovdiv
Plovdiv (1952-2017)
Month
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Year
Record high °C (°F)
23.0
(73.4)
24.0
(75.2)
30.0
(86)
34.2
(93.6)
36.0
(96.8)
41.0
(105.8)
45.0
(113)
42.5
(108.5)
37.6
(99.7)
36.8
(98.2)
27.0
(80.6)
22.9
(73.2)
45.0
(113)
Average high °C (°F)
7.0
(44.6)
9.0
(48.2)
14.0
(57.2)
20.4
(68.7)
25.0
(77)
29.0
(84.2)
33.0
(91.4)
32.5
(90.5)
27.0
(80.6)
22.0
(71.6)
13.5
(56.3)
8.0
(46.4)
18.5
(65.3)
Daily mean °C (°F)
0.9
(33.6)
3.2
(37.8)
7.2
(45)
12.3
(54.1)
17.3
(63.1)
21.5
(70.7)
23.9
(75)
23.2
(73.8)
19.0
(66.2)
13.1
(55.6)
6.9
(44.4)
2.3
(36.1)
12.7
(54.9)
Average low °C (°F)
−3.0
(26.6)
−1.5
(29.3)
2.0
(35.6)
8.0
(46.4)
11.0
(51.8)
15.0
(59)
19.0
(66.2)
17.5
(63.5)
12.6
(54.7)
7.6
(45.7)
2.6
(36.7)
−2.5
(27.5)
7.1
(44.8)
Record low °C (°F)
−31.5
(−24.7)
−16.4
(2.5)
−14.4
(6.1)
−4.7
(23.5)
0.0
(32)
4.0
(39.2)
5.0
(41)
8.0
(46.4)
1.0
(33.8)
−10.2
(13.6)
−9.8
(14.4)
−19.0
(−2.2)
−31.5
(−24.7)
Average precipitation mm (inches)
27
(1.06)
34
(1.34)
37
(1.46)
41
(1.61)
77
(3.03)
57
(2.24)
39
(1.54)
43
(1.69)
35
(1.38)
37
(1.46)
36
(1.42)
39
(1.54)
502
(19.76)
Average precipitation days
4.8
5.1
5.8
4.7
6.5
6.2
3.8
3.1
3.1
3.9
5.8
6.2
60.7
Average relative humidity (%)
76
67
60
53
53
50
45
46
48
59
69
76
59
Mean monthly sunshine hours
94
110
170
200
252
281
328
315
230
162
120
77
2,339
Source #1: Climatebase.ru
Source #2:
Danish Meteorological Institute (sun and relative
humidity),[31]
History[edit]
Main articles: History of Plovdiv, Timeline of Plovdiv, and
Philippopolis (Thracia)
History of Plovdiv
Timeline of events
6000-5000 BC
Establishment of the earliest settlements on the territory of modern
Plovdiv
Plovdiv (Yasa Tepe 1 and Yasa Tepe 2)
5th century BC
Ancient
Plovdiv
Plovdiv was incorporated into the
Odrysian
Odrysian kingdom
347–342 BC
The Thracian town was conquered by
Philip II of Macedon
Philip II of Macedon who named it
Philippopolis
46
Philippopolis was incorporated into the
Roman Empire
Roman Empire by emperor
Claudius
1st–3rd century
Philippopolis became the central city of the
Roman province
Roman province Thracia
250
The whole city was burned down by the Goths
4th century
Philippopolis regained its previous size. The city was part of the
Eastern Roman Empire
836
Khan Malamir incorporated the city into the First Bulgarian Empire
976–1014
Basil II based his army in Philippopolis during the war with Samuel of
Bulgaria
1189
The city was conquered by the crusader army of Frederick Barbarossa
1205
Philippoupolis was conquered and raided by the
Latin Empire
Latin Empire and
Kaloyan of Bulgaria
1371
Phillipopolis was conquered by the Ottomans. The city name was changed
to Filibe
January 1878
Plovdiv
Plovdiv was liberated from Ottoman rule during the Battle of
Philippopolis
July 1878
Plovdiv
Plovdiv became capital of Eastern Rumelia
1885
Plovdiv
Plovdiv is at the center of the events that led to the Bulgarian
unification
1920–1960
Period of industrialization
1970-1980
Discovery of the archeological sights in Plovdiv, the Old town was
restored
1999
Plovdiv
Plovdiv hosted European Cultural Month
2014
Plovdiv
Plovdiv was awarded the title
European capital of culture
European capital of culture 2019
Antiquity[edit]
Plan of the known parts of the Roman city superimposed on a plan of
modern Plovdiv.
"This
Plovdiv
Plovdiv is the biggest and loveliest of all cities. Its beauty
shines from faraway..."
Roman writer Lucian.
Part of a series on the ancient city of
Philippopolis
Buildings and structures
Public
• Theatre
• Stadium
• Forum
• Odeon
• Library
Religious
• Great Basilica
• Small Basilica
• Synagouge
Fortification
• Nebet Tepe
• Hisar Kapia
• Eastern gate
Residential
• Eirene Residence
Related topics
• History • Timeline
v
t
e
The history of
Plovdiv
Plovdiv spans more than eight millennia. Numerous
nations have left their traces on the twelve-metre-thick (39-foot)
cultural layers of the city. The earliest signs of habitation on the
territory of
Plovdiv
Plovdiv date as far back as the 6th millennium BCE.[5][6]
Plovdiv
Plovdiv has settlement traces including necropolises dating from the
Neolithic
Neolithic era, roughly 6000-5000 BCE, like the mounds Yasa Tepe 1 in
Philipovo district and Yasa Tepe 2 in Lauta park.[32][33][34]
Archaeologists have discovered fine pottery[35] and objects of
everyday life on
Nebet Tepe
Nebet Tepe from as early as the Chalcolithicera ,
showing that at the end of the 4th millennium BCE, there was already
an established settlement there which was continuously inhabited since
then.[36][37][38] Thracian necropolises dating back to the 2nd-3rd
millennium BCE have been discovered, while the Thracian town was
established between the 2nd and the 1st millennium BCE.[39]
The town was a fort of the independent local Thracian tribe Bessi.[40]
In 516 BCE during the rule of Darius the Great,
Thrace
Thrace was included in
the Persian empire.[41] In 492 BCE, the Persian general Mardonius
subjected
Thrace
Thrace again, and it became nominally a vassal of Persia
until 479 BCE and the early rule of Xerxes I.[42] The town was
included in the
Odrysian
Odrysian kingdom (460 BCE-46 CE), a Thracian tribal
union. The town was conquered by Philip II of Macedon,[43] and the
Odrysian
Odrysian king was deposed in 342 BCE. Ten years after the Macedonian
invasion, the Thracian kings started to exercise power again after the
Odrysian
Odrysian
Seuthes III had re-established their kingdom under Macedonian
suzerainty as a result of a somehow successful revolt against
Alexander the Great's rule resulting in a stalemate.[44] The Odrysian
kingdom gradually overcome the Macedonian suzerainty, while the city
was destroyed by the
Celts
Celts as part of the Celtic settlement of Eastern
Europe, most likely in the 270s BC.[45] In 183 BCE, Philip V of
Macedon conquered the city, but shortly after, the Thracians
re-conquered it.
In 72 BCE, the city was seized by the Roman general Marcus Lucullus
but was soon restored to Thracian control. In 46 CE, the city was
finally incorporated into the
Roman Empire
Roman Empire by emperor Claudius;[46] it
served as capital of the province of
Thrace
Thrace and gained city status in
the late 1st century.[47] Trimontium was an important crossroad for
the
Roman Empire
Roman Empire and was called "the largest and most beautiful of all
cities" by Lucian. Although it was not the capital of the Province of
Thrace, the city was the largest and most important centre in the
province.[48] As such, the city was the seat of the Union of
Thracians.[49] In those times, the
Via Militaris
Via Militaris (or Via Diagonalis),
the most important military road in the Balkans, passed through the
city.[50][51] The Roman times were a period of growth and cultural
excellence.[52] The ancient ruins tell a story of a vibrant, growing
city with numerous public buildings, shrines, baths, theatres, a
stadium, and the only developed ancient water supply system in
Bulgaria. The city had an advanced water system and sewage. In 179 CE,
a second wall was built to encompass Trimontium which had already
extended out of the Three hills into the valley. Many of those are
still preserved and can be seen by tourists. Today only a small part
of the ancient city has been excavated.[53]
In 250 CE, the whole city was burned down by the
Goths
.jpg/440px-Tomb_of_Theodoric_the_Great_Ravenna_(cropped).jpg)
Goths who were led by
their ruler Cniva. Many of its citizens, 100,000 according to Ammianus
Marcellinus, died or were taken captive.[54] It took a century and
hard work to recover the city. However, it was destroyed again by
Attila's
Huns
Huns in 441-442 CE and by the
Goths
Goths of Teodoric
Strabo
Strabo in 471
CE.[55]
Middle Ages[edit]
Monument of Krum in Plovdiv, who was the first Bulgarian ruler to
capture Plovdiv.
The
Slavs
Slavs had fully settled in the area by the middle of the 6th
century CE. This was done peacefully as there are no any records for
their attacks.[56] With the establishment of
Bulgaria
Bulgaria in 681 CE,
Philippoupolis, the name of the city then, became an important border
fortress of the Byzantine Empire. It was captured by Khan Krum in 812
CE, but the region was fully incorporated into the Bulgarian Empire in
834 CE during the reign of Khan Malamir.[57] It was reconquered by the
Byzantine Empire
Byzantine Empire in 855–856 CE for a short time until it was
returned to Boris I of Bulgaria.[58][59] From Philippoupolis, the
influence of dualistic doctrines spread to
Bulgaria
Bulgaria forming the basis
of the
Bogomil
Bogomil heresy. The city possibly remained in Bulgarian hands
until 970 CE.[60] However, the city is described at the time of
Constantine VII
Constantine VII in the 10th century as being within the Byzantine
province (theme of Macedonia). The historian John Fine describes
Philippopolis as being a Byzantine possession at the time it was
sacked by the ruler of Rus'
Sviatoslav I of Kiev
Sviatoslav I of Kiev in 969 CE who impaled
20,000 citizens.[61] Before and after the Rus' massacre, the city was
settled by
Paulician
Paulician heretics transported from Syria and
Armenia
Armenia to
serve as military settlers on the European frontier with Bulgaria.
