Plovdiv is the oldest continuously inhabited city in Europe. The prehistoric ruins on Nebet Tepe (one of the seven hills of Plovdiv) are one of Plovdiv’s wonders. Nebet Tepe has the earliest traces of civilized life dating back to the Neolithic era in 6000 BC. This makes Plovdiv around 8,000 years old! During the Iron Age, the Thracians established their fortifications on the hill and expanded the city around it and renamed it Evmolpia. In 342 BC the Macedonians under Alexander the Great’s father, Philip II conquered the city and renamed it Philippopolis the most important city in Thrace, however, it was the Romans that had the biggest impact on the city. They conquered it in 72 BC and renamed it Trimontium and they expanded it by enlarging the fortress installing an aqueduct and a sewage system into the city and also by building a huge stadium with a capacity for 30,000 people. After the collapse of the Roman Empire at the end of the 4th century, Plovdiv stayed under the Eastern Roman Empire – Byzantium rule. This was until the Slavs invaded the city at the beginning of the 7th century. The Slavs formed a union with the Bulgarian tribes who established the country of Bulgaria in 812 and Plovdiv officially became part of Bulgaria around 834. In 1371 the Ottomans invaded and ended up ruling here for over five centuries and renamed the town Filibe. In 1878, Bulgaria was liberated by the Russo-Turkish War. At the end of the Second World War, Bulgaria fell into the Soviet Union’s, area of influence and under communism, Plovdiv became a more industrial city that is up until 1989 when communism fell.
Plovdiv had its sights set on becoming the cultural capital of Bulgaria.
Their tourism slogan is Come and See for yourself. According to their website, the Roman amphitheatre was built in around about the Year 90 or the 1st century, so it’s over 1,900 years old and it is said to be one of the best-preserved Roman amphitheatres in existence. There are over 20 rows of marble seats and can host between 5000 and 7000 spectators during its heyday, it was used for theatrical performances, of course, but also gladiatorial and hunting games. The amphitheatre was rediscovered in the early 1970s after a landslide on the hill, this caused a major archaeological excavation.
There is a Roman Stadium in the centre of Plovdiv, under the main pedestrian street. The northern end of the edifice can be observed at Dzhumayata Square. The end section is 790 ft long and 164 ft wide, but they can’t excavate, the rest of it because it is underneath their main High Street.
The Kapana district, also known as The Trap, is made up of lots of small streets that bend all over the place which is then hard to find your way around and out of the district. There are lots of street arts here as well, it’s, all legal, lots of competitions during festivals that are held here and the winners get to add their art onto Selected walls and property.
There are lots of unique buildings around here, roads are cobblestone and very steep as it’s built on a hill.
In recent years Plovdiv has stood out as the cultural centre of Bulgaria. The city places huge importance on archaeological excavations, the renovation of public buildings and stimulating the arts. This has greatly encouraged cultural tourism. There’s a Free Walking Tour of this fascinating city so if you are in the area give it a go.