Plovdiv – The City of Seven Hills
Plovdiv was designated as European Capital of Culture in 2014 to great fanfare, for the 2019 edition of the event. This prestigious award meant that the city had come full circle. In 1999, exactly 20 years prior, it hosted the European month of culture. At this time, the city was a relatively unknown location to the average tourist. During my visit on a sunny day in the spring of 2017, you could easily understand why one would pick the city as the new capital of culture, it is simply splendid. There is much more to see in Plovdiv than its superb Roman ruins, this is a city that has a distinctive cosmopolitan flair, courtesy of its importance as the country’s second city.
Table of Contents
A Little Geography
Plovdiv has acquired the moniker “The City of the Seven Hills” from its location nestled between seven syenite hills. These craggy giants stand some 250 meters (820 feet) high and give the city a distinct appearance of being built into grey Swiss cheese like hills. The city sits at the center of the Plovdiv Plain, an important agricultural area located in the center of the Bulgarian nation.
A Brief History
Occupied since the stone age, Plovdiv’s heritage can be measured vertically from the underground up. In fact the city has over 12 meters (39 feet) of history buried under its modern cobblestone streets. This rich archaeological heritage has been put on open air display by the city via exposed excavations.
Antiquity
The Plain of Plovdiv has been occupied since prehistoric times. Six-Thousand years ago, Neolithic people were drawn to the region for it’s arable farmland built large earthen mounds nearby. These are the ancestors to the Thacians, the tribal Indo-European inhabitants of the land during the period of Greek mythology. The Thracians maintained their own independent empire with only brief periods of vassalage to the Persian and Macedonian Empires. Thracian Plovdiv was called Odryssa and was the capital of the Thracian kingdom. Sometime during the Macedonian rule the city was renamed Philippopolis after King Phillip II.
In 46BC the city fell into the hands of the Romans. Under their rule the city would prosper and it would become the capital of Roman Thrace. This is partially due to the city’s position on the Via Militaris, an important trade route linking the Danube to Byzantium. Much of the modern image of the city is shaped by the abundant ruins of civic structure left by these ancient inhabitants. Philippopolis was the only Thracian city to have an independent water supply and sewage system, something that outlines its importance in roman circles. The city was renamed to Trimontium, but it did not last, as Phillippopoliss continued to be used by the local populations. The use of the latter would endure until the Ottoman era. In 250 AD the city was burned to the ground by the Goths. The city would quickly recover before being burned down again by Attila the Hun and again by a second round of Goths in the 5th century. It would then pass to the Byzantine Empire.
Bulgarian, Byzantine and Ottoman Rule
After several barbarian incursions, the Balkans were in ruins,the region’s population had declined significantly and urban life had mostly been obliterated. During this period the Byzantine Empire struggled to retain its possessions and new tribes filled the void left by the receding powers of Imperial Rome. It is in the backdrop of this era, specifically the 6th century A.D that the Slavic Bulgarians begin populating the area. Since they encountered little resistance from what little was left of the native population they settled in the lands of the Eastern Roman Empire, becoming subjects of the Byzantines. There are no records of fighting between Byzantines and Bulgarians during this first period of settlement but after the establishment of the Bulgarian Empire in 681, the city would become an important border town. This led to a series of wars with the Bulgarian and Byzantines exchanging the town several times over the next few centuries. A remarkable incident took place in the 10th century when the Kievan Russ invaded from the north and impaled 20,000 citizens of the city.
After this massacre, the city was then taken from the Byzantines by the Latin crusaders during both the Third and the Fourth Crusades before again returning to the usual Byzantine/Bulgarian control intervals. The arrival of the Turks in 1346 spelled the end of this arrangement. The city lost its position of prominence to Sofia as it was incorporated in the Ottoman province of Rumelia. The city was still quite wealthy, by most means, but like Sofia it became primarily settled by Muslims. It is many of these beautiful Ottoman artisan homes that define the city today. During the Islamic years a large amount of Shepardic Jews from Spain and Portugal settled in the region. The city was renamed Filibe.
National Revival
In 1870, the Bulgarian church was established in Plovdiv and led to a revival of Bulgarian culture. Greeks and Bulgarians were prominent in the region and with this change, the Bulgarian language experienced a strong renaissance. This amid its complete abandonment just centuries earlier and not long after, the city would once again become majoritarian Bulgarian. In 1878, the city was liberated by Russia, but was given back to the Ottomans as part of the Congress of Berlin. This treaty made Plovdiv the capital of the semi-independent Republic of Eastern-Rumelia. The Ottomans still controlled Eastern-Rumelia politically, including the choice of governor general and many other officials in public functions. This infuriated Bulgarian patriots, so in 1885 Bulgarian rebels seized the city, kicked out the governor general and unified the province with the Bulgarian state. Under the new state it became (and still is) the second city of Bulgaria. The city profited heavily from the food processing and tobacco industry, the profits of which funded many of the pretty neoclassical buildings you will find along the main streets of the lower town today.
Modern Era
During the Second World War, Bulgaria joined the Axis powers, and Plovdiv was heavily bombed. Yet there was still resistance to German demands for a final solution. Efforts put forth by the archbishop of Plovdiv helped save the Jewish community from their deportation to Nazi death camps. After the war the country became a communist state and Plovdiv fell behind the Iron Curtain. Although physically separated from the west, Plovdiv continued to be a cultural force hosting the World’s Fair in 1981, 1985 and 1991. The hosting of special events such as these is a tradition the city continues to the day.