Aime de Varennes in 1180 CE encountered the singing of Byzantine songs
in the city that recounted the deeds of
Alexander the Great
Alexander the Great and his
predecessors over 1300 years before.[62]
Byzantine rule was interrupted by the Third crusade(1189-1192) when
the army of the Holy Roman emperor
Frederick Barbarossa
Frederick Barbarossa conquered
Philippopolis. Ivanko was appointed as the governor of the Byzantine
Theme of Philippopolis in 1196 CE, but between 1198 and 1200 separated
it from Byzantium in a union with Bulgaria. The
Latin Empire
Latin Empire conquered
Philippoupolis in 1204 CE, and there were two short interregnum
periods as the city was twice occupied by Kaloyan of
Bulgaria
Bulgaria before
his death in 1207.[63] In 1208 CE, Kaloyan's successor Boril was
defeated by the Latins in the Battle of Philippopolis.[64] Under Latin
rule, Philippopolis was the capital of the Duchy of Philippopolis,
which was governed by
Renier de Trit and later on by Gerard de Strem.
The city was possibly at times a vassal of
Bulgaria
Bulgaria or Venice. Ivan
Asen II conquered the duchy finally in 1230 but the city had possibly
been conquered earlier.[65] Afterwards,
Plovdiv
Plovdiv was conquered by
Byzantium. According to some information, by 1300
Plovdiv
Plovdiv was a
possession of
Theodore Svetoslav
Theodore Svetoslav of Bulgaria. It was conquered from
Byzantium by George Terter II of
Bulgaria
Bulgaria in 1322.[66] Andronikos III
Palaiologos unsuccessfully besieged the city, but a treaty restored
Byzantine rule once again in 1323 CE. In 1344 the city and eight other
cities were surrendered to
Bulgaria
Bulgaria by the regency for John V
Palaiologos as the price for Ivan Alexander of Bulgaria's support in
the Byzantine civil war of 1341–47.[67]
Ottoman Rule[edit]
In 1364 CE, the
Ottoman Turks under
Lala Shahin Pasha seized
Plovdiv.[68][69] According to other data,
Plovdiv
Plovdiv was not Ottoman
until the Battle of
Maritsa
Maritsa in 1371 CE, after which, the citizens and
the Bulgarian army fled leaving the city without resistance. Refugees
settled in Stanimaka. During the
Ottoman Interregnum
Ottoman Interregnum in 1410 CE, Musa
Çelebi conquered the city killing and displacing inhabitants.[70] The
city was the centre of the
Rumelia Eyalet
.png/560px-Rumelia_Eyalet,_Ottoman_Empire_(1609).png)
Rumelia Eyalet between 1364–1443 CE, a
sanjak centre of it between 1443-1593 CE, the sanjak centre in
Silistra Eyalet
.png/560px-Silistra_Eyalet,_Ottoman_Empire_(1609).png)
Silistra Eyalet between 1593-1826 CE, the sanjak centre in Eyalet of
Adrianople
Adrianople between 1826-1867 CE, and the sanjak centre of Edirne
Vilayet between 1867–1878 CE. During that period
Plovdiv
Plovdiv was a major
economic center along with Constantinople, Edirne, and Thessaloniki.
The richer citizens constructed beautiful houses many of which can
still be seen in the Architectural reserve Old Plovdiv.
National revival[edit]
Main article: Bulgarian National Revival
The Virgin Mary Church.
Under the rule of the Ottoman Empire, Filibe (as the city was known at
that time) was a focal point for the Bulgarian national movement and
survived as one of the major cultural centers for Bulgarian culture
and tradition.
Filibe was described as consisting of Turks, Bulgarians, Hellenized
Bulgarians, Armenians, Jews, Vlachs, Arvanites, Greeks, and Roma
people. In the 16-17 century a significant number of
Sephardic
Sephardic Jews
settled along with a smaller Armenian community from Galicia. The
Paulicians adopted Catholicism or lost their identity. The abolition
of Slavonic as the language of the Bulgarian Church as well as the
complete abolition of the church in 1767 CE and the introduction of
the Millet System led to ethnic division among people of different
religions. Christian and Muslim
Bulgarians
Bulgarians were subjected to
Hellenization
Hellenization and
Turkification
Turkification respectively. A major part of the
inhabitants was fully or partly Hellenized due to the Greek
patriarchate. The "Langeris" are described as
Greeks
Greeks from the area of
the nearby Stenimachos. The process of
Hellenization
Hellenization flourished until
the 1830s but declined with the
Tanzimat
Tanzimat as the idea of the Hellenic
nation of
Christians
Christians grew and was associated with ethnic Greeks.
The re-establishment of the Bulgarian Church in 1870 was a sign of
ethnic and national consciousness. Thus, although there is a little
doubt about the Bulgarian origin of the Gulidas, the city could be
considered of Greek or Bulgarian majority in the 19th century.[71]
Raymond Detrez has suggested that when the Gudilas and Langeris
claimed to be Greek it was more in the sense of "Romei than Ellines,
in a cultural rather than an ethnic sense".[72] According to the
statistics by the Bulgarian and Greek authors, there are no Turks in
the city, according to an alternative estimate the city was of Turkish
majority.[73]
Filibe had an important role in the struggle for Church independence
which was, according to some historians, a peaceful bourgeois
revolution. Filibe became the center of that struggle with leaders
such as Nayden Gerov, Dr Valkovich, Joakim Gruev, and whole families.
In 1836 the first Bulgarian school was inaugurated, and in 1850,
modern secular education began when the "St Cyrill and Metodius"
school was opened. On May 11, 1858, the day of Saints Cyril and
Methodius was celebrated for the first time; this later became a
National holiday which is still celebrated today (but on the 24th May
due to Bulgaria's 1916 transition from the
Old Style
Old Style (Julian) to the
New Style (Gregorian) calendar. In 1858 in the Church of Virgin Mary,
the Christmas liturgy was served for the first time in the Bulgarian
language since the beginning of the Ottoman occupation. Until 1906
there were Bulgarian and Greek bishops in the city. In 1868 the school
expanded into the first grammar school. Some of the intellectuals,
politicians, and spiritual leaders of the nation graduated that
school.[15]
The city was conquered by the
Russians
Russians under
Aleksandr Burago
Aleksandr Burago for
several hours during the Battle of Philippopolis on January 17,
1878.[69] It was the capital of the Provisional Russian Administration
in
Bulgaria
Bulgaria between May and October. According to the Russian census
of the same year Filibe had a population of 24,000 citizens, of which
ethnic
Bulgarians
Bulgarians comprised 45.4%, Turks - 23.1% and
Greeks
Greeks - 19.9%.
Eastern Rumelia[edit]
Main article: Bulgarian unification
Nebet Tepe, drawing from The Graphic - London, 1885
Taat tepe, in Plovdiv, with the governor's palace and
Maritsa
Maritsa river in
the foreground. Drawing from The Graphic - London, 1885
According to the
Treaty of San Stefano
Treaty of San Stefano on March 3, 1878, the
Principality of
Bulgaria
Bulgaria included the lands with predominantly
Bulgarian population.
Plovdiv
Plovdiv which was the biggest and most vibrant
Bulgarian city was selected as a capital of the restored country and
for a seat of the Temporary Russian Government.[74] Great Britain and
Austria-Hungary, however, did not approve that treaty and the final
result of the war was concluded in the
Congress of Berlin
Congress of Berlin which
divided the newly liberated country into several parts. It separated
the autonomous region of
Eastern Rumelia
Eastern Rumelia from Bulgaria, and Plovdiv
became its capital. The
Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire created a constitution and
appointed a governor.[75]
In the spring of 1885,
Zahari Stoyanov
Zahari Stoyanov formed the Secret Bulgarian
Central Revolutionary Committee in the city which actively conducted
propaganda for the unification of
Bulgaria
Bulgaria and Eastern Rumelia. On
September 5, several hundred armed rebels from Golyamo Konare (now
Saedinenie) marched to Plovdiv. In the night of 5–6 September these
men, led by Danail Nikolaev, took control of the city and removed from
office the General-Governor Gavril Krastevich. A provisional
government was formed led by Georgi Stranski, and universal
mobilization was announced.[76] After the Serbs were defeated in the
Serbo-Bulgarian War,
Bulgaria
Bulgaria and
Turkey
Turkey reached an agreement that the
Principality of
Bulgaria
Bulgaria and
Eastern Rumelia
Eastern Rumelia had a common government,
Parliament, administration, and army. Today September 6 is celebrated
as the Unification Day and the Day of Plovdiv.
Recent history[edit]
After the unification,
Plovdiv
Plovdiv remained the second most populous city
in
Bulgaria
Bulgaria after the capital Sofia. The first railway in the city was
built in 1874 connecting it with the Ottoman capital, and in 1888, it
was linked with Sofia. In 1892
Plovdiv
Plovdiv became host of the First
Bulgarian Fair with international participation which was succeeded by
the International Fair Plovdiv. After the liberation, the first
brewery was inaugurated in the city.
In the beginning of the 20th century,
Plovdiv
Plovdiv grew as a significant
industrial and commercial center with well-developed light and food
industry. In 1927 the electrification of
Plovdiv
Plovdiv has started. German,
French, and
Belgian
Belgian capital was invested in the city in development of
modern trade, banking, and industry. In 1939 there were 16,000
craftsmen and 17,000 workers in manufacturing factories, mainly for
food and tobacco processing. During the Second World War, the tobacco
industry expanded as well as the export of fruit and vegetables. In
1943, 1,500
Jews
.jpg/440px-A_map_of_Canaan_(8343807206).jpg)
Jews were saved from deportation in concentration camps by
the archbishop of Plovdiv, Cyril, who later became the Bulgarian
Patriarch. In 1944 the city was bombed by British-American coalition.
