The town of Plovdiv is the district centre with a population of 340 000 inhabitants. It lies 147 km southeast of Sofia. Plovdiv is the municipal centre of 18 settlements. The town is situated in the Upper Thracian Valley along both banks of the Maritza River. Plovdiv is one of the oldest towns in Europe. It dates back to the time of Troy and is older than Rome, Athens and Constantinopole. In 1975 were discovered the remains of a building from the period of the Cretan-Mycenaean culture measurable only to the finding on the Knosos Island.
If you want to buy a Hot-air ballon trip above Plovdiv, click here.
The Thracians were the first to found a settlement in these lands which they called Evmolpia. Gradually the settlement developed and occupieed the three hills and was known under the name of Pulpudeva. In 342 B.C. Philip II the Macedonian conquered the settlement and built fortified walls around it and called it Philipopolis (The town of Philip). After the death of Alexander the Macedonian the Thracian people gained their independence and Seutes III, king of the Odrysian tribe restored the Thracian kingdom. More than two centuries the Romans tried to conquer the Thracian people and finally in 72 B.C. they conquered all the settlements along the Maritza River. The Romans called the town Trimontzium (The town of the three hills). Later the town became the centre of the Thrace Province. The town had a water supply and sewage system, a huge stadium, an amphitheatre, public baths and a residence for the Empire governor of the province. The residence was located on the Taksim Tepe/ one of the hills of Plovdiv/ and had an impressive size of 2 hectares. The Byzantine period of Plovdiv started at the end of IV c. The Emperor Justinian the Great (527-565) completely renovated the town. The Slavs came to the town in the middle of VI c. and gradually changed the ethnic outlook of the town. The settlement entered the limits of Bulgaria during khan Malamir (831-836). At the period of the First Bulgarian Kingdom Plovdiv was a border town which often changed its belonging from Bulgaria to Byzantine and vice versa. During the period of political bloom of the Second Bulgarian Kingdom Plovdiv remained in the limits of Bulgaria for a longer period. Four of the eight crusades crossed the town and two of them left it in flames. In 1364 the town was captured by the Turks and was given the name of Filibe. As an internal town Filibe lost its significance of an important fortress and developed as an economic centre. During the first half of 19 century together with Istanbul, Thessalonica, and Odrin/ Edirne in Turkey/ the town became a big economic centre at the European part of Turkey. During the Unification of the Principalities of Bulgaria and East Roumelia in 1885 the town entered the limits of Bulgaria again.
If you want to buy a Full day trip to Plovdiv, click here.
The tourist sights of the town are: the old town with its Revival period houses of Georgiadi, Kuyumdzhioglu, Nedkovich, Hindliyan, Mavridi, Balabanov's, the churches " St. Marina (1853), "St. St. Konstantin and Elena" (1830), ‘St. Dimiter" (1830) and "St. Nedelya" (1832), the amphitheatre, the art gallery, the clock tower (1578-1623).
Within the administrative borders of the region are situated the following monasteries: Sopot Monastery, Bachkovo Monastery, Kuklen Monastery, Gornovoden Monastery and Arapovo Monastery.
Tourist sights
The architectural-historic reserve "The Ancient Plovdiv" has preserved remains of a prehistoric settlement, fortress ruins from the Thracian and Roman Epochs, Revival period churches and houses.
The Amphitheatre in Plovdiv was built in II c. during the reign of the Roman Emperor Trayan. The theatre had 28 seat-rows that could accommodate 6 000 spectators. The amphitheatre is well-preserved in its original way and was partially restored for 3 500 spectators.
The ancient stadium is situated on the Dzhumaya square in Plovdiv. Some of the amphitheatre's seat-rows have been preserved as well as an underground corridor and a racing track. The stadium had a length of 180 m and its marble seats accommodated 30 000 inhabitants from Filipopol. The stadium dates back to II c.
The ancient forum is situated at the central square of Plovdiv. According to specialists it is the biggest in Bulgaria. In the ancient times the forum had statues, alleys, sanctuaries, fountains and shops.
