“Plovdiv! Finally Plovdiv, a city in Bulgaria, will be the Cultural Capital of Europe!” My heart jumped with excitement when I heard the news on the national radio. I couldn’t believe it. The city where my parents were born, the city that I eagerly go back to every summer, the city that has a special place in my heart will finally have a special place in the soul of all Europeans. Plovdiv’s cobblestoned streets, its ancient theaters and Roman aqueducts as well as all the memories from modern Plovdiv have been engraved in my heart forever. I could go on and on about how unique this city is. The aroma of traditional food dancing in the air alongside the beat of fiery folk music. Dancers on the streets, having the times of their lives. Smiles on everyone’s face. Many things make Plovdiv special, but most importantly it is the warm, friendly and sensational feeling that you are overwhelmed with when you set foot in the city.

Plovdiv is the second-largest city in Bulgaria with a population of over 340, 000 citizens. One of the most picturesque towns of the country, it is situated on seven syenite hills and often called “The City of the Seven Hills.” Among the oldest cities of Europe (believed by some, to be the oldest), Plovdiv has a history of over 6,000 years and many well-preserved remains that date back to antiquity. If you have visited this city, you will never forget its charming old town, whose architecture and monuments take you back to the years of the Bulgarian Revival period. Plovdiv is also one of the most multiethnic cities of Europe, where Christians, Jews, Muslims, and Armenians have lived for centuries together, united by their love for the place they call home.

Thus it is no wonder that, a few months ago, my city of Plovdiv was selected as the 2019 European Capital of Culture. Since the birth of this idea in 1985, the title has been awarded to more than fifty cities belonging to the European Union. Each one of them took part in a fierce competition, dreaming of the chance to both portray the uniqueness of its culture and celebrate the common features that it shares with the large European family. Among the latest winners, designated by the Ministry of Culture, have been the current European Capitals of Culture – Mons (Belgium) and Plzen (Czech Republic), as well as the European cities chosen for the next few years: the cities of Donostia-San Sebastian in Spain and Wroclaw (Poland) for 2016, of Aarhus (Denmark) and Paphos (Cyprus) for 2017; of Leeuwarden (Netherlands) and Valetta (Malta) for 2018, and my lovely town of Plovdiv (Bulgaria) and Matera (Italy) for 2019. (http://ec.europa.eu/programmes/creative-europe/actions/capitals-culture_en.htm)

Despite the growing popularity of this initiative in Europe, not too many of us here, across the ocean, have given a thought about what it takes to be a Cultural Capital of the Old Continent. I believe that Plovdiv won this competition because of its history, because of its ancient ruins and because of how this century-old town blossomed in the modern times.

Plovdiv is known to be one of the oldest European cities. Its history dates back to four thousand years B.C. According to “Ancient Plovdiv,” Plovdiv has been colonized by Celts, Romans, Thracians, Goths, Huns, Proto-Bulgarians, Slavs, Turks, Byzantines and then again by the Bulgarians. The Thracians lived in Plovdiv during the earlier half of the second millennium. Philip the Second of Macedon conquered the Thracians in 341B.C. After this victory, Philip the Second of Macedon renamed Plovdiv “Philippopolis” in honor of himself. Later in history, the Thracians took hold of Plovdiv again, thanks to their king, Seuthes the Third, King of the Odrysae. However, the Thracians were not very unified and soon lost possession of the city of Plovdiv. Next came the Celtic tribe. They destroyed Plovdiv in 270 B.C. However, as it had happened in the past, the Thracians recaptured Plovdiv. Near 17 A.D., the Maritsa Valley, an area that was created during the Trojan War, was captured by the Romans. The Romans continued by adding Plovdiv to their Empire. During this period, the second and third centuries A. D., Plovdiv was called Trimontium. Trimontium started to become more wealthy and returned to its cultural beliefs. The Goths captured Trimontium in 251 A.D., causing lots of damage and distress. In addition, in 395 A.D. Trimontium became part of Byzantium and later on it was destroyed by the Slavs. Plovdiv went through many hard times to try to remain Plovdiv, not Philippopolis, not Trimontium - just Plovdiv. Through different conquerors, different city names, and through different time periods, Plovdiv stayed strong. After so many years of being under someone else’s rule, Plovdiv eventually went back to being its original, free and unique city.

