Plovdiv

Despite only putting in two days since our last rest day, we decided to take a day off and explore Plovdiv.  The city was is reported to be the longest continuously settled area in Europe, with over 8000 years of history.  In addition to a rich history of being self ruled by the Bulgarians, the area was heavily influenced by the Romans and Ottomans'.

We headed off with a guide to visit  Asen’s Fortress, and Bachkovo Monastery.  Both had over 1000 years of history.

The Church on the hill and fortress ruins on the right

Looking back at the Thracian Valley

The church was not destroyed by the Ottomans' who occupied the area from the 15th to 19th century

The Bulgarian Orthodox churches inside the monastery

One of 23 chapels in the mountains surrounding the fortress and monastery

The second half of our day was a guided tour of the city of Plovdiv.  Plovdiv was selected as the Bulgarian host of the European Capital of Culture 2019, so there was lots to see.

This is a pretty amazing shot of the old and the new.  The Roman city on the left remains under most of the modern city of Plovdiv.  When possible, it is being excavated and restored.

The seats are part of a Roman stadium that seated over 30,000 spectators.  Most of the stadium is under the center city pedestrian area.  The picture shows another era with the Minaret from the Mosque as a remnant of the Ottoman occupation.

The old town is comprised of beautiful homes from the mid 19th century, built in the Bulgarian Revival Style. 

The Roman theater seating 3500 is still used today.  Fortunately, it is a music venue and no longer a gladiatorial site