The ancient Odeon in Plovdiv dates back to II-V c. and is now situated west of the Central post office building. The building was used for sessions of the town council of Philipopol and as a small theatre. The building was restored and formed for the purposes of hosting chamber concerts.
The Georgiadi's House in Polvdiv was built during 1846-1848. It has a ground floor used as an internal yard and two symmetrical storeys with an oval saloon in the middle. The house is richly decorated. The walls are painted and the ceiling is wood carved.
The Kuyumdzhioglu's House in Plovdiv was built in 1847. It is a two-storey house symmetrically designed around a central saloon. The doors, the wall wardrobes and the ceilings are artistically decorated and the walls are pained.
The Nedkovich's House in Plovdiv is situated in the central part of the Old town. It was built in 1862 from the merchant Nedkovich. The house has an impressively rich decoration. The rooms on the first floor are of different colours related to their purpose. The women's room is in green, the parlour is in red, the dining room is in purple and the living room is in an orange colour. The house has wood carved ceilings, doors and chandeliers.
The Balabanov's house in Plovdiv is situated at a crossroads of two streets. It was torn down and then reconstructed by original photos from 1980. The house has a huge saloon surrounded by well-equipped and decorated rooms.
The Hidliyan's House in Plovdiv is the most richly painted house. On the second floor of the house there are sceneries from Sank Petersburg, Lisbon, Venice and other towns.
The Mavridi's House /also known as the Lamartin's House/ in Plovdiv was built during 1828-1830. The house has an interesting architectural style. It is located at a corner of three streets with big differences in the levels. In the house there is a room where the French poet Alfonse De Lamartine stayed while describing Plovdiv and the Bulgarian people in his book "Travelling East"
The Hristo Danov's House in Plovdiv is a Revival period house which houses the History Museum's exhibition "The book publishing in Plovdiv during the Revival Period". Hristo Danov is a famous Bulgarian public figure of the Revival period.
The Town's Art Gallery possesses unique works of Stanislav Dospevski, Zahari Zograf, Georgi Danchov, Ivan Markvichka, Vladimir Dimitrov, Zlatyo Boyadzhiev, Tzanko Lavrenov and other prominent Bulgarian artists.
The "St. Konstantin and Elena" Church is situated at the centre of the Old Plovdiv. The church has a remarkable iconostasis, a bishop's throne and icons from the Revival period. According to specialists the icons were made by Zahari Zograf.
The "St. Nedelya" Church in Plovdiv was built in 1578. The iconostasis of the chapel has been preserved since that period. In 1831-1832 a new church was erected over the foundations of the old temple. The church has interesting icons from Dimiter Zograf, Stanislav Dospevski, Nikola Odrichanin. The wood carving in the church is made by representatives of the Debar's art school.
The "St. Marina" Church in Plovdiv dates back to 1576. The church has an interesting wood carving and a six-floor wooden bell-tower. "St. Marina" Church is a bishop's church.
The town of Asenovgrad is the second biggest in the district with a population of 52 000 inhabitants. It is situated along the Chepelarska River at the western part of the Upper Thracian Valley. The town is a municipal centre with 29 component settlements. Asenovgrad lies at a distance of 19 km southeast of Plovdiv. The town was known under the name of Stanimaka until 1934.
In the region of the town have been discovered remains from a Thracian and a medieval settlement, more than 100 Thracian mounds with interesting findings. During the Middle Ages the town was a well-fortified place. The first document mentioning Asenovgrad is the Statute of the Bachkovo Monastery. There it written under the name of Stanimahos which in translation means defended narrow place. The Petrich fortress, also known as Vasilikis existed during XI c. It lies at a distance of 2 km from the present-day town on a high rocky ridge. In 1230 King Ivan Asen II fortified and widened the fortress leaving an inscription on a rock above the fortress' entrance to commemorate the deed. This inscription is the purpose the fortress to be later on called Asen's fortress and in 1934 the town was also named Asenovgrad. The most well-preserved monument is the "St. Bogoroditza Petrichka" church from XII c. It is a two-storey building with a square tower to the west.
