Showing 1-9 of 9 results
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Church of Sveta Bogoroditsa
The huge, three-aisle Church of Sveta Bogoroditsa , stands atop a grand series of stone stairs at the old town's base. With its unmistakable pink and blue belltower, this church (built in 1844 on the site of a 9th-century shrine), contains icons and murals, including one depicting a sword-wielding Turkish soldier harassing chained and lamenting Bulgarian peasants.
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Church of Sveti Konstantin & Elena
The Church of Sveti Konstantin & Elena, Plovdiv's oldest, was built over a late Roman church. It's dedicated to Constantine the Great, the 4th-century emperor who made Orthodox Christianity the state religion, and his mother, Sveta Helena. The current church, however, dates mostly to 1832. The wonderful iconostasis was painted by Zahari Zograf between 1836 and 1840, and the covered portico features sumptuous frescoes.
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Dzhumaya Mosque
The Dzhumaya Mosque, currently undergoing heavy renovation, is one of the Balkans' oldest, dating from the mid-15th century. This enormous structure with a 23m minaret was the largest of Plovdiv's more than 50 Ottoman-era mosques.
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Imaret Mosque
Another Ottoman structure, the Imaret Mosque is open; note the unusual minaret. It's between the Hotel Elite and river.
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Roman Amphitheatre
Plovdiv's magnificent 2nd-century AD Roman Amphitheatre, built by Emperor Trajan was, incredibly enough, only uncovered during a freak landslide in 1972. At its peak, the structure held about 6000 spectators. Now largely restored, it once again hosts large-scale special events and concerts. Visitors can admire the amphitheatre from several lookouts along ul Hemus, or from the cafés above.
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Roman Odeon
Adjacent to the tourist information centre, the remains of a Roman Odeon have been partially restored. There's a tiny, reconstructed amphitheatre and some original columns. It's used for occasional performances.
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Roman Stadium
The once huge Roman Stadium is mostly hidden under the pedestrian mall and buildings; alas, a visionary plan to reconstruct the street with a glass walkway and so reveal the whole structure, remains unrealised. For now, 12 rows of the northern section have been restored, and are visible from the street. Above the ruins, a modern bronze statue of the city's founder - the 4th-century BC king of Macedon, Philip II - stands on a column.
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Sveta Marina Church
Originally built in 1561, Sveta Marina Church was burnt down 50 years later, rebuilt in 1783, and repaired in 1856. See the 17m-high pagoda-shaped wooden bell tower (1870), and the intricate, 170-year-old iconostasis.
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Sveta Nedelya Church
The grand, reopened Sveta Nedelya Church, built in 1578 and renovated in the 1830s, contains exquisite, carved walnut iconostases and now faded wall murals from the mid-1800s.
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Showing 1-9 of 9 results
