Plovdiv

Plovdiv [ pɫɔvdif ] (common transliteration Plovdiv, Bulgarian Пловдив; Turkish Filibe ), with about 366 779 inhabitants, the second largest city in Bulgaria. It is located in the Thracian plain on both banks of the Maritsa, near the Rhodopes. The city is the administrative center of the homonymous municipality and the province and the seat of two other communities, ( Maritsa and Rodopi ). Furthermore, the Bulgarian Orthodox Diocese of Plovdiv in Plovdiv their headquarters

• 3.1 Population structure
• 3.2 Population development
• 3.3 personalities

• 4.1 Mayor since 2007
• 4.2 City Council
• 4.3 Interregional Management
• 4.4 Town twinning
• 4.5 Representations and Consulates

• 5.1 traffic 5.1.1 Air Transport
• 5.1.2 Rail transport

• 6.1 Museums and theater
• 6.2 Regular events
• 6.3 Structures
• 6.4 Sacred buildings
• 6.5 parks

Geography

Plovdiv is situated in the Thracian plain on both banks of the Maritsa at the foot of the Rhodope Mountains. It includes the following six hill ( Tepe, from the Persian ): Nebet Tepe, Dschambas Tepe, Taksim Tepe (these three hill located in the center, originally the ancient city was built on them ), Sahat Tepe, Tepe and Dschendem Bunardschik. Until the mid-20th century still existed another hill, Markowo Tepe, which was destroyed. The nearest major cities are Plovdiv order ( starting in the north clockwise): Karlovo (58 km), Stara Zagora ( 90 km), Burgas ( 270 km), Svilengrad (140 km ) or Asenovgrad (19 km), Smolyan, Pazardzhik (37 km) and Sofia (150 km).

History

Historical names

The town was in its history following names: Thracian Pulpudeva or Eumolpia / Eumolpias; Greek Φιλιππόπολις, Φιλιππούπολις, Philippopolis after the city's founder Philip II; Latin Trimontium, after the situation on three hills; Slavic Pulden or Pupulden; Ottoman Filibe.

Town History

Prehistoric and Ancient time

The oldest traces of settlement in the present area date back to the 6th millennium BC

A settlement of the Thracian tribe of the Bessi was situated on the hill Nebet Tepe; her name was Eumolpia or Pulpudeva. It was 341 BC by Philip II of Macedon, father of Alexander the Great, conquered and re-established under the name Philippopolis. At an unknown date, the city came again under Thracian rule before they came under the control of Philip V in 183 BC for a short time again. Then the city was again residence of the Thracian kings.

In connection with the third Mithridatic War, the city was in 72 BC by the Romans conquered and incorporated into the province of Macedonia. The city was now Trimontium ( Three Hills city). In the year 46 AD, under Claudius it became part of the province of Thrace. A Strategic importance was the city with its location on the major Roman road Via Militaris, which led to Byzantium on the Balkan Peninsula. In the 2nd and 3rd century the town was the capital of the province of Thrace. This was the culmination of the economic and cultural development of Trimontium represents the Romans built roads, public buildings, temples, a stadium and a theater. The city limits now extended beyond the three hills.

Since the Tetrarchy Trimontium belonged to the eastern part of the empire. At the end of the 4th century AD, the Byzantine period the city's history began. The Roman emperor Justinian the Great renewed the city completely.

Middle Ages

In the 5th century Slavs first settled the area, and the city was in the 6th century, the name Paldin derived from the Thracian name Pulpudeva. After the founding of the Bulgarian state in 681 the city's importance grew due to its location on the border between Byzantium and Bulgaria. After the conquest by the Khan Krum in 812, the city was the first time to the Bulgarian lands. However, the affiliation changed several times over the following years. Also Simeon the Great ( 893-927 ), his successor Peter ( 927-969 ) and Samuil ( 980-1014 ) conquered the place several times.

After the founding of the second Bulgarian Empire Thrace belonged to the whole Bulgarian Empire. During the reign of Ivan Asen II of Bulgaria became a major power in Eastern Europe. During the Fourth Crusade in 1204, the area was conquered by the Crusaders who occupied the former Paldin and awarded to Rénier de Trith. Here, the place was the starting point of serious looting in the area. A year later succeeded the Bulgarian Tsar Kaloyan after the Battle of Adrian Opel ( 1205 ) to reconquer the region.

