Plovdiv

About Plovdiv 

Plovdiv is the second largest city in Bulgaria and the administrative center of Plovdiv District, Plovdiv Municipality, Maritsa Municipality and Rodopi Municipality. The city is situated on both banks of the Maritsa River, in the central part of the Upper Thracian Plain. Its territory comprises 102 sq. km and the population is 365 139 inhabitants. In addition to Bulgarians, the city’s population includes people of Armenian, Jewish, Greek, Turkish and Gypsy origin.

The Municipality of Plovdiv includes entirely the city of Plovdiv and is divided into 6 districts: Central, Eastern, Western, Northern, Southern, and Trakia.

Plovdiv is the most important administrative, academic, economic, commercial and transportation center of the south central region.

The city is a major link in the chain of transport routes connecting Europe and Asia Minor, as well as an intersection of three pan-European corridors (IV, VIII and X). Plovdiv is the main rail hub in southern Bulgaria. The Plovdiv International Airport handles both passenger and cargo flights, strengthening its position as an alternative to Sofia Airport. The city has a duty-free zone and a customs terminal, while an intermodal terminal is under construction.

Plovdiv is the oldest city in Europe and the sixth oldest in the world, where life has never stopped /The Daily Telegraph in 2010/. It is estimated that it was founded around the beginning of 6th century BC. Having established itself as a Thracian center, the city grew during the times of Philip of Macedonia, flourished in the heyday of the Roman and Byzantine empires, was preserved in the years of the Ottoman Empire and was on the rise again during the Bulgarian National Revival.

After the Liberation of Bulgaria, Plovdiv became the capital of the autonomous region of Eastern Rumelia. After the Unification and to this day Plovdiv has remained the second-largest city after the capital Sofia.

The unique cultural, historical and natural attractions, the sports facilities and the Fair, the cultural calendar, rich in international events, turn the city into a tourist attraction. Plovdiv is the starting point of many tourist destinations in the country and abroad.

What to visit

• Roman stadium;
• Antient theatre;
• "Djumayata" squere; 
• Old town of Plovdiv; 
• "Sveta Bogoroditza" chirch; 
• Ethno museum - Plovdiv; 
• Culture centre "Тrakart"; 
• "Кapana" district; 
• Aliosha monument; 
• Rowing canall;
• "Tchifte banya"musem; 
• Small bazilisk; 
• „Singing fountains“ in "Tzar Simeonovata" garden;
• "Nebet tepe" and Danov Hill;

www.visitplovdiv.com