The Bachkovo Monastery lies at a distance of 10 km from Asenovgrad and 25 km from Plovdiv. It was founded in 1083. It has preserved annals from a Georgian artist.
Other tourist sights of the town are: The History Museum, the churches "St. Yoan Predtecha", "St. Georgi" (XVIII), "St. Bogoroditza"/Holy Virgin/ (1836), The Deep Church (1765), "St. Dimiter" (1866), and Belintash - a Thracian cult centre by the village of Dolnoslav.
Narechenski Bani lies at a distance of 24 km southwest of Asenovgrad along the Chepelarska River. The village is a well-known spa resort. The mineral waters have a temperature of 20,5-31,2oC and are used for the treatment of diseases of the metabolism, the nervous system, cardiovascular and other diseases. The mineral spring "Soleno izvorche"/The salty spring/ has the biggest radioactivity in Bulgaria - up to 1300 emans.
Tourist sights
The Bachkovo Monastery in the village of Bachkovo at a distance of 11 km from Asenovgrad is the second biggest Bulgarian monastery. The monastery is surrounded by the hills of the picturesque Rhodope Mountains. It was founded in 1083 by the Byzantine priest from Georgian origin Grigorii Bakuriani and his brother Abazii. From that period has been preserved the church. It is located at a distance of 300 m from the present-day monastery and is the only preserved church from that period. The steep terrain was skillfully used for forming two floors: the lower - for a chapel with a tomb and the upper - used for the church. The church is unique with its murals from XI c. painted by the Georgian artist Iveropuletz. The founder's portrait of Ivan Alexander was painted in XIV c. Later on the monastery had the fate of most Orthodox monasteries and was plundered and ruined by the Ottoman troops. After the period of its burning and destruction at the end of XVI c. started its restoration. Over the foundations of the old church was erected the present-day temple "Uspenie Bogorodichno"/ The Assumption/. In 1643 the southern wing of the monastery's dining room was built with rich decorations. The monastery has its own museum where one can see ritual objects of different periods.
Asen's fortress is a medieval fortress situated on a high rock. The rocky inscription says: "In the year of 6379(1231) Asen, god-chosen king of the Bulgarian and Greek people as well as of other nations, built this fortress". After the fall of Bulgaria under the Ottoman Yoke the fortress was gradually demolished. Only the tower and the two water reservoirs are preserved from the fortress. Asen's church is a single-nave dome church. Above the narthex there is also a tower built over the rock. The church was restored in 1934 and 1985.
The Paleontological Museum is a branch of the National Nature-Science Museum. It has a collection of 20 000 exhibits
The "St. Georgi" Church in Asenovgrad dates back to XVIII c. and was built over the foundations of an older temple. The murals of the church were painted by the icon-painter Yoan from the village of Voden and Zahari Zograf.
The "St. Kirik and Yulita" Monastery in the village of Gorno Voden was founded in the Middle Ages. The monastery was restored to its present-day state in 1835. The murals were painted by Aleksi Atanasov and some of the icons are painted by Zahari Zograf.
The Arapovo Monastery "St. Nedelya" in the village of Zlatovrah lies at a distance of 6 km northeast of the town. The church has characteristic artistic murals.
The "St. Petka Muldavska" Monastery is situated on the southern slope of the Rhodope Mountains above the village of Muldava at a distance of 4 km southeast of Asenovgrad. The legend says that the monastery was established during the Second Bulgarian Kingdom and was burned down during the Turkish invasion. Written evidence of the existence of the monastery has been preserved from XVI c. in some Asenovgrad's documents while precious data for its history is kept in the inscriptions of the monastery.
The rocky Thracian sanctuary "Belintash" is one of the cult centres of the "civilization of the rocky people". In the rocks can be seen hewn stairs, niches, gullies and basins. According to contemporary research all megalithic sanctuaries are situated at places with magnet anomalies. At the foot of the rocky massif was discovered a ritual slab with the image of the ancient Thracian deity Sabazii.