Ottoman period

1364 Plovdiv fell under Ottoman rule and was named Filibe ( derived from the Greek Philipopolis ). The city was thus within the Ottoman Empire and therefore lost its strategic importance as a border city. As the gateway to the Orient, but it developed into a commercial and crafts center with good connections to Constantinople and Thessaloniki Opel one hand, and Vienna and Leipzig, on the other hand. As the city grew with no threat from outside the city walls were largely demolished and new buildings erected. Filibe developed into a cosmopolitan Ottoman city. The largest populations were Bulgarians, Turks, Greeks, Armenians and Jews. The hills were no longer built, but around them were very active commercial life. The then market had more than 1,100 stores. Its location corresponds approximately to the today's shopping area.

In the 15th century the name Plovdiv first appeared on for the city. This in turn leans to the former Bulgarian Paldin (sometimes Puldin ) to.

Plovdiv as a center of the National Revival

Plovdiv was to the 19th century increasingly a center of the National Revival. There was always more wealthy Bulgarians, increased their importance in society. Through its trade relations with Russia and Europe, these people were open to modern political and cultural influences. In the first half of the 19th century Plovdiv stood next to Istanbul, Edirne Solun and an important economic center in the European part of the Ottoman Empire dar. By land or across the river Maritsa reached goods to the Mediterranean and from there to the whole world. In 1853 the city had 50,000 inhabitants already. The Plowdiwer craftsmen and traders were becoming wealthy and confident, and the inhabitants sought to to build more magnificent their homes.

Plovdiv played a leading role in the fight for an independent Bulgarian church at that time. On 25 December 1859, the entire Christmas Liturgy was held in the Bulgarian language in church Sweta Bogorodiza what happened to it in the whole of Bulgaria for the first time. The Plowdiwer Metropolitan Paisii held on January 10, 1860 has been a recent exhibition in Bulgarian. He officially announced the separation of its community from the Greek Patriarchate and the desire for independence. This led to a religious power struggle, the center of Plovdiv was. It was established in a council which should speed up this fight. One sent to the Turkish government delegation was given the task of working for an independent church at a high level. 1870 that independence was actually received by the Turks (see firman establishing the Bulgarian Exarchate ), and thereby also indirectly confirmed the Bulgarian nation as such. Previously, the Bulgarians were only identified generally by the Turks as Christians.

Plovdiv also played in the Bulgarian education a pioneering role. 1839 the first Bulgarian school was built in the city. Opened in 1850, the school class Sw. i sw Cyril Methodius created the foundations for a modern, secular education. There the festival of brothers Cyril and Methodius was celebrated on May 11, 1858 the first time, a feast that is the national holiday of the Cyrillic alphabet and the Bulgarian culture today.

In this city created the first Bulgarian publishing house and the first Bulgarian printing.

Development since the 19th century

1877 began the Russo- Turkish War. After taking Sofia Russian troops marched under the leadership of General Gurko to Plovdiv. On the evening of January 16, 1878 by Captain Burago with his squadron swam the river Maritsa and sales in January 1878, the Ottomans out of the city. The Treaty of San Stefano led to the founding of the modern Bulgarian state. Plovdiv - as at that time the largest and richest city in Bulgaria - became the capital and seat of the temporary Russian government, which was headed by Alexander Mikhailovich Dondukov -Korsakov. Most notably the United Kingdom and Austria - Hungary - - But the great powers were not in agreement with this situation because they feared a growing influence of Russia. It was followed by the Treaty of Berlin, the two shared Bulgaria. Plovdiv remained in Eastern Rumelia, which was subordinated to the Ottomans as a vassal province, while Sofia became the capital of the remaining Bulgaria. Many refugees from Aegean Macedonia room and now settled in Eastern Rumelia. But there was strong internal forces who fought for a unified Bulgarian Empire. On September 6, 1885 proclaimed Bulgarian insurgents in Plovdiv, the association of the Principality of Bulgaria with Eastern Rumelia. Since this date is considered the day of reunification. To commemorate these events, the central square in Suedinenie (German reunification ) was renamed in Plovdiv. The main road leading past it was named Bouldevard of September 6.

In the 20th century

Plovdiv was from the 1960s until the end of the People's Republic of Bulgaria, an international trade fair city. The socialist countries and many exhibitors from the " non-socialist economic region " presented here in the framework of the Council for Mutual Economic Assistance their products and entered into agreements with exhibitors and visitors from. In this context, a strong cultural bond among states developed.