Tobacco
Tobacco Depot workers went on strike on May the 4th, 1953.
On 6 April 1956 the first trolleybus line was opened and in the 1950s
the Trimontsium Hotel was constructed. In the 1960s and 1970s, there
was a construction boom and many of the modern neighborhoods took
shape. In the 1970s and 1980s, antique remains were excavated and the
Old Town was fully restored. In 1990 the sports complex "Plovdiv" was
finished. It included the largest stadium and rowing canal in the
country. In that period,
Plovdiv
Plovdiv became the birthplace of Bulgaria's
movement for democratic reform, which by 1989 had garnered enough
support to enter government.
Plovdiv
Plovdiv has hosted specialized exhibitions of the
World's Fair
World's Fair in
1981, 1985, and 1991.
Plovdiv
Plovdiv was the first geographic location to be featured as a theme
day in Reddit's Picturegame[77]
Population[edit]
The population by permanent address for the municipality of Plovdiv
for 2007 is 380,682,[78] which makes it the second in population in
the nation. According to the data of the National Institute of
Statistics (NSI), the people who actually live in
Plovdiv
Plovdiv are
346,790.[79] According to the 2012 census, 339,077 live within the
city limits and 403,153 in the municipal triangle of Plovdiv,
including
Maritsa
Maritsa municipality and Rodopi municipality.[80] Population
of Plovdiv:
Plovdiv
Year
1887
1910
1934
1946
1956
1965
1975
1985
1992
2001
2005
2009
2011
2013
Population
33,032
47,981
99,883
126,563
161,836
225,508
299,638
342,131
341,058
338,224
341,9
338,2
338,153
341,041
Highest number 348,465 in 2009
Sources: National Statistical Institute,[81][82]
„citypopulation.de“,[83] „pop-stat.mashke.org“,[84] Bulgarian
Academy of Sciences[85]
At the first census after the Liberation of
Bulgaria
Bulgaria in 1880 with
24,053 citizens,[86]
Plovdiv
Plovdiv is the second largest city behind Ruse,
which had 26,163 citizens then,[87] and ahead of the capital Sofia,
which had 20,501 citizens then. As of the 1887 census,
Plovdiv
Plovdiv was the
largest city in the country for several years with 33,032 inhabitants
compared to 30,428 for Sofia. According to the 1946 census, Plovdiv
was the second largest city with 126,563 inhabitants compared to
487,000 for the capital.[74]
Ethnicity and religion[edit]
Demographics of the Ottoman city by ethnoreligious groups
Year[88]
Muslims
Christians
Roma
Jews
1472
81.7%
18.3%
1489
87.1%
8.2%
3.5%
1490(households)[89]
796
78
33
1516
86.7%
7%
2.8%
2.5%
1525
85.2%
7.5%
3.2%
3%
1530
82.1%
9.1%
3.8%
3.7%
1570
82%
9.3%
2.7%
5.4%
1595
78.2%
14%
2.9%
4.8%
1614
68.3%
22.6%
7.7%
4.1%
1695(people)[70]
1108 (81%)
295
Population of the Ottoman kaza by ethnic groups:
Year
Bulgarians
Turks
Muslim Roma
Christian Roma
Greeks
Armenians
Jews
1876[90]
80 107
35 400
5474
495
3700
380
691
Population by ethnic groups under Russian administration, Eastern
Rumelia and Bulgaria:
Census
Total
Bulgarians
Turks
Jews
Greeks
Armenians
Roma
Others
Unspecified
1878
24 053[91]
10 909 (45.35%)
5558 (23.10%)
1134 (4.71%)
4781 (19.88%)
806 (3.35%)
865 (3.60%)
902 (3.75%)
1884[92]
33 442
16 752 (50,09%)
7144 (21,36%)
2168 (6,48%)
5497 (16,44%)
979 (2,93%)
112
902 (2,70%)
1887
33 032
19 542
5615
2202
3930
903
348
492
1892
36 033
20 854
6381
2696
3906
1024
237
935
1900
43 033
24 170
4708
3602
3908
1844
1934
2869
1910
47 981
32 727
2946
4436
1571
1794
3524
983
1920
64 415
46 889
5605
5144
1071
3773
1342
591
1926
84 655
63 268
4748
5612
549
5881
2746
1851
1934
99 883
77 449
6102
5574
340
5316
2728
2374
1939
105 643 (100%)
82 012 (77,63%)
6462 (6,12%)
5960 (5,64%)
200 (0,19%)
6591 (6,24%)
2982 (2,82%)
1436 (1,36%)
2001[93]
338,224
302 858 (89.5%)
22,501 (6.7%)
5,192 (1.5%)
5,764 (1.7%)
1,909
2011[94][95]
338,153
277 804 (89.9%)
16 032 (5,2%)
9,438 (3.1%)
1436 (1,36%)
31,774
In its ethnic character
Plovdiv
Plovdiv is the second or the third-largest
cosmopolitan city inhabited by Bulgarians, after
Sofia
Sofia and possibly
Varna. According to the 2001 census, out of a population of 338,224
inhabitants, the
Bulgarians
Bulgarians numbered 302,858 (90%).
Stolipinovo
Stolipinovo in
Plovdiv
Plovdiv is the largest Roma neighbourhood in the Balkans, having a
population of around 20,000 alone; further Roma ghettos are Hadji
Hassan Mahala and Sheker Mahala. Therefore, the census number is a
deflation of the number of Roma people, and they are most likely the
second-largest group after the Bulgarians, most of all because the
Muslim Roma
Muslim Roma in
Plovdiv
Plovdiv claim to be of Turkish ethnicity and
Turkish-speaking at the census ("
Xoraxane
Xoraxane Roma").[96] For further
information see the article
Roma people
Roma people in Plovdiv. Like elsewhere in
the country,
Roma people
Roma people are subjected to discrimination and
segregation (See the
Bulgaria
Bulgaria section of the article Antiziganism).
After the Wars for National Union (
Balkan Wars
Balkan Wars and World War I), the
city became home for thousands of refugees from the former Bulgarian
lands in Macedonia, Western and Eastern Thrace. Many of the old
neighbourhoods are still referred to as Belomorski, Vardarski. Most of
the
Jews
Jews left the city after the foundation of
Israel
Israel in 1948, as well
as most of the Turks and Greeks. Prior to the population exchange, as
of 1 January 1885, the city of
Plovdiv
Plovdiv had a population of 33,442, of
which 16,752 were
Bulgarians
Bulgarians (50%), 7,144 Turks (21%), 5,497 Greeks
(16%), 2,168
Jews
Jews (6%), 1,061
Armenians
Armenians (3%), 151 Italians, 112
Germans, 112 Romani people, 80 French people, 61
Russians
Russians and 304
people of other nationalities.[92]
The vast majority of the inhabitants are Christians, mostly Eastern
Orthodox, Catholics, Eastern Catholics, and Protestant trends
(Adventists,
Baptists
Baptists and others). There are also some
Muslims
Muslims and
Jews. In
Plovdiv
Plovdiv there are many churches, two mosques and one
synagogue (see
Plovdiv
Plovdiv Synagogue).
The Virgin Mary
Eastern Orthodox
Eastern Orthodox Church
The
Plovdiv
Plovdiv Synagogue
A Protestant church
The St Louis Roman Catholic Cathedral
St George Armenian Church
The Dzhumaya Mosque
The Orthodox seminary
City
City government[edit]
Plovdiv
Plovdiv is the administrative center of
Plovdiv Province
Plovdiv Province which
consists of the Municipality of Plovdiv, the
Maritsa
Maritsa municipality, and
the Rodopi municipality. The mayor of the Municipality of Plovdiv,
Ivan Totev,[97] with the six district mayors represent the local
executive authorities. The Municipal Council which consists of 51
municipal counselors, represents the legislative power, and is elected
according to the proportional system by parties' lists.[98] The
executive government of the Municipality of
Plovdiv
Plovdiv consists of a
mayor who is elected by majority representation, five deputy mayors,
and one administrative secretary. All the deputy mayors and the
secretary control their administrative structured units.
According to the Law for the territorial subdivision of the Capital
municipality and the large cities,[99] the territory of Plovdiv
Municipality is subdivided into six district administrations with
their mayors being appointed following approval by the Municipal
Council.
Districts and neighbourhoods[edit]
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
Number
Neighbourhood
Number
Neighbourhood
Number
Neighbourhood
Number
Neighbourhood
1
Center
12
Sadiiski
23
Hristo Smirnenski
34
Sheker Mahala
2
Old Town
13
Stochna Gara
24
Proslav
3
Kamenitsa 1
14
Kyutchuk Paris
25
Mladezhki Halm
4
Kamenitsa 2
15
Vastannicheski
26
Otdih i Kultura
5
Izgrev
16
Belomorski
27
Marasha
6
Stolipinovo
17
Institut po Ovoshtarstvo
28
Maritsa
Maritsa Sever
7
Izgrev
18
Ostromila
29
Zaharna Fabrika
8
Industrial zone - East
19
Yuzhen
30
Karshiaka
9
Trakia
20
Tsentralna Gara
31
Gagarin
10
Industrial zone - Trakia
21
Komatevo
32
Industrial Zone - North
11
Industrial zone - South
22
Komatevski Vazel
33
Filipovo
In 1969 the villages of
Proslav and
Komatevo were incorporated into
the city. In 1987 the municipalities of
Maritsa
Maritsa and Rodopi were
separated from
Plovdiv
Plovdiv which remained their administrative center. In
the last several years, the inhabitants from those villages had taken
steps to rejoin the "urban" municipality.[100]
Main sights[edit]
The city has more than 200 archaeological sites,[101] 30 of which are
of national importance. There are many remains from antiquity. Plovdiv
is among the few cities with two ancient theatres; remains of the
medieval walls and towers; Ottoman baths and mosques; a well-preserved
old quarter from the National Revival period with beautiful houses;
churches; and narrow paved streets. There are numerous museums, art,
galleries and cultural institutions.