Something else that makes Plovdiv special is the overwhelming amount of ancient ruins. Everywhere you look, you are surrounded by remains from antiquity. It feels as if you live in a town that never shook off its past. Plovdiv has a beautiful old city. Walking down its narrow cobbled streets, you can see amazing buildings, museums, art galleries, churches, and boutique shops. It seems that I am not the only one captivated by the charming old town. Just open any travel website, and you will find a ton of positive reviews about the ancient part of Plovdiv. “Plovdiv is the European Cultural Capital 2019, as well as a very ancient and friendly city,” one user wrote (Volchek1974, tripadvisor.com). A similar description of the old Plovdiv is shared by a major local website. In its words, “Ancient Plovdiv Architectural Reserve is a well-preserved complex where, on a relatively small area, visitors can take walks through different historical ages, see ancient buildings adapted to the modern way of life and feel the spirit of the town from the Bulgarian Revival Period” (www.bulgariatravel.org). It is the way in which the ancient has been revived and used today for performances and other cultural events that makes the old Plovdiv so unique and vibrant. Just a day before boarding the plane for my trip back to New York, I watched the most unforgettable Gala Opening of the Opera Season in the Roman theater of Old Plovdiv. The ancient theater was filled with people eager to hear the best operatic voices of Europe in a setting that was thousands of years old. It was an amazing night of sound, beauty, and light. The old city of Plovdiv inspires people from the modern city to continue the rituals and traditions that were established in much earlier time periods. In fact, one of its oldest churches is the place where my parents married and celebrated the beginning of their new life together – just one more example of how the old and the new pulse together in the veins of the old city.

Last but not least, Plovdiv has done a fantastic job of adding new attractions to the city. Right now Plovdiv is working on replacing the pavement on its main street with glass. Many people want to pursue this project, because Plovdiv found out that the entire ancient city is under the main shopping street. It ultimately leads to the Roman stadium, preserved in excellent condition. Back in the past, the people of Plovdiv would watch a man fight a bull in that same stadium. Fighting the bull was a celebration of man’s bravery and skills, but it often ended with the death of the fighter. Today, although the stadium remains, the tradition of fighting a bull has been abandoned. Modernizing the city, the architects are now connecting this stadium with a glass-covered main street. As people walk down the street, they would be able to see the entire ancient town below them. In addition to being visually overwhelmed, the visitors of modern Plovdiv are often mesmerized by a feast of music and light. Three times a week, Plovdiv presents a night show with multicolored water fountains that have been just completed in preparation for 2019, the year when Plovdiv will reign as the Cultural Capital of Europe. In a gigantic pool, the water fountains jump up and down in different forms and heights. At night, the water in the fountains is lit and music is played. The fountains and lights dance to the music. This is a great attraction for tourists and for kids.

Because of the unique past and exciting present of Plovdiv, many people believe that it is well-suited to be the 2019 Cultural Capital of Europe. Plovdiv has intriguing history that interests both the tourists who set foot in it for the very first time and the people who have lived in the city for generations. Also, Plovdiv has many ancient ruins that are fascinating to observe. Finally, the people of Plovdiv are working hard to improve it even more by building new attractions and modernized additions to the city. In all, Plovdiv has it all! Its present beauty and enthralling past have captured my imagination and love. I hope that just a few years from now they will captivate the hearts of all Europeans too!

Works Cited

Kartalev, Dimiter, ed. “Ancient Plovdiv.” In Plovdiv: A Guide. Sofia: Sofia Press, 1995. 8-12.

European Commission. “European Capitals of Culture.” http://ec.europa.eu/programmes/creative-europe/actions/capitals-culture_en.htm) Last updated: 22 Sept. 2015. Web. 24 Sept. 2015.

Volchek1974. “P LOVe DIV.” http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g295391-d546452-Reviews-Plovdiv_Old_Town-Plovdiv_Plovdiv_Province.html. 15 Sept. 2015. Web. 25 Sept. 2015.