Plovdiv

Plovdiv is the second-largest city in Bulgaria with a population around 330,00 inhabitants snd it is a cosmopolitan city inhabited by Bulgarians, Turks, Armenians, Jews, Greeks and Gypsies. City is situated in the southern part of the Plovdiv Plain on the two banks of the Maritsa River. Plovdiv has a humid subtropical climate with considerable humid continental influences. City is a major cultural center with more than 200 archaeological sites which 30 are of national importance. The best known monument from Antiquity in Bulgaria is the Roman theatre. It was built during the reign of the Roman Emperor Trajan in the beginning of the 2nd century. Another important monument of the ancient city is the Roman Stadium built in 2nd century. In Roman times it could hold 30,000 spectators. The Eirene (the Christian name for Penelopa) Archaeological complex is located in the southern part of the Three Hills on the northern part of an ancient street in the Arheologicheski underpass. Plovdiv has many museums like the Archaeological Museum, the Historical Museum, the Regional Ethnographic Museum, the Museum of Natural Science, the Museum of Aviation.The Old Town of Plovdiv is a historic preservation site known for its Bulgarian Renaissance architectural style. The Saint Constantine and Saint Helena, the Saint Petka and the Holy Mother of God Churche, the Saint Marina, the Saint Nedelya are 19th century Eastern Orthodox construction style churches. There are also Roman Catholic Cathedrals in Plovdiv, the largest of them is the Cathedral of St Louis. There are several more modern Protestant churches. There are two mosques remain from thr Ottoman rule. One of them is Djumaya Mosque which is considered the oldest European mosque outside Moorish Spain.The Sephardic synagogue is located at Tsar Kaloyan Street 13. The Plovdiv Drama Theatre, Puppet Theatre and Plovdic Opera are the main places for culure expression. The commercial sector is developing quicklywith shopping centers being built mainly in the Central district and the district of Trakiya.