Plovdiv Architecture

A bold outline of Plovdiv

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Plovdiv is situated at the geometric center of Bulgaria. After the liberation in 1878 there was a big discussion weather it should be the capital of Bulgaria. Sofia won with only one voice. Probably for good, because today Plovdiv has kept a huge inventory of it’s culture heritage untouched by the communists although the auto-tunnel under the main square has cut the antique forum. In reference the faith of Sofia is very different. Because it became a capital during the second world war the bombings destroy almost all of the secession buildings and communists did not rebuild or renovate them. Because of that the shape of the old town of Sofia was very much changed. Gladly Plovdiv is almost untouched in time, since only a few key buildings have been demolished.

The culture heritage of Plovdiv consists of a unique combination and co-existence of different culture layers – Trakian, Antique, Ottoman, Renaissance, Secession and communist.
The nature is as well interesting. Plovdiv is famous with it’s seven hills, called also “Tepeta”. One of them has been demolished during socialism and the rocks have been used for the streets of the city. But this is not the first big interference in nature’s shapes for it is a known fact that there was yet another one – the eight hill – which the Romans used for their roads. The name of that hill is kept and the most famous Plovdiv beer is called by it’s name – Kamenitca. As a matter of fact the factory of Kamenitca today stands where the hill was in the past.

Three buildings, Plovdiv

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House

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Building

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Sasho Sladura monument

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Sasho Sladura is a memorable figure in Plovdiv society during the yers of comunist rule. Teling jokes and more precisly jokes about the government and comunist regime was forbidden and very dangerous to do. Sasho Sladura was popular of making fun out of the regime and anything he would enjoy to make people laught at.

Views of the Antique theater

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"Boat", Nikolai Savov's sculpture

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Antique theater

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The gifted man - Miljo

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There are stories about a man called Miljo who lived in Plovdiv. He was poor but he was so gifted as a man that all the rich women in the city wanted to “meet him”. So years later the great sense of humor of artists in Plovdiv resulted in this sculpture. He is touching himself with a thin smile still promising…
Many people have fun taking pictures with the statue. It is situated in the center of the city.

Old city of Plovdiv architecture

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19th century Plovdiv building

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Corner house

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19th century building

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Building

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Old city of Plovdiv monument

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Tcanko Lavrenov monument

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View his photoes of Sofia, summer of 1944 after the bombings.

View two of his paintings here.

Santa Marina church

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Interior views

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Church entrance

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Ceeling paintings of Santa Marina church

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Ceeling paintings

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Ceeling paintings

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Church's other buildings

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Detail view

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