Plovdiv
Plovdiv is host to musical,
theatrical, and film events.
The city is a starting point for trips to places in the region, such
as the
Bachkovo Monastery
Bachkovo Monastery at 30 km (19 mi) to the south, the
ski-resort
Pamporovo
Pamporovo at 90 km (56 mi) to the south or the
spa resorts to the north Hisarya, Banya, Krasnovo, and Strelcha.[102]
Roman City[edit]
Theatre
Nebet Tepe
Hisar Kapia
Eastern Gate
Stadium
Great Basilica
Small Basilica
Forum
Odeon
Library
Synagogue
Eirene Residence
Ancient monuments in Plovdiv
The Ancient theatre (Antichen teatur) is probably the best-known
monument from antiquity in Bulgaria.[103] During recent archaeological
survey, an inscription was found on a postament of a statue at the
theatre. It revealed that the site was constructed at the 90s of the
1st century CE. The inscription itself refers to Titus Flavius Cotis,
the ruler of the ancient city during the reign of Emperor Domitian.
The Ancient theatre is situated in the natural saddle between two of
the Three Hills. It is divided into two parts with 14 rows each
divided with a horizontal lane. The theatre could accommodate up to
7,000 people.[104] The three-story scene is on the southern part and
is decorated with friezes, cornices, and statues. The theatre was
studied, conserved, and restored between 1968 and 1984. Many events
are still held on the scene[105] including the Opera
Festival
Festival Opera
Open, the Rock
Festival
Festival Sounds of the Ages, and the International
Folklore festival. The Roman Odeon was restored in 2004.[106] It was
built in the 2nd–5th centuries and is the second (and smaller)
antique theatre of Philipopolis with 350 seats. It was initially built
as a bulevterion, an edifice of the city council, and was later
reconstructed as a theatre.
The Ancient Stadium[107] is another important monument of the ancient
city. It was built in the 2nd century during the reign of the Roman
Emperor Hadrian. It is situated between Danov
Hill
Hill and one of the
Three Hills, beneath the main street from Dzhumaya Square to Kamenitsa
Square. It was modeled after the stadium in Delphi. It was
approximately 240 metres (790 feet) long and 50 metres (160 feet)
wide, and could seat up to 30,000 spectators. The athletic games at
the stadium were organised by the General Assembly of the province of
Thrace. In their honour the royal mint of Philippopolis coined money
featuring the face of the ruling emperor as well as the types of
athletic events held in the stadium. Only a small part of the northern
section with 14 seat rows can be seen today; the larger part lies
under the main street and a number of buildings.
The Roman forum dates from the reign of
Vespasian
Vespasian in the 1st century
and was finished in the 2nd century. It is near the modern post office
next to the Odeon. It has an area of 11 hectares and was surrounded by
shops and public buildings. The forum was a focal point of the streets
of the ancient city.[108]
The Eirene Residence is in the southern part of the Three Hills on the
northern part of an ancient street in the Archeological underpass. It
includes remains of a public building from the 3rd–4th centuries
which belonged to a noble citizen. Eirene is the Christian name for
Penelopa, a maiden from Megadon, who was converted to Christianity in
the 2nd century. There are colourful mosaics which have geometrical
forms and figures.[109]
On Nebet hill are the remains of the first settlement which in 12th
century BC grew to the Thracian city of Eumolpias, one of the first
cities in Southeastern Europe. Massive walls surrounding a temple and
a palace have been excavated. The oldest part of the fortress was
constructed from large syenite blocks, the so-called "cyclopean
construction".
Ancient monuments
Theatre
Stadium
Odeon
Forum
Bishop basilica
Small basilica
The Eastern Gate
3rd century round tower
Mosaics in Eirene residence
Aqueduct
Nebet Tepe
Museums and protected sites[edit]
The Archaeological
Museum
Museum was established in 1882 as the People's
Museum
Museum of Eastern Rumelia.[110] In 1928 the museum was moved to a
19th-century edifice on Saedinenie Square built by
Plovdiv
Plovdiv architect
Josef Schnitter. The museum contains a rich collection of Thracian
art. The three sections "Prehistory",[111] "Antiquity",[112] and
"Middle Ages"[113] contain precious artifacts from the
Paleolithic
Paleolithic to
the early Ottoman period (15th–16th centuries).[114] The famous
Panagyurishte treasure
Panagyurishte treasure is part of the museum's collection.[115]
The
Plovdiv
Plovdiv Regional Historical Museum[116] was founded in 1951 as a
scientific and cultural institute for collecting, saving, and
researching historical evidence about
Plovdiv
Plovdiv and the surrounding
region from 16th to 20th centuries. The exhibition is situated in
three buildings.[114]
The
Plovdiv Regional Ethnographic Museum
Plovdiv Regional Ethnographic Museum was inaugurated in 1917. On
October 14, 1943 it was moved to a house in the Old Town. In 1949 the
Municipal House-museum was reorganized as a People's Ethnographic
Museum
Museum and in 1962 it was renovated. There are more than 40,000
objects.[114]
The
Museum
Museum of Natural Science was inaugurated in 1955 in the old
edifice of the
Plovdiv
Plovdiv Municipality built in 1880. It is among the
most important museums in the country with rich collections in its
Paleontology, Mineralogy, and Botanic sections. There are several
rooms for wildlife and it contains Bulgaria's largest freshwater
aquarium with 40 fish species.[114] It has a collection of minerals
from the Rhodope mountains.
The
Museum
Museum of Aviation was established on September 21, 1991 on the
territory of the
Krumovo
Krumovo airbase[117] 12 km (7 mi) to the
southeast of the city. The museum possesses 59 aircraft and indoor and
outdoor exhibitions.[114]
The Old Town of
Plovdiv
Plovdiv is a historic preservation site known for its
Bulgarian Renaissance architectural style. The Old Town covers the
area of the three central hills (Трихълмие, Trihalmie).
Almost every house in the Old Town has its characteristic exterior and
interior decoration.
The Old Town
Balabanov House (left)
Lamartine House
Church of St Constantine and Helena
Klianti House
Street in the old town
Hisar gate with the ethnographical museum
Plovdiv
Plovdiv Regional Ethnographic Museum
Plovdiv
Plovdiv Regional Historical Museum
Hindliyan House
Churches, mosques and temples[edit]
There are a number of 19th-century churches, most of which follow the
distinctive
Eastern Orthodox
Eastern Orthodox construction style. They are the Saint
Constantine and Saint Helena, the Saint Marina, the Saint Nedelya, the
Saint Petka, and the Holy Mother of God Churches. As the city has been
a gatehring center for Orthodox
Christians
Christians for a long period of time,
Plovdiv
Plovdiv is surrounded by several monasteries located at the foot of
the
Rhodope Mountains
Rhodope Mountains such as "St. George", "St. Kozma and Damian",
St. Kirik, and Yulita(Ulita). They remain good examples of the late
Middle Age Orthodox architecture and iconography masterpieces typical
for the region. There are also Roman Catholic cathedrals in Plovdiv,
the Cathedral of St Louisbeing the largest. There are several more
modern Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterian, and other Protestant
churches, as well as older style Apostolic churches. Two mosques
remain in
Plovdiv
Plovdiv from the time of Ottoman rule. The Djumaya Mosque is
considered the oldest European mosque outside Moorish Spain.
The
Sephardic
Sephardic
Plovdiv Synagogue
Plovdiv Synagogue is at Tsar Kaloyan Street 13 in the
remnants of a small courtyard in what was once a large Jewish quarter.
Dating to the 19th century, it is one of the best-preserved examples
of the so-called "Ottoman-style" synagogues in the Balkans. According
to author Ruth E. Gruber, the interior of the
Plovdiv Synagogue
Plovdiv Synagogue is a
"hidden treasure…a glorious, if run-down, burst of color." An
exquisite Venetian glass chandelier hangs from the center of the
ceiling, which has a richly painted dome. All surfaces are covered in
elaborate, Moorish-style, geometric designs in once-bright greens and
blues. Torah scrolls are kept in the gilded Aron-ha-Kodesh.[118]
Culture[edit]
Theatre and music[edit]
A preserved medieval street in the Old town
A performance in the Roman Odeon
The
Plovdiv
Plovdiv Drama Theatre[119] is a successor of the first
professional theatre group in
Bulgaria
Bulgaria founded in 1881. The Plovdiv
Puppet Theatre, founded in 1948, remains one of the leading
institutions in this genre. The
Plovdiv
Plovdiv Opera was established in 1953.
Another pillar of Plovdiv's culture is the Philharmonic, founded in
1945.[120] Soloists such as Dmitri Shostakovich, Sviatoslav Richter,
Mstislav Rostropovich, Yuri Boukov, and Mincho Minchev have worked
with the
Plovdiv
Plovdiv Philharmonic. The orchestra has toured in almost all
of the European countries.
The Trakiya Folklore Ensemble, founded in 1974, has performed
thousands of concerts in
Bulgaria
Bulgaria and more than 42 countries.[121] The
Trakiya Traditional Choir was nominated for a Grammy Award. The Detska
Kitka Choir is one of the oldest and best-known youth choirs in
Bulgaria
Bulgaria and the winner of numerous awards from international choral
competitions. The
Evmolpeya choir is another girls' choir from
Plovdiv, whose establishing patron, Ivan Chomakov, became the then
mayor in 2006. The choir was appointed a
Goodwill Ambassador and a
municipal choir.
Literature[edit]
Plovdiv
Plovdiv is among the nation's primary literary centres. In 1855 Hristo
G. Danov created the first Bulgarian publishing company and
printing-press.[122] The city's traditions as a literary centre are
preserved by the first public library in Bulgaria, the Ivan Vazov
National Library, the 19 chitalishta (cultural centres), and by
numerous booksellers and publishers. The library was founded in
1879[123] and named after the famous Bulgarian writer and poet Ivan
Vazov who worked in
Plovdiv
Plovdiv for five years creating some of his best
works.[124] Today the
Ivan Vazov National Library
Ivan Vazov National Library is the second
largest national library institution with more than 1.5 million
books,[125] owning rare Bulgarian and European publications.