In 1981, the hunting "Exposition Mondiale Cynegetique Bulgarie " took place in Plovdiv, 1985 and 1991, the "World Exhibition of achievement of the young inventors ".

2012 taught Plovdiv from the World Rowing Championships.

Plovdiv is one of the venues for the 2015 to be held in Bulgaria U-17 Football Championship.

Population

Population structure

In spring 2011, the date last census took place, which was the first after the accession of Bulgaria to the European Union at the same time. Since she succumbed to EU requirements, there was the opportunity to ask questions along ethnic and religious lines, and on the mother tongue can not be answered. Only 308 866 citizens of Plovdiv answered the question about ethnicity. Of them described themselves as 277 804 Bulgarians, 16,032 as Turks, Roma than 9438, and 3105 subjects indicated another ethnicity.

Population Development

The changing population figures result partly from the respective territorial status.

The figures come from:

• Censuses (¹ )
• Estimates ( ²) or
• Official updates of the statistical offices (³).

Personalities

Policy

Mayor since 2007

The mayoral elections in 2007 were won by Slawtscho Atanassov, candidate of VMRO- BND in the first round with 53.65 percent of the vote ( 59.143 votes). He did not succeed re-election in October 2011, when he lost to Ivan Totew, the candidate of the GERB party, just in the second round with 49.16 percent of the vote ( 68,533 votes). The siegreicheTotew received 70 871 votes.

City ​​council

The City Council of Plovdiv consists of the Mayor and the form prescribed by the municipal code number of 51 city council members. The City Council also acts as a municipal council and is responsible for the control of all mayor of localities responsible. Every four years, the city council is elected. The next elections will be in 2015. The distribution of seats in the city council turns since the last local elections on 23 September 2011, with a voter turnout of 71.16 percent, as follows:

* Changes to the 2007 municipal election

About Regional Administration

Plovdiv is the seat of the three municipalities Plovdiv ( with all districts of the city), Maritsa and Rodopi. The communities Mariza and the Rhodopes are outside the city and have its administrative headquarters in Plovdiv.

Twinning

• Daegu (South Korea) since 2002

Missions and consular offices

In the village there is ever a German, a Greek and a Turkish consulate.

Economy and infrastructure

In Plovdiv numerous businesses in the food and beverage industry, the consumer goods industry, ferrous metallurgy and the textile industry are located. The International Fair Plovdiv is an important economic factor for many years. It depends from the Agricultural Fair, Wine Fair, motorcycle show, exhibition outdoors, hunting and fishing as well as flowers fair.

Traffic

Plovdiv is one of the main transport hubs in Bulgaria. The rail lines and a highway bind the city to the important commercial and tourist centers. The city center is accessible through a fine network of bus routes. Two bus stations are starting points for links to all other Bulgarian cities.

Traffic

The international airfield, which is located around 13 km from the city center and is poorly connected to public transport is served by the budget airline Ryanair since December 2010. Ryanair also operates the airline Plovdiv London. In addition, the Plovdiv airport is used as a reserve airport of Sofia as well as charter and private flights.

Rail transport

Late 1870s Plovdiv was connected to the line of the Orient Express from Istanbul to Sofia. Later, a branch line was built to Burgas. 1934 Other side rail branch lines were inaugurated after Karlovo and Panagjurischte.

Media

In the village the regional daily newspaper Plowdiwer Mariza appears.

Since 1955, sends radio Plovdiv, a public broadcaster that belongs to the Bulgarian National Radio. His focus is on the reporting. The public broadcasters received in Plovdiv on the FM frequencies are: Hristo Botev ( 91.70 MHz, 92.20 MHz), Radio Plovdiv / Horizon ( 94.00 MHz), Horizon ( 100.90 MHz ).

The first private radio station in the city was Kom channel that has aired its first broadcast in 1990. However, this was without a license. Therefore he could not until 1992 officially continue his work. Shortly after came other numerous private radio broadcasters. On 22 March 1971 a department of the Bulgarian National Radio was established in Plovdiv. Initially, she was responsible only for news production for the central message (Po sveta iu nas ). 1974 was first broadcast from the studio Plovdiv live. Since 1998 there is an additional TV channel Plovdiv, from the day between 18.00 und 22.00 clock, a regional program is broadcast.

