More about Plovdiv and Bachkovo Monastery

Plovdiv, the second largest city within Bulgaria, offers ancient monuments, old style houses, and other aspects of Bulgarian life that can be all experienced on its grounds. Its location is attractive, at the foot of seven hills. The Maritsa river passes through it. The Rhodope mountain rises just 15 km away, so combining sightseeing and mountain trekking is easy. The palette of events that make Plovdiv famous comprises the International Fair of Technology, an international theater festival, a TV festival, etc.

The Archeological Museum abounds in items from the ancient Thracian period. The sections of the museum cover prehistory, antiquity and medieval times. The Museum of History is also a must to visit, with rich exhibitions in three separate buildings which rank as cultural monuments themselves.

The Ethnographic Museum draws in crowds with sections dedicated to agriculture, crafts, apparel, furniture, etc. The Natural History Museum is housed in an old building, with rich exhibitions and the largest fresh water aquarium in Bulgaria, also the collection of Rhodope area minerals. The Aviation Museum is 12 km away from the city, with 59 aircraft, in two exhibitions inside and one outside.

Plovdiv is an important center of painting and icon painting. Art galleries abound, and the state gallery is a veritable art museum. The Antique Theater, or the Amphitheater, is well preserved though dating from the beginning of the 2^nd century. It had seats to accommodate up to 3,500 spectators. The stage is in three storeys. It is the ground where a host of cultural events are held.

The Roman Odeon is as ancient as the theater and must have served for town gatherings. It was restored in 2004. The Roman forum, dating from the 1^st century, is surrounded by stores and public buildings. The antique stadium lies between two hills. It was also built in the 2^nd century and modeled on the stadium in Delphi. Its length is 240 meters, and its width 50 meters. Up to 30,000 spectators watched sports events. Now the north arc of the stadium, with 14 rows of seats, also the north entrance arch, part of the track, and an underground street, can be seen. The Old Plovdiv area is a veritable reserve of houses built in the Revival period. They are in two storeys, typical of the new type of urban houses.

The Bachkovo Monastery is not far from Plovidv. It is the second largest after the Rila Monastery. It lies in the Chepelarska river valley, encircled by the hills of the Rhodope mountain. The main church, constructed in the 17^th century, boasts an icon of the Holy Mother considered to do miracles. The iconostasis is woodcarved. The monastery has its own museum with church art exhibits.