Arts[edit]
The Art Gallery of Plovdiv
The city has traditions in iconography since the Middle Ages. During
the Period of National Revival, a number of notable icon-painters
(called in Bulgarian zografi, зографи) from all regions of the
country worked in
Plovdiv
Plovdiv such as – Dimitar Zograf, his son
Zafir Zograf, Zahari Zograf, Georgi Danchov, and others.[69] After the
Liberation, the Bulgarian painter of Czech origin
Ivan Mrkvička
Ivan Mrkvička came
to work in the city. The Painters' Society was established there by
artists from southern
Bulgaria
Bulgaria in 1912 whose members included painters
Zlatyu Boyadzhiev,
Tsanko Lavrenov
Tsanko Lavrenov and Sirak Skitnik.
Today the city has more than 40 art galleries with most of them being
privately owned. The Art Gallery of
Plovdiv
Plovdiv was founded in the late
19th century.[126] It possesses 5,000 pieces of art in four buildings.
Since 1981, it has had a section for Mexican art donated by Mexican
painters in honour of the 1,300-year anniversary of the Bulgarian
State.
European Capital of Culture[edit]
On September 5, 2014,
Plovdiv
Plovdiv was selected as Bulgarian host of
European Capital of Culture
European Capital of Culture in 2019.[7] The city will co-host the
event with
Matera
Matera and another city (yet to be decided).
After
Plovdiv
Plovdiv was elected as
European Capital of Culture
European Capital of Culture in 2019, an
ambitious cultural program has started its realisation. According to
this program, there will be an Island of Arts in the middle of the
Maritsa River
Maritsa River in Plovdiv. The "Kapana" area (the "Trap") will become a
quarter of the arts where the creative industries are going to be
developed and presented. This famous area, Kapana, was renovated in
2014, restoring its authentic outlook. It has been used for number of
festivals and art events, attracting visitors from all over Bulgaria
and the world.
For 2019 the
City
City Under the Hills is planning a number of concerts,
including "Balkan Music in Plovdiv".The city will host the Plovdiv
Biennale and a number of international forums, such as a meeting of
collectors from Europe, a summer art school, dance projects, etc.[127]
Economy[edit]
Main article: Economy of Plovdiv
GVA by sector (2013)
Agriculture (5%)
Industry (57%)
Services (38%)
Employees by sector (2014)
Manufacturing
Manufacturing (36%)
Commerce
Commerce (16%)
Education (8%)
Healthcare (7%)
Transport
Transport (6%)
Other (27%)
Although it is located in the middle of a rich agricultural region,
Plovdiv's economy has shifted from agriculture to industry since the
beginning of the 20th century. Food processing, tobacco, brewing, and
textiles formed the pillars of the industrial economic shift.[128]
During Communist rule, the city's economy expanded and was dominated
by heavy industry. After the fall of
Communism
Communism in 1989 and the
collapse of Bulgaria's planned economy, a number of industrial
complexes were closed; production of lead and zinc, machinery,
electronics, motor trucks, chemicals, and cosmetics have continued.
Plovdiv
Plovdiv has one of the country's largest economies and contributes
7.5% of Bulgaria's GDP as of 2014[update].[129] In 2014, more than 35
thousand companies operate in the region which create jobs for 285,000
people.[129] The advantages of
Plovdiv
Plovdiv include the central geographic
location, good infrastructure, and large population.
Plovdiv
Plovdiv has
international airport, terminal for intermodal transport, several
connections with
Trakia motorway
Trakia motorway (connecting
Sofia
Sofia and Burgas),
proximity to
Maritsa
Maritsa motorway (the main corridor to Turkey), and
well-developed road and rail infrastructure which all led to the
development of the city as the leading city in terms of industrial
output in Bulgaria.
The economy of
Plovdiv
Plovdiv has long tradition in manufacturing, commerce,
transport, communications, and tourism. Apart from the industrial
development of Plovdiv, there has been a significant surge in the IT
and outsourcing service sector in the recent years, as well as a
double digit increase in the tourism growth in the city every year for
the past 5 years.[130]
Economic Indicators[edit]
Indicator
Unit
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
GDP
BGN million
5,539
6,062
6,178
6,374
6,273
Share in Bulgaria's GDP
%
7.5
7.6
7.6
7.8
7.5
GDP per capita
BGN
7,924
8,888
9,087
9,394
9,268
Population
Number
696,300
680,884
678,860
678,197
675,586
Average annual number of employees under labor contract
Number
208,438
207,599
205,876
203,933
207,057
Average salary of employees under labor contract
BGN
6,462
6,889
7,418
7,922
8,504
Economic activity rate
%
64.9
64.2
67.7
70.7
71.7
Unemployment rate
%
8.5
8.8
11.2
13.4
13.1
FDI
EUR million
1.118
1.259
1.340
1.648
1.546
Source: The National Statistical Institute[129]
Industry[edit]
Industry has been the sole leader in attracting investment. Industry
has been expanding since the late 1990s, with manufacturing plants
being built in the city or in its outskirts mainly the municipality of
Maritsa. In this period, some €500,000,000 has been invested in
construction of new factories.
Trakia Economic Zone
Trakia Economic Zone which is one of
the largest industrial zones in Eastern Europe, is located around
Plovdiv. Some of the biggest companies in the region include the
Austrian utility company EVN, PIMK (transport), Insa Oil (fuels),
Liebherr
Liebherr (refrigerator plant),
Magna International
Magna International 9automotive
industry), Bella
Bulgaria
Bulgaria (food manufacturing), Socotab (tobacco
processing), ABB Group, Schneider Electric, Osram, Sensata
Technologies, etc.
Shopping and commerce[edit]
The commercial sector is developing quickly. Shopping centers have
been built mainly in the Central district and the district of Trakiya.
Those include Shopping Center Grand,[131] Market Center,[132] and two
more all on the Kapitan Raycho Street,[132] Forum in Trakiya,
Excelsior, and others.
Plovdiv
Plovdiv has three large shopping centers: the
€40 million Mall of
Plovdiv
Plovdiv (opened 2009) with a shopping area
of 22,000 m2 (236,806.03 sq ft), 11 cinema halls, and
parking for 700 cars;[133]
Markovo tepe
Markovo tepe Mall (opened 2016);[134] and
Galeria Mall which is 6 stories high with 127 000 m2 area, half of
which is the parking lot and the rest is shopping area.
Due to high demand for business office space, new office and
commercial buildings have been built. Several hypermarkets have been
built mainly on the outskirts of the city: Metro, Kaufland, Triumf,
Praktiker, Billa, Mr. Bricolage, Baumax, Technopolis, Technomarket
Europa, and others. The main shopping area is the central street with
its shops, cafés, and restaurants. A number of cafés, craftsmen
workshops, and souvenir shops are in the Old Town and the small
streets in the centre, known among the locals as "The Trap"
(Bulgarian: Капана).
The
Plovdiv
Plovdiv International Fair, held annually since 1892, is the
largest and oldest fair in the country and all of southeastern Europe,
gathering companies from all over the world in an exhibition area of
138,000 m2 (1,485,419.64 sq ft) located on a territory
of 352,000 m2 (3,788,896.47 sq ft) on the northern
banks of the Maristsa river.[135] It attracts more than 600,000
visitors from many countries.[136]
The city has had a duty-free zone since 1987. It has a customs
terminal handling cargo from trucks and trains.[136]
Mall Plovdiv
Galeria Mall
Markovo Tepe Mall
Forum Trakia shopping center
Transport[edit]
Plovdiv
Plovdiv Central railway station.
Plovdiv's geographical position makes it an international transport
hub. Three of the ten
Pan-European corridors
Pan-European corridors run into or near the
city: Corridor IV (Dresden–Bucharest–Sofia-Plovdiv- Istanbul),
Corridor VIII (Durrës-Sofia-Plovdiv-Varna/Burgas), and Corridor X
(Salzburg–Belgrade-Plovdiv-Istanbul).[137][138] A major tourist
centre,
Plovdiv
Plovdiv lies at the foot of the Rhodope Mountains, and most
people wishing to explore the mountains choose it as their trip's
starting point.
The city is a major road and railway hub in southern Bulgaria
with[139] the
Trakia motorway
Trakia motorway (A1) only 5 km (3 mi) to the
north. It lies on the important national route from
Sofia
Sofia to Burgas
via Stara Zagora. First-class roads lead to
Sofia
Sofia to the west, Karlovo
to the north, Asenovgrad,
Kardzhali
Kardzhali to the south, and
Stara Zagora
.svg/300px-Flag_of_Stara_Zagora_(obverse).svg.png)
Stara Zagora and
Haskovo
Haskovo to the east. There are intercity buses which link
Plovdiv
Plovdiv with
cities and towns all over the country and many European countries.
They are based in three bus stations: South, Rodopi, and North.
Railway transport in the city dates back to 1872 when it became a
station on the Lyubimets–Belovo railway line. There are railway
lines to Sofia, Panagyurishte, Karlovo, Peshtera, Stara Zagora,
Dimitrovgrad, and Asenovgrad. There are three railway
stations: –
Plovdiv
Plovdiv Central, Trakia, and Filipovo – as
well as a freight station.[137]
Plovdiv
Plovdiv has a large public transport system[140] including around 29
main and 10 extra bus lines. However, there are no trams in the city,
and the
Plovdiv
Plovdiv trolleybus system was closed in autumn 2012.[141] Six
bridges span the
Maritsa
Maritsa river including a railway bridge and a
covered bridge. There are important road junctions to the south,
southwest, and north.
Map of Plovdiv's cycling infrastructure
Green: built
Orange: planned
Plovdiv
Plovdiv has a well-developed cycling infrastructure which covers
almost all districts of the city. The total length of the cycling
roads is 60 kilometres (37 miles) (48 kilometres (30 miles) are
completed and 12 kilometres (7.5 miles) are under construction). The
city has a total of 690 bike parkings.