Education

Beginning of the 19th century held modern educational institutions in Plovdiv feeder. In this case, rivaled the Greek and Bulgarian communities around the cultural supremacy. 1820, the first Greek school was opened.

Universities and Colleges

• University Paisii Chilendarski
• Medical Institute
• Technical University
• College of Agriculture
• College of Food and Beverage Industry
• Academy of Music and Dance (1972 )

Culture and sights

Museums and theater

• Archaeological Museum, particularly outstanding exhibit is the gold treasure of Panagjurischte
• Historical Museum
• Natural History Museum ( Christopher G. Dunov -Str. 34)
• Ethnographic Museum (Old Town, Dr- Stoian - Chomakov -Str. 2)
• Bulgarian Aviation Museum
• Opera House (1953 )
• Philharmonie (1946 )
• Dramatic Theatre, successor of the first professional theater of 1881
• Puppet Theatre (1946 )

Regular events

These include the Plovdiv - fairs with their thematic exhibitions. Noteworthy are also the International Festival of Opera Art (since 1985) and the TV Film Festival Golden Chest. The Opera Festival offers in the Amphitheater in the Old Town, especially Verdi performances and concerts by renowned orchestras. The film festival under the auspices of state television makes new Bulgarian films and their directors and actors known to a wide audience.

Structures

The Roman Stadium is below one of the shopping streets of the city, a few meters away from the mosque. It was built between the hills of Sahat Tepe and Tepe Teksim. The stadium has a horseshoe shape, a length of 180 meters and remarkable 30,000 spectators. Historians suggest that the discharged matches here in the time of Emperor Septimius Severus ( 146-211 AD) fall. The competitions were held after the model of the Greek Olympics. The main sports were discus and javelin, running, long jump, wrestling. The games were held every four years and lasted several days. The stadium is partially exposed and visible from the street. However, it is currently not accessible to visitors.

The ancient theater is one of the most impressive buildings from Roman times. The theater accidentally discovered during construction work was exposed for ten years. It had to be a 15 -meter-thick layer of soil. The 7000 spectator seats are distributed on two ranks, each with 14 rows. On the benches of each seating area, the names of the districts were carved, so that every visitor could take in accordance with its respective place of residence.

The excavated here Thracian settlement remains represent a special attraction

The houses in the historic city center are mostly from the era of national revival. The few really the original buildings give a good idea of the Bulgarian architecture and therefore belong rightfully to the monuments. They have a characteristic facade, are richly decorated inside and give her comfort with the then family spirit. Two types of houses are distinguished.

The first type comes from the time of the early Turkish feudalism. This represents a two-story, rarely a one-story, asymmetrical house, which is representative of the Bulgarian villages in the highlands. The first floor protrudes above the ground floor facing the street out, rarely to the garden, and is supported by wooden beams. The house has mostly about 2-3 rooms, which are spread over the two floors. The second type of house was built in the early 19th century and is known as a symmetrical house. In addition, this type of house is more stable design, has a richer architecture with ornaments. Recurring elements include the salon on the ground floor and the staircase that leads to a wide guest room and the other rooms. Inside these houses there are wooden ornaments that represent romantic acute or flower-like forms. Typical for the atmosphere of the Altstand are the narrow streets.

Decisive in their construction was the requirement that two horses with riders or two laden mules can walk past each other. Remains of old town fortification belong to the monuments and buildings, eg the city gate Hisar kapija.

Sacred buildings

This includes the Orthodox Sveta Marina church with murals and gold ornaments that has a unique bell tower and a beautiful wood-carved altar wall. Likewise, the Orthodox Sveti Konstantin i Elena Church is one with valuable icons, some of which the icon painter Zahari Zograph created, do so.

Noteworthy also are various Islamic places of worship such as the Old Mosque with Byzantine masonry or Djumaya mosque from the 15th to the 17th century.

A British military cemetery is part of the central cemetery of Plovdiv.

The church Sweta Nedelia

The Catholic Cathedral of St. Louis.

The Protestant church, built by Georgi Fingow

Minaret Mosque Jumaya

Parks

The central Czar Simeon Garden and Dondukov garden were created by the Swiss Lucien Chevallaz after the liberation of Bulgaria.

Amidst more spacious green areas on the banks of the Maritsa there is a Zoological Garden, the largest rudder channel of Bulgaria and the International Trade Fair with its parks.