15th century (Ottoman era)
Karshiyaka
Formed north of the Maritsa river after a new bridge was built in the 15th century during the Ottoman era.
Source: Уикипедия — Пловдив ↗The city's timeline
The history of Plovdiv
Over eight millennia on seven hills — from Thracian Eumolpias and Roman Trimontium, through Ottoman Filibe and the National Revival, to the Unification and the present day.
8000+years of history
362events
261people
704sources
Geography & climate
Geography
- Coordinates
- 42°09′N, 24°45′E
- Elevation
- 164 m
- River
- Maritsa
- Plain
- Upper Thracian Plain
- Hills
- 6 surviving hills (7 historically)
- Area
- 101.98 km²
Climate
- Climate type
- Humid subtropical
- Annual avg high/low
- 18.9 / 7.3 °C
- Record high/low
- 45.0 / −31.5 °C
- Annual precipitation
- 502 mm
What is the weather through the year?
Average monthly temperatures and precipitation
Max / min temperature Precipitation
Deep Timeline
On this day
On this day
Choose a date to see related moments from Plovdiv's history.
No records match these filters.
How the city grew
How has the population changed?
Population of Plovdiv over time
342,131 Peak · 1985
333,994 Latest estimate · 2025
×13.9 Growth since 1880
When did the city grow fastest?
Population change rate
Population density
- City area (km²)
- 101.98
- Density (2025) · res./km²
- 3,275
- Density at peak (1985) · res./km²
- 3,355
When the neighbourhoods appeared
Ottoman period
National Revival
Antiquity – Revival (19th c.)
The Old Town
The core of ancient Philippopolis on the three hills; its present character was shaped by the 19th-century Revival houses.
Source: Wikipedia — Old Town (Plovdiv) ↗Revival (18th–19th c.)
Kapana
The old craftsmen's quarter of narrow lanes like a "trap" (kapan), formed during the Revival; today a creative district.
Source: Lost in Plovdiv — кварталите на Пловдив ↗Modern era (20th c.)
Early 20th century
Kyuchuk Paris
Took shape in the early 20th century when refugees from Macedonia and Thrace settled south of the central railway station.
Source: Lost in Plovdiv — кварталите на Пловдив ↗1920s (after the First World War)
Belomorski & Vardarski
Refugee quarters founded by settlers after the First World War.
Source: Wikipedia — Plovdiv ↗The neighbourhoods on the map
Historical Map
Themed walking routes
Thracian era – Antiquity
Nebet Tepe
- Built/date
- Thracian era – Antiquity
- Architect/builder
- not identified in the current public source
The oldest part of the city — here the Thracian settlement of Eumolpias was founded, later the acropolis of Philippopolis. Walls and towers survive from the 4th c. BC (cyclopean masonry), a 6th-c. Byzantine postern tunnel (under Justinian) and a large cistern. The site reopened to visitors in 2025 after restoration.
Source: Wikipedia — Nebet Tepe ↗
Roman period, late 1st c.
Ancient Theatre
- Built/date
- Roman period, late 1st c.
- Architect/builder
- not identified in the current public source
Probably the best-known ancient monument in Bulgaria, built in the 90s of the 1st century AD under Emperor Domitian. Set in the saddle between two of the three hills, it seated about 7,000 on two tiers of 14 rows each. Studied and restored between 1968 and 1984, it is among the best-preserved Roman theatres in the world and still hosts the Opera Open and other festivals.
Source: Wikipedia — Plovdiv ↗
Roman period, 2nd c.
Ancient Stadium
- Built/date
- Roman period, 2nd c.
- Architect/builder
- not identified in the current public source
One of the largest structures of Roman Philippopolis, built in the 2nd century under Emperor Hadrian and modelled on the stadium at Delphi. Around 240 metres long, it could hold up to 30,000 spectators for athletic games staged by the provincial assembly of Thrace — games the city's mint celebrated on its coins. Today only the northern curve, with 14 rows of seats, is exposed beneath Dzhumaya Square; the rest lies under the modern city.
Source: Wikipedia — Plovdiv ↗
Ottoman period, 14th c.
Dzhumaya Mosque
- Built/date
- Ottoman period, 14th c.
- Architect/builder
- not identified in the current public source
One of the oldest Ottoman mosques in the Balkans, dated to 1363–1364 (Sultan Murad I). It has nine domes and a single minaret and stands beside the Ancient Stadium.
Source: Wikipedia — Dzhumaya Mosque ↗
National Revival, 19th c.
The Old Town (Old Plovdiv)
- Built/date
- National Revival, 19th c.
- Architect/builder
- not identified in the current public source
An architectural-historical reserve on Nebet, Dzhambaz and Taksim Tepe, famous for its 19th-c. Revival houses — such as the Kuyumdzhioglu House (1847, now the Ethnographic Museum). It has been on UNESCO's tentative list since 2004.