It is telling that the movement for Bulgarian democratic reform took place in Plovdiv during the 1980’s.
What to do in Plovdiv
I arrived in Plovdiv from Sofia by bus, with a few friends I had made in the hostel there. We got out at the southern terminal and walked downtown from the station in a north-easterly direction. I made my way through a decaying residential neighbourhood, with a cobblestone street, a substantial tree cover and mish-mash of colourful homes from times past mixed in with the occasional communist monstrosity.
If you find yourself walking into town from this direction stop at the Igor Vasov public Library building. The structure located on Veleshki Street, at the corner of the Garden of Tsar Simeon (park), is nothing exemplary. In fact it is a modernist eyesore, but there is a piece of Socialist Realist artwork located on a street level mural that is worth seeing. The library itself may not be of interest to the average tourist but for the locals it is a great center of learning. The library building is the largest in the nation, with 1.5 million books. It is named after the Bulgarian writer Ivan Vazov.
After you have passed this building you will hit a large green space. This is the Garden of Tsar Simeon, the most attractive public space in the city with many old fountains, statues and greenery as far as the eye can see. In the distance you will see the Alyosha, a prominent monument located at the top of one of the Seven Hills of Plovdiv. This communist era statue is a tribute to Soviet war dead during the Second World War and offers a great view of the city. If you can spare the time for a 20 minute hike it is well worth it. The garden is bordered by many bars, this is a great place to catch the award winning Plovdiv nightly musical light show that takes place at the “Singing Fountains”, located at the center of the park.
After you have made your way west through the park you will enter the Center City via Knyaz Alexander, a pedestrian boulevard. This area is known for its colourful neoclassical architecture, dating from Plovdiv’s time as Eastern Rumelian capital and Early Independence (19th and early 20th century). If you follow Knyaz Alexander for a few blocks you will come upon the very center of old Roman Philippopolis. A pedestrian roundabout links streets heading in all directions and a pit at the center of the roundabout allows you to observe parts of old Roman Philippopolis below. This includes an old Roman stadium! At the corner of the intersection you will find the Dzhumaya Mosque, a 15th century building that was built on the site of an old church. Overlooking the square, on the Danilov hill is a 19th century clock tower, and again, you may climb this hill for a panorama of the town.
Other attractions in this public space include many cultural institutions. If you need a reprieve from the sun, you can also browse art galleries and visit the Plovdiv history museum. There is a small pub off to the side if you feel like you need a drink.
If you turn east from the Roman Stadium, you will find yourself climbing upward towards the Old Town. The first sight will be the Church of the Holy Mother of God orthodox church, the most important Bulgarian building in Plovdiv. Built in Bulgarian National Revival style, it was here that the struggle for Bulgarian services and church independence started. Further up the road you can find the relatively simple St. Dimitar church and splendid buildings such as the City Gallery of Fine Arts
At the top of the hill, you will have reached the Stari Grad or Old Town. Look around for the Roman Theater of Philippopolis. This is the crown jewel of the city and one of the best preserved Roman theater structures in the world. Built in the first century AD and a semi circle with seating chipped into the hill, it offers an unparalleled view of the city around it. The open air theater is so large that it can host 5000-7000 people at a time and has been re-purposed for modern performances.
If you head northward from the Old Town, toward the fortress, you can find many Ottoman era artisan homes. Many have been recently restored and brightly painted usually in a single uniform colour, with the wood detailing adding variety. The inclined cobblestone streets between them are narrow, arduous and cramped, giving the illusion of a labyrinth. The base of these homes is often constructed of stone and the upper floors usually of wood. Many are open to visitors as museums. A few homes not to miss are the Red painted House of Atanas Krastev and the blue painted ethnographic museum. For more information visit the tourist information center provided nearby. If you are not fed up of visiting religious structures, the the Church of St. Konstantin and Elena’s with its domed belfry is a great stop off. Lastly the Gate “Hisar Kapia” is a must see. Featuring brightly coloured buildings it is one of the few places that the Old City battlements remain intact.
On your walk you will encounter many vendors selling anything from junky souvenirs to antique pieces. Some of my favorites include shot glasses made of scrap metal and old glass bottles.
Eventually you will reach the old fortress called Puldin founded on the Nebet Tepe Hill. This is the original location of the Plovdiv settlement and has been settled since the Neolithic period. The Thracians built fortifications here before they were expanded on by Phillip II of Macedon and several times after that. Explore the crumbling ruin and the best view of the city and its famous seven hills.
** There is a secret tunnel under the fortifications leading to the river but I have no clue where to find it **
You can also find lots of odd artwork in the old town, including an artist holding an empty portrait frame!
Conclusion
These days the city of Plovdiv is making a name for itself on the European tourism scene. This result is in large part due to the efforts put into the city by it’s civic authorities. Although the city is primarily known for its gargantuan Roman theater, the city sports much more than roman ruins. It is a vibrant Balkans city with a distinct flair of its own. Come visit the Bulgarian Capital of culture before it becomes too busy.
