6 000 years ago the ancient people discovered a unique combination of fertile plains, a high-water river and picturesque hills and they settled on the territory of today’s Plovdiv for good. Plovdiv is of the same age as Ur and the Sumerian Empire, 3000 years older than the Pyramids, it is a contemporary inheritor of ancient civilizations – the Thracian, the Hellenic, the Roman, the Byzantine and the Ottoman.

Two Thracian settlements, located at the foot of the seven syenite hills along the Maritsa River mark the beginning of the City. The large cult center, located in the Three-hill is dates back from the middle of the second millennium BC. The Thracian tribe Bessi gave the first name of the settlement – Eumolpia, after the mythic Thracian king, singer and priest Eumolp. It is believed that his temple was located on the hill “Taxim Tepe”, which was then called the Hill of Eumolp. There were several temples with statues of the Thracian Horseman and Apollo on the hill “Dzhendem Tepe”. 20 km from Plovdiv, near the villages of Duvanli, Kaloyanovo and Starosel were discovered some of the riches necropolises in the lands of the Thracians, which are related to the aristocracy of Philipopolis. The tomb in Starosel is the biggest ancient burial edifice in our lands. Today there is a wine cellar of the same name with modern hotel complex and contemporary restoration of the temple, which offers wine testing and spectacular orphic performances.

In 342 BC the army of Philip II of Macedonia conquered Thrace. The city was renamed to Philipopolis.

During the reign of Emperor Claudius, Philipopolis is part of the Roman Empire and receives the name Trimontium but it did not last and the city continued to be called Philipopolis.

The discovered monumental architectural complexes from Roman time support Lucian of Samosata who said that “Philipopolis is the biggest and the most beautiful city in the Roman Empire, whose beauty “shines from afar”.

One of the best preserved ancient theaters in the world is built at the beginning of II century BC, during the reign of Emperor Trajan; it is located between Dzhambaz Tepe and Taxim Tepe, at the southern slope of the Three-Hills. The Roman ancient theater is a perfect example for the interweaving of theater construction in the Hellenic centers of Asia Minor with the local Thracian construction traditions. With its 3 500 seats, today the theater is the biggest outdoor scene in Bulgaria hosting performances of high artistic value.

Today Plovdiv is the most concentrated city in Bulgaria with excellently preserved archeological monuments from Roman time. One of the twelve stadiums of the Roman Empire is here. Part of it is uncovered and at display in the City’s main street. The Agora /the forum or the central square/ could be seen at the northern side of the Central Post Office. Other places of interest are the Bulevterion, the Library, the residential complex Irini with its splendid mosaics, the biggest basilica dated IV-VI c in Bulgaria, and the Aqueduct – the only engineering facilities in the Bulgarian cities with length 5 – 6 km.

At the end of IV c. Philipopolis becomes part of Byzantium. In the first half of VII century starts the peaceful penetration of the Slavic tribes. They changed the name of the city to Pulpudeva, which later becomes Plovdiv. During the barbaric invasions the City is surrounded by a double fortress wall 1.5 km long. Particularly interesting are the citadel with a Poterna – a secret exit to the banks of Maritsa, and the big Round Tower from the Acropolis wall. /picture of the round tower/.

During the reign of Ivan Alexander /1331 – 1371/, the Bulgarians finish the construction and fortify the Fortress of Plovdiv. The Eastern Gate of the acropolis – Hisar Kapia, in its current state, and the water reservoirs in the higher part of Nebet Tepe, are also related to this reconstruction.

From the time of the Ottoman rule, when Plovdiv wad called Filibe, there are preserved Muslim temples –Jumaya and Imaret mosques, Chifte Banya, at that time were also created Uzun market /today Rayko Daskalov street/ and the craftsmen street Kapana /the Trap/.

Plovdiv has preserved its crowdedness of a large, multilingual city. The different religions and their temples are present under the form of remarkable architecture, creating unmatched environment of tolerance – Orthodox, Catholic, Muslim, Jewish and Armenian.

In XVIII and XIX century the City experiences a real economic and cultural boom– the Plovdiv of the Revival is brimming over with enthusiastic renovation which fascinates even today. At that time starts an unseen construction of churches and renovation of Christian temples and the unique Plovdiv house of the Revival emerges. Richly decorated with iconography and wood-carving are the churches St Marina, St St Constantine and Elena; St Virgin Mary; St Nedelya; the Armenian church St Kevork; the Catholic cathedral St Ludwig.

The oldest well-preserved examples of the Plovdiv House are the asymmetrical, dated the end of XVIII century Furnadzhieva, Klianti, the house with the French Ports /pictures/. The symmetrical type of the Plovdiv House appears in the 30s of the 19^th c, and its typical representatives are the houses of Kuyumdzhioglu /the Ethnographical Museum/, Georgiadi /the Museum of Revival/, Geogri Mavridi /the House of Lamartin/.

In 1885, Plovdiv is the city where the Unification of Principality of Bulgaria and Eastern Rumelia was signed. Plovdiv is the symbol of the Unification, and the 6^th of September is the City’s official holiday. The emblematic hills of Plovdiv and the Maritsa River could compared only with the 7 hills of Rome along the Tiber.

The Treasures – the biggest archaeological treasure of Ancient Thrace are kept in the Museum of Archaeology of Plovdiv. Here is the most popular treasure ever found in the land of the Thracians – the Panagyurishte treasure. It consists of nine ritual vessels with total weight 6,164. Rich collection of Neolithic earthenware and cult plastics, the ritual hearth from Nebet Tepe, the findings from the Ancient Thracian Necropolis in the village of Duvanli, 786 Byzantium golden coins, fine mosaics, embossed decorations from the Ancient Stadium.

Cultural capital of Bulgaria and the City of the Artists, in 1889 Ivan Mitov and Ivan Markvichka organized in Plovdiv the first art exhibition in Bulgaria. There are more than 20 different artistic festivals throughout the year held on over 20 stages. In 1999 Plovdiv is the host of the biggest cultural European forum at the end of the millennium. In 2007 Plovdiv receives the Silver Plate Award in Lugano, Switzerland for an Open-air Museum. The archaeological – historical reservation “Ancient Plovdiv” is a candidate to become a monument protected by UNESCO.

At the beginning of 20^th century in Plovdiv was opened the first brewery in Bulgaria – Kamenitza. The biggest International Fair, the successor of the First Bulgarian Exhibition, where many significant commercial forums take place is also here.

Plovdiv offers excellent and various hotel facilities – over 70 places for accommodation and numerous places for entertainment and food – 1600, a total of 67 conference halls with capacity of 7100 seats. It has the biggest Rowing Canal on the Balkans and many sport facilities in the park “Recreation and Culture” and in other places in the city.

The most modern Tourist Information Centre in the country, the Airport and the bus tours reaffirm Plovdiv as the centre of Trakia tourist region.