Cycling Infrastructure
The number of registered private automobiles in the city increased
from 178,104 in 2005 to 234,298 in 2009.[142] There are around 658
cars per 1,000 inhabitants[143]
Plovdiv
Plovdiv Airport.
The
Plovdiv
Plovdiv International Airport is near the village of Krumovo,
5 km (3 mi) southeast of the city. It takes charter flights
from Europe and has scheduled services with Ryanair to London and
Frankfurt-Hahn and S7 to Moscow. Many small airports are in the city's
surroundings, including the
Graf Ignatievo Air Base
Graf Ignatievo Air Base in Graf Ignatievo
to the north of Plovdiv.
The
BIAF Airshow is held every two years on the
Krumovo
Krumovo airbase and is
one of the biggest airshows in the Balkans.[citation needed]
Education[edit]
Around two thirds of the citizens (62,38%) have secondary,
specialized, or higher education. That percentage increased from 1992
to 2001.[144]
Plovdiv
Plovdiv has 78 schools including elementary, high, foreign language,
mathematics, technical, and art schools. There are also 10 private
schools and a seminary. The number of pupils in 2005 was 36,964 and
has been constantly decreasing since the mid-1990 due to lower birth
rate.[144] Among the most prestigious schools are the English Language
School, the High School of Mathematics, the
Ivan Vazov
.JPG/400px-BASA-937K-1-410-7-Ivan_Vazov_(cropped).JPG)
Ivan Vazov Language
School, the National Schools of Commerce – Plovdiv,[145] the
English Academy,[146] the Academy of Music, Dance and Fine Arts
Plovdiv,[147] and the French High School of Plovdiv.[148]
The city has six universities and a number of state and private
colleges and branches of other universities. Those include Plovdiv
University,[149] with 900 lecturers and employees and 13,000 students;
the
Plovdiv
Plovdiv Medical University, with 2,600 students;[150] the Medical
College; the Technical University of Sofia – Branch
Plovdiv;[151] the Agricultural University – Plovdiv;[152] the
University of Food Technologies;[153] the Academy for Music, Dance and
Fine Arts;[154] and others.[144]
The 2009
International Olympiad in Informatics
International Olympiad in Informatics (IOI) was held at the
University of
Plovdiv
Plovdiv "Paisiy Hilendarski", between 8 and 15 August
2009. The 2009 IOI Honorary Patron was Bulgarian President Georgi
Parvanov.[citation needed]
Between 1875 and 1906, the
Zariphios School
Zariphios School was one of the local Greek
educational institutions that provided elementary and secondary
education.[155]
Sports and recreation[edit]
Plovdiv
Plovdiv Sports Complex consists of
Plovdiv
Plovdiv Stadium with several
additional football fields, tennis courts, swimming pools, a rowing
base with a 2 km-long channel, restaurants, and cafés in a
spacious park in the western part of the city just south of the
Maritsa
Maritsa river. There are also playgrounds for children. It is popular
among the citizens and guests of
Plovdiv
Plovdiv who use it for jogging,
walking, and relaxation.
Plovdiv
Plovdiv Stadium (55,000 seats) is the largest
football venue in Bulgaria.[156]
Other stadiums include Stadion Botev, Lokomotiv (10,000 seats),
Maritsa
Maritsa Stadium (5,000 seats), and
Todor Diev Stadium
Todor Diev Stadium (7,000 seats).
There are seven indoor sports halls: Kolodruma, University Hall,
Olimpia, Lokomotiv, Dunav, Stroitel, Chaika, Akademik, and Total
Sport. In 2006, Aqualand, a water park, was opened near the city
centre.[157] Several smaller water parks are in the city as well.
Sport Facilities
Velodrome
Plovdiv
Plovdiv Stadium and sport complex
Rowing base
Lokomotiv Stadium
Hristo Botev Stadium
Plovdiv
Plovdiv University sports hall
Football is the most popular sport in the city;
Plovdiv
Plovdiv has three
professional teams. The city has PFC Botev Plovdiv, founded in 1912
and PFC Lokomotiv, founded in 1926.[158] Both teams are a regular
fixture in the top Bulgarian league. The rivalry between them is
considered to be even more fierce than the one between Levski and CSKA
of Sofia. There are two other football clubs in the city – Maritsa
FC (founded in 1921) and Spartak
Plovdiv
Plovdiv (1947).[159]
Plovdiv
Plovdiv is host of the international boxing tournament "Strandzha"
which has taken place since 1949.[160] In 2007, 96 boxers from 20
countries participated in the tournament. There is a horse racing club
and a horse base near the city.
Plovdiv
Plovdiv has several volleyball and
basketball teams.
A view from the "signing fountains" in Tsar Simeon's garden.
A view from the
City
City garden.
Three of the city's seven hills are protected natural territories
since 1995. Two of the first parks in
Bulgaria
Bulgaria are located in the city
center – Tsar Simeon garden - city garden, where the very
first work of the Italian sculptor
Arnoldo Zocchi
Arnoldo Zocchi could be seen, and
Dondukov garden - old city garden. Some of the larger parks include
the Botanical garden, Beli Brezi, Ribnitsa, and Lauta.
Notable citizens[edit]
Hristo Stoichkov
Zlatyu Boyadzhiev – (1903-1976), painter
Ivan Vazov – (1850-1921), writer
Boris Christoff – (1914-1993), basso
Hristo G. Danov – (1828-1911), publisher
Konstantin Stoilov – (1853-1901), former Prime Minister of
Bulgaria
George Ganchev – (born 1939), fencer, actor, writer,
politician
Nayden Gerov – (1823-1900), linguist, folklorist and writer
Georgi Ivanov – cosmonaut
Asen Kisimov – actor
Stefka Kostadinova – world-record holder in the women's high
jump
Dimcho Debelyanov – writer
Andrey Lyapchev – former Prime Minister of Bulgaria
Apostolos Nikolaidis – athlete
Todor Kableshkov – revolutionary
Pencho Slaveykov – writer
Sava Mutkurov – former Regent of Bulgaria, the chief architect
of the Bulgarian unification
Petko Karavelov – revolutionary
Ivan Evstratiev Geshov – former Prime Minister of Bulgaria
Tsvetana Pironkova – Bulgarian number-one tennis player and
world number 40
The birthplace of Silvena Rowe – British chef, food writer,
television personality and restaurateur
Slavik Tabakov – medical physicist, President IOMP
Hristo Stoichkov – football player
Petar Stoyanov – former President of Bulgaria
Yordan Yovkov – writer
Aleksandar Malinov – former Prime Minister of Bulgaria
Christos Tsigiridis – electrical engineer and technological
pioneer
Zhan Videnov – former Prime Minister of Bulgaria
Yordan Yovchev – gymnast
Ivan Mrkvička
Ivan Mrkvička – painter
Milcho Leviev – musician
Ivan Andonov – (1934-2011), actor
Vladimir Arabadzhiev – (born 1984), racing driver
Samuel Finzi – (born 1966), German actor
Emma Tahmizian – (born 1957), pianist
Serafim Todorov – (born 1969), boxer
Sonya Yoncheva – (born 1981), opera singer
Miroslav Barnyashev – (born 1984), professional wrestler,
currently performing under the name of Rusev.
Georgi Hristov – (born 1985), professional footballer,
currently playing for the Tampa Bay Rowdies.
Iva Prandzheva, long jumper and triple jumper
International relations[edit]
See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in Bulgaria
Twin towns – Sister cities[edit]
Sign showing
Plovdiv
Plovdiv 's sister cities.
Plovdiv
Plovdiv is twinned with the following cities:[161][162]
Brno, Czech Republic.
Gyumri, Armenia.[163][164]
Bursa, Turkey[165]
Columbia, United States.
Daegu, South Korea.
Gyumri, Armenia.
Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Istanbul, Turkey.
Surigao City, Philippines
Ivanovo, Russia.
Košice, Slovakia. (since 2000)[166]
Kumanovo, Macedonia.
Kutaisi, Georgia.
Leskovac, Serbia.
Gornji Milanovac, Serbia.
Luoyang, China.
Ohrid, Macedonia.
Okayama, Japan.
Petra, Jordan.
Poznań, Poland.
Rome, Italy
Saint Petersburg, Russia.
Thessaloniki, Greece.[167]
Valencia, Venezuela.
Kastoria, Greece. (since 2005)[168]
Honour[edit]
The asteroid (minor planet) 3860
Plovdiv
Plovdiv is named after the city. It
was discovered by the
Belgian
Belgian astronomer Eric W. Elst and the
Bulgarian astronomer
Violeta G. Ivanova on August 8, 1986. Plovdiv
Peak (1,040 m or 3,412 ft) on
Livingston Island
Livingston Island in the South
Shetland Islands, Antarctica, is also named after Plovdiv.
Gallery[edit]
A panoramic view
Looking down one of the streets in Plovdiv.
Plan of the medieval fortress
See also[edit]
List of airports in Bulgaria
List of cities and towns in Bulgaria
List of mayors of Plovdiv
Bulgaria
Bulgaria portal
Geography portal
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Филипопол-Ескус, София, 1958, p. 285
^ Dimitrov, B. (2002). The
Bulgarians
Bulgarians – the first Europeans (in
Bulgarian). Sofia: University press "St Climent of Ohrid".
pp. 18–19. ISBN 954-07-1757-4.
^ PlovdivCity.net Archived 12 April 2008 at the Wayback Machine.,
посетен на 10 ноември 2007 г.
^ Елена Кесякова; Александър Пижев;
Стефан Шивачев; Недялка Петрова (1999).
Книга за Пловдив (in Bulgarian). Пловдив:
Издателство "Полиграф". pp. 47–48.
ISBN 954-9529-27-4.
^ Roman Plovdiv: History Archived 4 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine.
^ Dimitrov, B. (2002). The
Bulgarians
Bulgarians – the first Europeans (in
Bulgarian). Sofia: University press "St Climent of Ohrid". p. 25.
ISBN 954-07-1757-4.
^ Аndreev, J. The Bulgarian Khans and Tsars (Balgarskite hanove i
tsare, Българските ханове и царе), Veliko
Tarnovo, 1996, p. 66 ISBN 954-427-216-X.