Source: Wikipedia — Old Town (Plovdiv) ↗
Across all eras
The Seven Hills (tepeta)
- Built/date
- Across all eras
- Architect/builder
- not applicable for a natural hill or terrain feature
Plovdiv is built on syenite hills and is known as "the city of the seven hills". Six survive today — Markovo Tepe was quarried away during the 20th century.
Source: Wikipedia — Plovdiv ↗
Across all eras
Plovdiv
- Built/date
- Across all eras
- Architect/builder
- not identified in the current public source
The city of Plovdiv is the main spatial record for events connected with the whole city rather than a specific building, street or archaeological site.
Source: Wikipedia — Plovdiv ↗
Roman period
Forum of Philippopolis
- Built/date
- Roman period
- Architect/builder
- not identified in the current public source
The civic heart of Roman Philippopolis: a public square begun under Emperor Vespasian in the 1st century and completed in the 2nd, covering about 11 hectares. Ringed by shops, the city council's Odeon and other public buildings, it was the focal point of the ancient street grid, near today's central post office.
Source: Wikipedia — Roman forum of Philippopolis ↗
Antiquity – Middle Ages
Hisar Kapia
- Built/date
- Antiquity – Middle Ages
- Architect/builder
- not identified in the current public source
Hisar Kapia is one of the most recognizable gates in the Old Town. It marks the historic fortification line and links the ancient and medieval core with the later National Revival urban fabric.
Source: Wikipedia — Hisar Kapia ↗
19th c.
Cathedral of St Louis
- Built/date
- 19th c.
- Architect/builder
- not identified in the current public source
The Cathedral of St Louis is a Catholic church in central Plovdiv and an important part of the city's 19th-century religious and architectural history.
Source: Wikipedia — Cathedral of St Louis (Plovdiv) ↗
National Revival, 19th c.
Church of the Holy Mother of God
- Built/date
- National Revival, 19th c.
- Architect/builder
- not identified in the current public source
The Church of the Holy Mother of God is an Orthodox church in the Old Town and an important site in Plovdiv's religious, National Revival and civic history.
Source: Wikipedia — Church of the Holy Mother of God, Plovdiv ↗
National Revival – modern era
Saint George Armenian Church
- Built/date
- National Revival – modern era
- Architect/builder
- not identified in the current public source
Saint George Armenian Church is a cultural monument in the Old Town and evidence of the historic Armenian community's presence in Plovdiv.
Source: Wikidata — Saint George church (Q55399583) ↗Georeferenced Archive and Then/Now
30 georeferenced archive items
16 then/now pairs
18 Places
January 1878
Street in Philippopolis, January 1878
Early photograph of a street in Philippopolis/Plovdiv, georeferenced to the Old Town as approximate urban context.
- Place
- The Old Town (Old Plovdiv)
- Georeference
- The image is linked to the coordinates of the existing place record: The Old Town (Old Plovdiv).
- License
- Public domain
c. 1880
Plovdiv railway station around 1880
Historical photograph of the railway station, linked to the modern Central railway station coordinates.
- Place
- Plovdiv Central railway station
- Georeference
- The image is linked to the coordinates of the existing place record: Plovdiv Central railway station.
- License
- Public domain
1892
Dzhambaz Tepe in 1892
Historical view of one of the Three Hills, linked to the modern Dzhambaz Tepe place record.
- Place
- Dzhambaz hill in Plovdiv
- Georeference
- The image is linked to the coordinates of the existing place record: Dzhambaz hill in Plovdiv.
- License
- Public domain
1892
First Plovdiv Exhibition, 1892 - image 1
Photograph from the 1892 Plovdiv International Exhibition, from the Bulgarian Archives State Agency collection.
- Place
- International Fair Plovdiv
- Georeference
- The image is linked to the coordinates of the existing place record: International Fair Plovdiv.
- License
- Public domain
early 20th c.
Prince’s Garden in Plovdiv
Historic garden view linked to the modern Tsar Simeon Garden park record.
- Place
- Tzar Simeon Garden
- Georeference
- The image is linked to the coordinates of the existing place record: Tzar Simeon Garden.
- License
- Public domain
early 20th c.
Postcard: Bahnhof von Plowdiw
Old postcard of Plovdiv station, used for a then/now comparison with the present Central station.
- Place
- Plovdiv Central railway station
- Georeference
- The image is linked to the coordinates of the existing place record: Plovdiv Central railway station.
- License
- Public domain
early 20th c.
Dzhumaya Square on an old postcard
Old postcard of Dzhumaya Square, linked to the square and Roman stadium coordinates.
- Place
- Dzhumaya square
- Georeference
- The image is linked to the coordinates of the existing place record: Dzhumaya square.
- License
- Public domain
early 20th c.
