Plovdiv

The district emerged as a center for craftsmen 5 centuries ago. Nowadays, one will not find craftsmen here, but contemporary creative entrepreneurs. This project is also part of the artistic program of “Together” – the concept and motto Plovdiv won the European Capital of Culture 2019 with. You will find galleries, workshops, ateliers, studios, cozy restaurants and shops, as well as other art spaces, and there is even a vinyl shop! All these places fill Kapana with modern cultural content not only with their daily activities but also organizing events with social, economic and cultural effect for the city, such as concerts, exhibitions, festivals, forums, art installations, screenings, workshops and many more.

Danov Hill (Sahat Tepe) is located in the center of Plovdiv, west of the Main Street. In the first modern city plan, drawn by Joseph Schnitter, the hill was named the Hour Hill. Over time, there were numerous changes, the most serious of which was in 1812 (according to the Arabic inscription above the entrance). It is believed that in Roman times on the top of the hill there was a temple of Venus. Near the tower there is also a radio relay television station, built on January 18, 1956 (on July 1, 1960 it started airing radio broadcasts). Its altitude is 210 m.

The hill is located western from the city center and is the second highest in the city with its altitude of 234 m. Its old name – Bunardzhik, which is still in use, originates from the Ottoman word Bunar (a well), and refers to the small spring that flows down the hill. The hill bears its modern name -Liberators hill, from the two monuments on the top – the Monument of Russian Liberators, who set the city at liberty from Ottoman occupation on January 16, 1878, and the one of the Unknown Russian Soldier, popular as Alyosha. The Alley of Astronauts loosely bounds both monuments, the first pine-tree here having been planted by Yuri Gagarin himself back in 1961. On the foot of the hill, there are a number of sport facilities, as well as the Summer theatre, which is a popular venue of concerts.

The top of Dzhendem Tepe is the highest altitude of the city’s seven hills. The hill, which is located in the southwest part of the city, has the status of a national landmark with the aim of preservation the natural habitat of rare plant species, such as Bulgarian and Balkan relict endemic tutsan, Astragalus physocalux, Genista rumelica. The hill has been inhabited since 3 000 B.C., and some archaeological sites from the periods have been found, such as statue of Apollo from Late Antiquity and a three-nave basilica from early-Christian times. The children Railway is located on the foot of the Youth Hill. It was founded in 1979 and since then it has been a real attraction for the children and their parents, both citizens and visitors of Plovdiv. Thousands of kids from the region keep the memory of their very first travelling by train on the Youth Hill. The train, which consists of an engine and three carriages, starts its journey from the Peoneer Station, which has a platform, two lines, as well as traffic lights. The duration of the trip is about 25 minutes per direction. A number of cultural activities regularly take place on the foot of the hill.

The Monument of Unification in Plovdiv was erected in 1985 on occasion the 100th anniversary of the Unification of Eastern Rumelia and the Principality of Bulgaria in 1885. Its sculptor is Velichko Minekov. This event is one of the most important in the historical development of Bulgaria. After the Russo-Turkish war for liberation of Bulgaria from Ottoman rule, the Berlin Peace Treaty of 1878 divided Bulgaria into two independent parts (states). The northern half of the present-day territory was called Principality of Bulgaria (under the rule of a Prince) with capital Sofia, and the southern – Eastern Rumelia (under the control of a Governor, the first of whom was the prominent Bulgarian Aleko Bogoridi) with its capital Plovdiv. The Monument of Unification depicts the Mother Motherland with the laurel wreath of victory in her hands. The wings in flight symbolize the two united parts of Bulgaria. Every year on September 6th the historical event of the Unification is noted as an official holiday in Bulgaria and a Day of Plovdiv with a solemn ceremony in the square in front of the Monument.

Maritsa River is the largest river on the Balkan Peninsula and flows through the city of Plovdiv. The first prehistoric settlement within the borders of the modern city was adjacent to the river, the ancient name of which - Hebros, is now associated with legends for city’s first inhabitants. The riverbank was an area where traditions in wine production were established more than 5,000 years ago by Thracian tribes and never quit. Nowadays, one can find a number of cozy restaurants, cafeterias and open-air sports facilities along the riverbank. The pedestrian bridge at the end of the Main Shopping Street is part of the city's retail area.

In 1892, Plovdiv hosted the First Bulgarian Agricultural and Industrial Exhibition, which marked the beginning of the exhibition industry in Bulgaria. International Fair Plovdiv is the successor of the First Exhibition and its mission, i.e. to contribute to the prosperity of the Bulgarian people by encouraging the development of the national industry. The exhibition calendar of International Fair Plovdiv comprises multi-branch fairs and trade exhibitions covering key sectors of Bulgarian economy. The Fair is the organizer of the most important trade forums in the country, opening up prospects for the Bulgarian producers to emerge in the international market. The trade fair and exhibition events outline the performance of Bulgarian economy, as well as the interest of the international business in our country and region.