The town of Hisarya lies at a distance of 42 km north of Plovdiv and has a population of 8 000 inhabitants. The town is the centre of a municipality with 11 component settlements. The settlement is situated at the southern slopes of the Sashtinska Sredna Gora Mountain at an altitude of 364 m. Hissarya is a national spa resort. The mineral springs are with a capacity of 5 000 litres per second and a temperature of 37-51oC. The town has more than 20 mineral springs suitable for the treatment of kidney and liver diseases and rheumatism.
If you want to reserve a Spa Holiday in Hisarya, click here.
The favourable climate and the mineral waters have attracted people to these lands since ancient times. A settlement has existed in the region since V-IV c. B.C. Later it entered the limits of the Odrysian state. From this period are the great cult monuments by the village of Starosel at a distance of 20 km from Hissarya. After the conquering of the Thrace Province by the Romans in 46 a big Roman settlement was founded in the region. The emperor Diokletzian gave it the statute of a town and named it after himself. During the barbarian invasions this town was demolished and in VIII-X c. on the site was founded a Bulgarian settlement with the name of Toplitza. During the Ottoman invasion the settlement was demolished and many of its inhabitants were killed. The town was mentioned in the Ottoman documents in 1576. The settlement was proclaimed for a town in 1964.
The tourist sights of the town are: the remains of the ancient town, the churches "St. Dimiter" (1845-1882), "Uspenie Bogorodicho"/The Assumption/ (1883), "St.St. Peter and Pavel" (1882) and the Thracian cult centre of Starosel.
Tourist sights
The Thracian cult centre of Starosel is a grandiose cult centre from the end of V and IV c. B.C. The monument was discovered in 2000 and consists of 8 mounds of different sizes.
The Chetinyov's mound at the village of Starosel is a Thracian temple. The temple is 20 m high with a diameter of 85 m. It is surrounded by an impressive fence of 241 m length and preserved height of 3,5 m. The entrance of the sanctuary is 1,60 m wide with a decoration known as "wolf's teeth". The entrance has slabs of plastic and floral design. The temple consists of a southern parade staircase, two side staircases, a 10 m long and 6 m wide corridor, precise façade, rectangular and round chamber with dome roof with a diameter of 5,40 m. The temple is built of well-formed stone blocks connected by lead-poured iron braces. More than 4 000 huge stone block have been used for the construction of the temple. The temple is one of the most impressive in the Thracian lands. There are hypotheses that here was buried the greatest king of the Odrysian kingdom - Sitalk. The temple is the key monument of a huge cult centre with many other rocky sanctuaries and dozens of mounds.
The Horizon mound lies at a distance of 2 km north of the village of Starosel. The Thracian temple was built in V c. B.C. It was built of well-formed stone blocks connected with iron braces. The façade and the transverse corridor were outside of the mound while the narthex and the rectangular chamber were under the mound. The visible part of the temple is with 6 columns at the front and 2 at each side of an early Dorian style. The temple was transformed into a mausoleum in the middle of IV c.
The Nedkov's mound at the village of Panicheri lies on the border of the cult centre of Starosel. The temple dates back to V c. It is built of white lime and dark granite blocks connected by lead-poured iron braces. The temple was transformed into a mausoleum of the Thracian ruler of the time in IV c. The temple consists of a narthex and a rectangular chamber. The floors are covered with well-formed and well-arranged stone slabs. The roof is from huge cross-beams of alternating dark granite and white lime. Some ritual pits were discovered of which 23 were studied. Five of them are in front of the temple and are arranged as the Olympic rings.
The Peichov's mound in the village of Starosel dates back to IV c. The chieftain buried in the mound was a follower of Orpheus. His body was segmented and buried next to a rock. Close to the rock was built a camber with a double-layer roof with the belongings of the chieftain.
The Mavrov's mound in the village of Starosel is part of the Thracian cult centre. Here were discovered a gold seal-ring, a glass mask of a human face, a bronze mirror and other objects.