^ Gjuzelev, p. 130 (Gjuzelev, V., (1988) Medieval Bulgaria, Byzantine
Empire, Black Sea, Venice,
Genoa
Genoa (Centre Culturel du Monde Byzantin).
Published by Verlag Baier).
^ Bulgarian Historical Review, p. 9 (Bulgarian Historical Review
(2005), United Center for Research and Training in History, published
by Publishing House of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences,
v.33:no.1-4).
^ Делев, "Българската държава и
общество при управлението на цар
Петър", История и цивилизация за 11.
клас, 2006.
^ Fine, pp. 160–161, 186: John V.A. Fine Jr., The Early Medieval
Balkans, Ann Arbor, 1983.
^ Vacalopoulos, Apostolos E. Origins of the Greek Nation. (New
Brunswick, New Jersey: Rutgers University Press, 1970) p. 22.
^ Агенция Фокус – Цар Калоян получава
корона, скиптър и знаме от кардинал
Лъв, посетен на 17 ноември 2007 г.
^ Аndreev, J. The Bulgarian Khans and Tsars (Balgarskite hanove i
tsare, Българските ханове и царе), Veliko
Tarnovo, 1996, p. 180 ISBN 954-427-216-X.
^ Fine, John v.a. The Late Medieval Balkans. p. 125.
ISBN 978-0-472-08260-5.
^ Аndreev, J. The Bulgarian Khans and Tsars (Balgarskite hanove i
tsare, Българските ханове и царе), Veliko
Tarnovo, 1996, p. 253 ISBN 954-427-216-X.
^ Аndreev, J. The Bulgarian Khans and Tsars (Balgarskite hanove i
tsare, Българските ханове и царе), Veliko
Tarnovo, 1996, p. 272 ISBN 954-427-216-X.
^ Аndreev, J. The Bulgarian Khans and Tsars (Balgarskite hanove i
tsare, Българските ханове и царе), Veliko
Tarnovo, 1996, p. 274 ISBN 954-427-216-X.
^ a b c avtori Evgeni Dinchev ...; et al. (2002).
Пътеводител България (in Bulgarian). София:
ТАНГРА ТанНакРа ИК. p. 139.
ISBN 954-9942-32-5.
^ a b [4]
^ Detrez, Raymon (2003). Relations between
Greeks
Greeks and Bulgarians: The
Gudilas of Plovid. Aldershot, England: Ashgate. p. 34.
ISBN 978-0-7546-0998-8. deciding whether
Plovdiv
Plovdiv had a Bulgarian
or a Greek majority depends on whether the Gudilas are considered as
Bulgarians
Bulgarians or Greeks
^ Graecomans Archived 19 February 2016 at the Wayback Machine.
^ Roth, ed. by Ralf; Beachy, Robert (2007). Who ran the cities? :
city elites and urban power structures in Europe and North America,
1750-1940. Aldershot [u.a.]: Ashgate. pp. 189–190.
ISBN 9780754651536. CS1 maint: Extra text: authors list
(link)
^ a b Очерци из историята на Пловдив
(стр. 80 – Космополитен град. Махали и
квартали в ново време)
^ Ministry of Foreign Affairs, History and Geography Archived copy at
WebCite (20 April 2006).
^ Аndreev, J. The Bulgarian Khans and Tsars (Balgarskite hanove i
tsare, Българските ханове и царе), Veliko
Tarnovo, 1996, p. 322 ISBN 954-427-216-X.
^
http://re.reddit.com/r/PictureGame/comments/2d6s7q/vote_for_the_theme_on_next_theme_day_saturday_16/[permanent
dead link]
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^ Urban Audit - The
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^ Demographic Features of Ottoman Upper Thrace: A Case Study On
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^ Art and Society of
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Bulgaria in the Turkish Period: A Sketch of the
Economic, Juridical, and Artistic Preconditions of Bulgarian
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Christian Balkans, 1360/70-1700 : a New Interpretation, p. 83
^ Demeter, Gabor. "Ethnic maps as political advertisements and
instruments of symbolic nation-building and their role in influencing
decision-making from
Berlin
Berlin (1877-1881), to
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^ ИЗТОЧНА РУМЕЛИЯ МЕЖДУ ЕВРОПА И
ОРИЕНТА, посетен на 17 януари 2008 г.
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на Пловдив, Plovdiv24.com Archived 6 September 2008 at the
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^ Balabanov, G. (2005). This is
Bulgaria
Bulgaria (in Bulgarian and English).
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^ Balabanov, G. (2005). This is
Bulgaria
Bulgaria (in Bulgarian and English).
Sofia. p. 395. ISBN 954-91672-1-6.
^ "Античен театър – Пловдив,
информация за градове, региони,
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October 2010. Retrieved 7 January 2011.
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България (in Bulgarian). София: ТАНГРА
ТанНакРа ИК. p. 140. ISBN 954-9942-32-5.
^ The Roman odeon Archived 25 October 2014 at the Wayback Machine..
^ The Ancient stadium of Philippopolis Archived 14 April 2016 at the
Wayback Machine.
^ avtori Evgeni Dinchev ...; et al. (2002). Пътеводител
България (in Bulgarian). София: ТАНГРА
ТанНакРа ИК. p. 138. ISBN 954-9942-32-5.
^ Eirene Archaeological complex.
^ Archaeological
Museum
Museum
Plovdiv
Plovdiv Archived 18 October 2006 at the
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^ Archaeological
Museum
Museum
Plovdiv
Plovdiv – Prehistoric art. Archived 18 April
2008 at the Wayback Machine.
^ Archaeological
Museum
Museum
Plovdiv
Plovdiv – Roman art. Archived 4 October 2008
at the Wayback Machine.
^ Archaeological
Museum
Museum
Plovdiv
Plovdiv – Middle Ages art. Archived 4
October 2008 at the Wayback Machine.
^ a b c d e Museums of
Plovdiv
Plovdiv Archived 26 October 2014 at the Wayback
Machine..
^ Archaeological
Museum
Museum
Plovdiv
Plovdiv –
Panagyurishte
Panagyurishte treasure. Archived 6
October 2008 at the Wayback Machine.
^ "
Plovdiv
Plovdiv Regional Historical Museum". Historymuseumplovdiv.com.
Archived from the original on 17 March 2011. Retrieved 7 January
2011.
^ "
Museum
Museum of Aviation". Infoplovdiv. 16 February 2008. Retrieved 7
January 2011. [permanent dead link]
^ "Synagogue of Plovdiv, Bulgaria". Heritageabroad.gov. 5 October
2009. Archived from the original on 7 September 2009. Retrieved 14
June 2010.
^ "Drama Theatre Plovdiv". Dt-plovdiv.org. Archived from the original
on 26 July 2011. Retrieved 7 January 2011.
^ "Philharmonic of Plovdiv". Petracho.ofd-plovdiv.org. Retrieved 7
January 2011.
^ Trakiya Folklore Ensemble Archived 29 December 2014 at the Wayback
Machine. (in Bulgarian).
^ "Hristo Danov". Pero-publishing.com. Retrieved 7 January 2011.
^ "History of the
Ivan Vazov
Ivan Vazov National Library". Libplovdiv.com.
Archived from the original on 13 July 2011. Retrieved 7 January
2011.
^ With the exception of Under the Yoke, the other significant works of
Ivan Vazov
Ivan Vazov (Nemili-nedragi, Eppopee of the Forgotten, Uncles) were
written in Plovdiv.
^ "Structure of the
Ivan Vazov
Ivan Vazov National Library". Libplovdiv.com.
Archived from the original on 13 July 2011. Retrieved 7 January
2011.
^ "Art Gallery of Plovdiv" (in Bulgarian). Art.domino.bg. Retrieved 7
January 2011.
^ http://bulgariatravel.org/en/topical/129[permanent dead link]
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Plovdiv
Plovdiv – BGP". Bg.bgp.bg. Archived from the original on 6 July
2011. Retrieved 7 January 2011.
^ a b c [6] NSI (in Bulgarian)
^ [7]
Tourism
Tourism (in Bulgarian)
^ Grand Trade Center to open in Plovdiv. Archived 11 October 2009 at
the Wayback Machine.
^ a b "Пет големи търговски центъра
слагат край на сергиите в центъра на
Пловдив". Big.bg. Archived from the original on 20 July 2011.
Retrieved 7 January 2011.
^ "Construction of Mall of
Plovdiv
Plovdiv begins". Plovdiv24.com. Retrieved 7
January 2011.
^ "A Bulgarian-Israeli company to build a mall in Plovdiv".
Comfort.bg. Retrieved 7 January 2011.
^ "
Plovdiv
Plovdiv International Fair". Fair.bg. Retrieved 3 July 2011.
^ a b Balabanov, G. (2005). This is
Bulgaria
Bulgaria (in Bulgarian and
English). Sofia. p. 393. ISBN 954-91672-1-6.
^ a b
Transport
Transport in
Plovdiv
Plovdiv Archived 4 July 2010 at the Wayback
Machine..
^ See the map.
^ avtori Evgeni Dinchev ...; et al. (2002). Пътеводител
България (in Bulgarian). София: ТАНГРА
ТанНакРа ИК. pp. 143–144.
ISBN 954-9942-32-5.
^ "A map of the
Plovdiv
Plovdiv Public transport". Snimka.bg. Retrieved 3 July
2011.
^ Trolleybus Magazine No. 308 (March–April 2013), p. 47. National
Trolleybus Association (UK). ISSN 0266-7452.
^ "Statistics of the European Cities –
City
City of
Plovdiv[permanent dead link] (in Bulgarian).
^ "Eurostat.
Transport
Transport in Urban Audit cities, core city".
^ a b c [dead link] "Information for
Plovdiv
Plovdiv – Education".
Pd.e-gov.bg. Archived from the original on 6 July 2011. Retrieved 3
July 2011.
^ "National School of
Commerce
Commerce – Plovdiv". Ntg-plovdiv.net.
Retrieved 3 July 2011.