Greek High School in Plovdiv
Old postcard of a central school building, linked to the modern Geo Milev school record.
- Place
- Geo Milev Primary School
- Georeference
- The image is linked to the coordinates of the existing place record: Geo Milev Primary School.
- License
- Public domain
early 20th c.
Postcard of the clock tower
Historic postcard of Sahat Tepe and its clock tower, linked to the hill coordinates.
- Place
- Sahat hill in Plovdiv
- Georeference
- The image is linked to the coordinates of the existing place record: Sahat hill in Plovdiv.
- License
- Public domain
c. 1908
Plovdiv photographed by Ivan Karastoyanov
Panoramic urban archive photograph, georeferenced to central Plovdiv for broad historical orientation.
- Place
- Plovdiv
- Georeference
- The image is linked to the coordinates of the existing place record: Plovdiv.
- License
- Public domain
1915
Tsar Simeon Garden in 1915
Bulgarian Archives State Agency postcard showing Tsar Simeon Garden.
- Place
- Tzar Simeon Garden
- Georeference
- The image is linked to the coordinates of the existing place record: Tzar Simeon Garden.
- License
- Public domain
1928
Map of the Plovdiv - Stanimaka railway
Archive map from the Bulgarian Archives State Agency collection, used as a starter georeferenced cartographic layer for Plovdiv.
- Place
- Plovdiv
- Georeference
- The map is georeferenced to the central Plovdiv record; exact raster control points are still pending.
- License
- Public domain
Then/now comparisons
Then · 20th c. Now 
Balkan cinema in Plovdiv — then/now
Comparison between the archive image “Balkan cinema in Plovdiv” and a modern open-licensed image of Kino Balkan.
Then · 1928 Now 
Chirpan earthquake damage near St Josif — then/now
Comparison between the archive image “Chirpan earthquake damage near St Josif” and a modern open-licensed image of Hospital St Josif, Plovdiv.
Then · early 20th c. Now Dzhumaya Square on an old postcard — then/now
Comparison between the archive image “Dzhumaya Square on an old postcard” and a modern open-licensed image of Dzhumaya square.
Then · early 20th c. Now Greek High School in Plovdiv — then/now
Comparison between the archive image “Greek High School in Plovdiv” and a modern open-licensed image of Geo Milev Primary School.
Then · 1928 Now 
Ivan Vazov National Library after the earthquake — then/now
Comparison between the archive image “Ivan Vazov National Library after the earthquake” and a modern open-licensed image of Ivan Vazov National Library.
Then · February 1972 Now 
Lamartine House restoration archive, 1972 — then/now
Comparison between the archive image “Lamartine House restoration archive, 1972” and a modern open-licensed image of Lamartine House.
Then · 1930s Now 
Old Bridge and Gerdzhika Bridge in the 1930s — then/now
Comparison between the archive image “Old Bridge and Gerdzhika Bridge in the 1930s” and a modern open-licensed image of Gerdzhika Bridge.
Then · 1939 Now 
Opening of the 1939 Plovdiv Fair — then/now
Comparison between the archive image “Opening of the 1939 Plovdiv Fair” and a modern open-licensed image of International Fair Plovdiv.
People Connections
261People
68mayoral terms
8repeat terms
65succession links
repeat terms
- Bozhidar Zdravkov 2× 2 mayoral terms
- Georgi Dzhevizov 2× 2 mayoral terms
- Dr. Ivan Kesyakov 2× 2 mayoral terms
- Dr. Ivan Chomakov 2× 2 mayoral terms
- Eng. Ivan Totev 2× 2 mayoral terms
- Kostaki Peev 2× 2 mayoral terms
- Milosh Danov 2× 2 mayoral terms
- Nikola Chalakov 3× 3 mayoral terms
Open Data and API
Endpoint
- Events: /api/history/events.json
- People: /api/history/people.json
- Person relationships: /api/history/person-relationships.json
- Places: /api/history/places.json
- Organizations: /api/history/organizations.json
- Sources: /api/history/sources.json
- Archive items: /api/history/archive-items.json
- Then/now pairs: /api/history/then-now-pairs.json
- Primary documents: /api/history/primary-documents.json
- Story longreads: /api/history/story-longreads.json
- Education resources: /api/history/education-resources.json
Download
- JSON: Index
- JSON: Events
- JSON: People
- JSON: Person relationships
- JSON: Places
- JSON: Organizations
- JSON: Sources
- JSON: Archive items
- JSON: Then/now pairs
- JSON: Primary documents
- JSON: Story longreads
- JSON: Education resources
- CSV: Events
- CSV: People
- CSV: Person relationships
- CSV: Places
- CSV: Organizations
- CSV: Sources
- CSV: Archive items
- CSV: Then/now pairs
- CSV: Primary documents
- CSV: Story longreads
- CSV: Education resources