The ancient town of Diokletzianopol /Hissarya/ was the third in size in the Thrace Province. The favourable climate and the mineral waters have attracted people to the site since ancient times. A settlement was found to have existed from V-IV c. B.C. Later the settlement entered the limits of the Odrysian state. From this period are also the great cult monuments by Starosel at a distance of 20 km from the town.
After the conquering of the Thrace Province by the Romans in 46 a big Roman settlement was founded in the region. The emperor Diokletzian gave it the statute of a town and names it after himself. The town is one of the most well-preserved monuments of that time. At some places the fortified walls reach a height of 11 m and in the southern part -13 m. The complex of buildings was concentrated in the centre - there was an amphitheatre, a residence, a public bath of 2000m2. The amphitheatre is of the type of the circuses where sport competitions and animal fights were held. In the public bath of Diokletzianopol were performed medical procedures and mineral water treatment. They were of white marble and heated with the hot water from the mineral springs. They impress with their originality. Diokletzianopol was one of the favourite recreation sites. There is historical evidence that the emperor himself was a guest of the town at least twice.
The town of Karlovo has a population of 25 000 inhabitants. It is a municipal centre of 28 component settlements. Karlovo lies at a distance of 56 km from the district town. It is situated at the northern part of Plovdiv District at the Karlovo Valley along the Stara Reka River. To the north the valley is surrounded by Stara Planina, to the southwest from the Sashtinska Sredna Gora and to the southeast of Sarnena Sredna Gora Mountain. The average altitude of the town is 450 m. The Karlovo Valley is part of the famous Rose Valley.
If you want to buy a Hot-air ballon trip above Karlovo, click here.
At the site of the present-day town different settlements and fortresses were established and later on destroyed without leaving clear traces of their existence. However, evidence for the existence of two Thracian settlements in the sites of "Sveta Troitza"/Holy Trinity/ and "St. Pantaleymon" were found. Sanctuaries and remains from medieval monasteries and churches are also preserved in the region. During the Roman Empire a main road connecting Thrace and the Dunube River crossed the territory of Karlovo but lost its significance after the foundation of the Bulgarian state. The fortified town of Kopsa also known as Kopsis was the centre of the valley. The annals give no other information about the fate of the settlement until the Ottoman invasion. The most likely successor of the ancient town and the centre of the Municipality was the settlement of Sushitza. At the end of XIV c. it was conquered by the Ottoman Turks and became a possession of the Kaarlazade lala Ali Bey. Sultan Bayazid rewarded the bey for his merits with the lands around Sushitza and the settlement was named after its owner Karla ova /the land of Karla/. Karlovo is the home town of the great Bulgarian hero Vasil Levski, the brothers Evlogi and Hristo Georgievi (prominent public figures who has donated for the building of the Sofia University/, the teacher Botyo Petkov, Dr. Ivan Bogorov, the Alpine climber Hristo Prodanv (who conquered the Everest Peak in 1984) and many others.
The tourist sights of the town are: the Revival period houses with rich mural decorations, the churches "St. Nikola" (1847) and "Sveta Bogoroditza"/Holy Virgin/ (1859), the house-museum of Vasil Levski, the Art gallery, the Karlovo waterfalls of "Suchurum" and "Praskaloto".
Tourist sights
The house-museum of Vasil Levski was burned down during the Russian-Turkish Liberation War. It was later on restored and a monument of Vasil Levski's mother-Gina Kuncheva was erected in its yard. Vasil Levski is the ideologist of the Bulgarian national liberation revolution. He is the founder of a revolutionary organization. The Apostle of Freedom was arrested by the Ottoman police and was sentenced to death by hanging.
The History Museum in Karlovo is situated in the building of the old school from 1871. The museum has two sections - Ethnographic and Bulgarian Revival period.
The "Sveta Bogoroditza"/Holy Virgin/ Church in Karlovo was built in 1847. There are precious murals painted by Stanislav Dospevski in the church.