^ "English Academy Plovdiv". Englishacademybg.com. Retrieved 3 July
2011.
^ "National School for Music and Dance Art Plovdiv" Archived 1 October
2016 at the Wayback Machine..
^ Vassil Todorov. "French High School of Plovdiv".
Feg.plovdiv.free.fr. Retrieved 3 July 2011.
^ "University of
Plovdiv
Plovdiv "Paisiy Hilendarski"". Uni-plovdiv.bg.
Retrieved 3 July 2011.
^ "Medical University". Meduniversity-plovdiv.bg. 29 June 2011.
Retrieved 3 July 2011.
^ "Technical University of Sofia,
Plovdiv
Plovdiv branch". Tu-plovdiv.bg.
Retrieved 3 July 2011.
^ "University of Agriculture". Au-plovdiv.bg. Retrieved 3 July
2011.
^ University of Food Technologies. Archived 10 April 2008 at the
Wayback Machine.
^ Academy of Music, Dance and Fine Arts. Archived 6 December 2006 at
the Wayback Machine.
^ Cornis-Pope, Marcel; Neubauer, John (2006). History of the literary
cultures of East-Central Europe: junctures and disjunctures in the
19th and 20th centuries. John Benjamins Publishing Company.
p. 143. ISBN 978-960-98903-5-9.
^ "World Stadiums". World Stadiums. Retrieved 3 July 2011.
^ webmaster (4 August 2006). "Aqualand". Plovdivguide.com. Archived
from the original on 3 November 2006. Retrieved 3 July 2011.
^ "Official site of Lokomotiv Plòvdiv". Lokomotivpd.com. 28 May 2011.
Retrieved 3 July 2011.
^ "Spartak Plovdiv". Spartakpd.info. Retrieved 3 July 2011.
^ "International boxing tournament Strandzha". Boxing.mdkbg.com.
Archived from the original on 14 July 2011. Retrieved 3 July
2011.
^ "
Plovdiv
Plovdiv Sister cities". Plovdiv.bg. Retrieved 3 July 2011.
^ "
Plovdiv
Plovdiv Twinning". Retrieved 3 July 2011. [permanent dead
link]
^ Gyumri: Sister Cities Archived 4 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine.
^ Plovdiv: Sister Cities Archived 13 October 2016 at the Wayback
Machine.
^ "Kardeş Şehirler". Bursa Büyükşehir Belediyesi Basın
Koordinasyon Merkez. Tüm Hakları Saklıdır. Retrieved
2013-07-27.
^ "Twin cities of the
City
City of Kosice". Magistrát mesta Košice, Tr.
Retrieved 2013-07-27.
^ "Twinning Cities".
City
City of Thessaloniki. Retrieved 7 July
2009.
^ "
Plovdiv
Plovdiv has yet another sister city". Retrieved 1 March 2015.
External links[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Plovdiv.
Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Plovdiv.
Wikisource
Wikisource has the text of the 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica article
Philippopolis.
Official website
Tourism
Tourism department - Visit Plovdiv
The history of
Plovdiv
Plovdiv – short YouTube movie
Pictures from
Plovdiv
Plovdiv (the old town)
The Ancient Plovdiv
Small Basilica, Plovdiv
http://www.romanplovdiv.org/bg/small-basilica
Plovdiv
Plovdiv web page and virtual tour
Ancient
Plovdiv
Plovdiv Municipal Institute
Map of Plovdiv
Information for
Plovdiv
Plovdiv (in Bulgarian)
The Ancient Stadium and the Ancient city of Philippopolis
Translation Agency ARTO
Education for Democracy Center
Virtual tour around Plovdiv
"Night of museums and galleries – Plovdiv"
Plovdiv
Plovdiv Tours
Plovdiv
Plovdiv 2019 Foundation - Capital of Culture
v
t
e
City
City of Plovdiv
Geography
Areas
Thrace
Rivers
Maritsa
Maritsa River
Hills
Markovo tepe
Nebet
Bunardzhika
Sahat
Taksim
Dzhambaz
Dzhendem
Landmarks
Roman
Ancient theatre
Ancient Stadium
Roman Forum
Great Basilica
Small Basilica
Temples
Cathedral of St Louis
Church of the Holy Mother of God
Church of St Constantine and Helena
Plovdiv
Plovdiv Synagogue
Dzhumaya Mosque
Museums
Plovdiv
Plovdiv Regional Historical Museum
Plovdiv
Plovdiv Regional Ethnographic Museum
Other
Ivan Vazov
Ivan Vazov National Library
International Fair Plovdiv
Alyosha Monument
Sports
PFC Botev Plovdiv
PFC Lokomotiv Plovdiv
FC
Maritsa
Maritsa Plovdiv
FC Spartak Plovdiv
Plovdiv
Plovdiv Stadium
Hristo Botev Stadium
Lokomotiv Stadium
Todor Diev Stadium
Education
Plovdiv
Plovdiv University
Events
The Golden Chest
A Scene on Crossroad
Transportation
Plovdiv
Plovdiv Airport
Plovdiv
Plovdiv Central railway station
Plovdiv
Plovdiv trolleybus system
People
List of people from Plovdiv
History
Timeline
v
t
e
Ancient
City
City of Plovdiv
Theatre
Stadium
Forum
Nebet Tepe
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Small Basilica
Odeon
Hisar Kapia
Synagouge
Library
Eirene Residence
Eastern gate
v
t
e
Cities and towns of
Bulgaria
Bulgaria (2011 census)
1,000,000+
Sofia
Sofia (capital)
300,000+
Plovdiv
Varna
200,000+
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100,000+
Pleven
Ruse
Stara Zagora
50,000+
Asenovgrad
Blagoevgrad
Dobrich
Gabrovo
Haskovo
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Pernik
Shumen
Sliven
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20,000+
Aytos
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Petrich
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Samokov
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Silistra
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Targovishte
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10,000+
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Byala Slatina
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Nesebar
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Pavlikeni
Peshtera
Pomorie
Popovo
Provadia
Radnevo
Radomir
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Razlog
Stamboliyski
Svilengrad
5,000+
Aksakovo
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Belene
Belogradchik
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Bobov Dol
Bozhurishte
Byala, Ruse Province
Chepelare
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Dulovo
Elena
Elin Pelin
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General Toshevo
Hisarya
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Kostenets
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Pirdop
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Simitli
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Sopot,
Plovdiv
Plovdiv Province
Sredets
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Tervel
Teteven
Topolovgrad
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Veliki Preslav
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Zlatitsa
Zlatograd
2,000+
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Apriltsi
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Belovo
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Dolna Mitropoliya
Dolna Oryahovitsa
Dolni Dabnik
Dospat
Dragoman
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Dve Mogili
Dzhebel
Glodzhevo
Godech
Gulyantsi
Gurkovo
Hadzhidimovo
Ignatievo*
Iskar
Ivaylovgrad
Kableshkovo
Kalofer
Kameno
Kaspichan
Kilifarevo
Klisura
Kocherinovo
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Kostandovo
Koynare
Kresna
Kran
Krivodol
Kula
Laki
Letnitsa
Loznitsa
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Shabla
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Slivo Pole
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Strelcha
Sungurlare
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Sveti Vlas
Tran
Trastenik
Tsar Kaloyan
Ugarchin
Valchedram
Valchi Dol
Varbitsa
Vetovo
Vetren
Yablanitsa
Zavet
Zlataritsa
1,000+
Ahtopol
Alfatar
Antonovo
Balgarovo
Boboshevo
Bolyarovo
Boychinovtsi
Brusartsi
Byala Cherkva
Chiprovtsi
Dimovo
Glavinitsa
Gramada
Kaolinovo
Kermen
Merichleri
Momin Prohod
Plachkovtsi
Senovo
Shipka
Suhindol
Zemen
500+
Kiten
Madzharovo
Pliska
499-
Melnik
Notes
city status after the census of 01.02.2011: Ignatievo, Kran
v
t
e
Municipalities of
Plovdiv
Plovdiv Province
Asenovgrad
Brezovo
Hisarya
Kaloyanovo
Karlovo
Krichim
Kuklen
Laki
Maritsa
Parvomay
Perushtitsa
Perushtitsa Municipality
Plovdiv
Rakovski
Rodopi
Sadovo
Saedinenie
Sopot
Stamboliyski
v
t
e
Districts of Plovdiv
Central
Northern
Southern
Eastern
Western
Trakiya
v
t
e
Maritsa
Maritsa Municipality
Capital: Plovdiv
Villages
Benkovski
Dink
Graf Ignatievo
Kalekovets
Kostievo
Krislovo
Manole
Manolsko Konare
Radinovo
Rogosh
Skutare
Stroevo
Trilistnik
Trud
Tsaratsovo
Voivodinovo
Voisil
Yasno Pole
Zhelyazno
v
t
e
Rodopi Municipality
Capital: Plovdiv
Villages
Belashtitsa
Boykovo
Branipole
Brestnik
Brestovitsa
Churen
Dedovo
Hrabrino
Izvor
Kadievo
Krumovo
Lilkovo
Markovo
Orizari
Parvenets
Sitovo
Skobelevo
Tsalapitsa
Ustina
Yagodovo
Zlatitrap
Landmarks
Belashtitsa Monastery
Sitovo inscription
Culture
Plovdiv
Plovdiv International Airport
Notable people
Vanja Gesheva-Tsvetkova
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t
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Ruhr
Istanbul
Pécs
2011
Turku
Tallinn
2012
Maribor
Guimarães
2013
Košice
Marseille
2014
Umeå
Riga
2015
Mons
Plzeň
2016
San Sebastián
Wrocław
2017
Aarhus
Paphos
2018
Valletta
Leeuwarden
2019
Plovdiv
Matera
2020
Rijeka
Galway
2021
Timișoara
Elefsina
Novi Sad
2022
Kaunas
Esch-sur-Alzette
Coordinates: 42°9′N 24°45′E / 42.150°N 24.750°E /
42.150; 24.750
Authority control
GND: 4076178-2
BNF: cb1197