The architectural-historic reserve of "Svezhen" at the village of Svezhen in Karlovo Municipality lies at the Sarnena Sredna Gora Mountain at a distance of 34 km from Karlovo. Priceless representations of the Bulgarian architecture are preserved in the village. The ancient houses date back to XVIII and XIX c. and impress with artistic wooden paneling, built-in cupboards, ceilings, window shutters and other decoration elements.
The town of Kalofer lies at a distance of 17 km southeast of Karlovo and has a population of 4 000 inhabitants. The town is situated at the southern foot of Stara Planina along the Tundzha River. The region is specialized in the growing of oil-bearing rose and lavender.
The town is mentioned under the same name in the Ottoman registry books in 1576. During the Revival period the settlement was a craftsman's centre. Travellers point out that at the beginning of XIX c. Kalofer had more than 1 000 workshops. The settlement was known under its nick-name of Golden Kalofer. Kalofer is the home town of Hristo Botev, Ekzarh Yosif I, the first Bulgarian poetess Elena Muteva and others.
The tourist sights of the town are: the stone Revival period bridges, the church "St. Atanas" from XIX c., the nunnery, the house-museum of Hristo Botev, the reserves "Dzhendema" and "Kaloferskoto praskalo".
Tourist sights
The house-museum of Hristo Botev is an exact replica of the burned down house of the great Bulgarian poet. It was restored in 1944 with the help of the poet's brother - Kiril Botev. Hristo Botev is a Bulgarian revolutionary, a poet and a publicist. His works mark a whole stage in the development of the Bulgarian literature. He died at a battle in the Vratza part of Stara Planina.
The Botev's school in Kalofer was built in 1848. The building was restored and now houses the art gallery and the museum of education.
The Monastery "Sveta Bogoroditza" /Holy Virgin/ lies at a distance of 6 km northwest of Kalofer. It was founded in 1640 and was demolished several times during the Ottoman yoke. The church in the monastery was built in 1880.
Panitzite is a mountainous resort situated along both banks of the Tundzha River. It lies at a distance of 6 km north of the town.
The town of Sopot lies at a distance of 5 km northwest of Karlovo and has a population of 10 000 inhabitants. The town is situated at the southern foot of Stara Planina at an altitude of 525 m. The region is specialized in the growing of oil-bearing rose and lavender.
If you want to buy a Paragliding flight over Sopot, click here.
In the region of the town there are archaeological findings of Thracian mounds, remains of a late-ancient-times fortress, a Roman road station, a medieval fortification from XII-XIV c. The settlement was described in the Ottoman documents from XVI c. under the name of Akcha Kisile which in translation means white church. During the Revival period Sopot was a big craftsman's centre under the name of Kyuchuk Manchester/ The little Manchester/. The town took active part in the April Rebellion and after its failure was partially burned down. Sopot is the home town of the greatest Bulgarian poet and writer Ivan Vazov.
If you want to buy a Hot-air balloon trip above Sopot, click here.
The tourist sights of the town are: The nunnery " Sveto Vavedenie Bogoodichno"/ The Annunciation/ from XIX c., the church "Saint Peter and Pavel" (1846), the house-museum of Ivan Vazov, the monastery "St. Spas", the remains of a medieval Bulgarian fortress in the "Anevo" site. Sopot is a starting point for many tourist routes for Stara Planina.
Tourist sights
The house-museum of Ivan Vazov was built in 1933 as an exact replica of the house of the poet which was burned down in 1877 during the Russian-Turkish War. It has an exhibition hall housing the works of the writer. Ivan Vazov is the patriarch of the Bulgarian literature after the Liberation. He wrote in all literary genres. His works are mainly related to the fights and struggles of the Bulgarian people. His greatest work is the novel "Under the Yoke"
The nunnery in Sopot was founded in 1665. In 1877 the monastery was burned down and was later restored. Nowadays it has preserved precious icons, mural paintings and the hideaway of Vasil Levski.
The "St. Spas" Monastery lies at a distance of 2 km from Sopot along the Manastirska River. During the Revival period the monastery was a thriving cultural and educational centre. It has existed in its present-day outlook since 1879.
The "Anevo Kale" fortress is a medieval Bulgarian fortress from XIII and XIV c. The fortress was erected on a hard-to-reach hill at the southern slopes of Stara Planina. Remains from towers, fortified walls, a church and other buildings can be seen over the hill.
The village of Kuklen is an administrative centre of 5 settlements. The village is situated at the northern slopes of the Rhodope Mountains at a distance of 12 km south of Plovdiv and has a population of 5 800 inhabitants. In the region of the village have been discovered remains of Thracian settlements, the water capture of the water-conduit supplying Philipopol with water and a medieval fortress. The settlement was registered in the Ottoman documents in 1488. 4 km west of the village is situated the Kuklen Monastery built during the period of the Second Bulgarian State.
The town of Perushtitza lies at a distance of 21 km southwest of the district centre and has a population of 5 000 inhabitants. The town is the centre of a separate municipality. It is situated at the northern foot of the Western Rhodope Mountains. The region is specialized in the vine growing and wine production. There is also a game farm in the region.
In the region of Perushtitza has been discovered a fortress, a prehistoric, a Thracian and a Roman settlement. The town is the successor of the medieval settlement of Dragovetz. During the Revival period the town is a literary and an educational centre. During the April Rebellion of 1876 Perushtitza was burned down to the ground.
The tourist sights of the town are: the church "St. Archangel Michael" from 1848 where the Bulgarian people hide during the April Rebellion, the History museum, the Danov's school, the remains of the red church, dating back to VI c. The town is the starting point for tourist routes in the Western Rhodope Mountains.
Tourist sights
The Red Church in Perushtitza dates back to VI c. Only some parts of the church have been preserved. According to specialists it is one of the greatest early-Christianity churches, richly decorated with a mosaic floor, slabs-covered walls with mural paintings on them. It is proclaimed for a monument of culture.
The History Museum in Perushtitza shows exhibits from the April Rebellion.
The town of Parvomay lies at a distance of 44 km east of Plovdiv and has a population of 15 000 inhabitants. The town is situated at an altitude of 134 m. It was known under the name of Borisovgrad until 1945. Parvomay is a municipal centre of 16 component settlements. The municipality is a rich agrarian region.
In the region have been discovered remains from the Neolith and the Eneolith, Thracian mounds, an ancient necropolis, a medieval settlement and a road. The settlement is mentioned for the first time in some Ottoman documents from 1576 under the name of Hadzhi Eles.
Near the village of Vinitza there is a natural location of marsh marigold. In the vicinity of the town there are three thermal springs - Byala reka, Dragoynovo and Lenovo.
The town of Banya lies at a distance of 12 km south of Karlovo. It has a population of 3 900 inhabitants. The town is situated at the southern part of the Karlovo valley. The region is specialized in the growing of oil-bearing rose, peanuts and vegetables. The town has got a winery. Banya is a spa centre with 10 thermal mineral springs whose water is suitable for treating diseases of the nervous system, gynaecological diseases, rheumatism, high and low blood pressure. The mineral water has a temperature of 34-54o C and a capacity of 33 litres per second. The history of the settlement is connected with the mineral springs. Southeast of the settlement has been discovered a settlement mound/ The flat mound/ which has preserved seven cultural layers. In the vicinity of the town there are traces of Thracian settlements and many Thracian burial mounds. Banya is mentioned in the Ottoman documents from XV c. and in 2002 it was proclaimed for a town.
The tourist sights of the town are: the church "St. Konstantin and Elena" (1860), the mineral bath (1936), the estates of the Bagarov's brothers, the estate of Tzar Boris III and the Flat Mound.
The town of Klissura lies at a distance of 30 km west of Karlovo. It has a population of 1 600 inhabitants. The settlement is located at the western part of the Karlovo Valley at an altitude of 720 m. The region specializes in growing oil-bearing cultures.
In the region of Klissura there are remains of prehistoric settlements, Thracian mounds, ruins of an ancient and a medieval fortresses. The cave "Mechata dupka"/The bear's den/ was populated during the Neolith. Klissura is mentioned in the Ottoman registry books from 1576 under the name of Prasadim Derbent and had a well-developed stock breeding and rose oil trade at that time. After the failure of the April Rebellion from 1876 the settlement was burned down. Klissura is the home town of the publisher Hristo Danov and the writer Iliya Blaskov.
The tourist sights of the town are: the History Museum, the church "Uspenie Bogorodichno"/The Assumption/ (1885) and restored Revival period houses.
The town of Luky lies at a distance of 52 km south of Plovdiv and has a population of about 3 000 inhabitants. The town is the municipal centre of 12 settlements. The municipality is specialized in ore-mining.
The town of Stamboliyski lies at a distance of 21 km west of Plovdiv and has a population of 12 000 inhabitants. The town is situated along the Maritza River and is the administrative centre of 4 settlements.
The region of Stambolyiski has been populated ever since the Iron Age, the ancient and medieval times. Thracian mounds from V c. B.C. have been discovered in the region. Stambolyiski is the centre of a rich agrarian region specialized in the manufacture of canned food.
The town of Saedinenie lies at a distance of 22 km northwest of Plovdiv and has a population of 6 000 inhabitants. The town is the centre of a municipality with 9 component settlements.
In the region of the municipality there are archaeological findings from the Bronze and Iron Ages. In the vicinity of the town have been discovered 120 tomb mounds. The town of Saedinenie and the region around it are specialized in the production of grains and vegetables.
The town of Rakovski has a population of 16 000 inhabitants and lies at a distance of 25 km northeast of the district town of Plovdiv. It is a municipal centre with 6 component settlements. The town was founded in 1966 after the unification of three villages - the villages of General Nikolaevo, Sekirovo and Parchevich.
The lands of the Municipality of Rakovski have been populated since ancient times. The first traces are from the Copper-Stone Age. The first settlement on these lands - the village of Sekirovo dates from that period. At a distance of 2 km from the town there are ruins and a Roman road. The archaeologists continue to discover ritual slabs with images of the Thracian deity Heros and many silver coins from II and III c. The town of Rakovski was founded by Bulgarian-pavlikyan people worshiping one of the most significant heresies of the Middle Ages. In XVII c. they took the catholic religion.
The tourist sights of the town are: the catholic cathedrals "St. Archangel Michael" and "Presveto Sartze Isusovo"/Holy Jesus' Heart/ which are some of the biggest catholic cathedrals on the Balkan Peninsula.
The town of Sadovo lies at a distance of 18 km southeast of Plovdiv on the international road to Svilengrad and has a population of 3 000 inhabitants. The town is an administrative municipal centre of 11 component settlements.
In the region of Sadovo have been discovered remains from a prehistoric and an ancient settlement, mounds, a necropolis and findings from the Middle Ages.
The region is an agrarian centre specialized in the production of peanuts, peppermint, grains and stock-breeding.
The town of Krichim lies at a distance of 30 km southwest of Plovdiv and has a population of 8 500 inhabitants. The town is the centre of a separate municipality. It is situated along the Vacha River at the foot of the Western Rhodope Mountains.
On the territory of the municipality there are remains of a prehistoric settlement, Thracian settlements and medieval fortresses. Krichim is mentioned in the Ottoman registry books in 1576.
The town is specialized in the production of strawberries, raspberries, natural juices, frozen fruit and vegetables. To the south of the town are located the dam-lakes Krichim and Vacha.
The town of Brezovo lies at a distance of 37 km northeast of Plovdiv and has a population of 2 000 inhabitants. The town is a municipal administrative centre of 37 component settlements.
In the vicinities of the town have been discovered Thracian mounds. The church in the town was built in 1843. Brezovo has a winery. The region of the municipality is specialized in the production of grains and technical cultures.
Brezovo is the home town of the great Bulgarian artist Zlatyo Byadzhiev. The artist paints compositions of portraits, landscapes from Plovdiv and its surroundings. Among his most famous works are: ‘Shepherds near Brezovo", "Winter in Plovdiv", "The Pigsty" and many others. His works have an original style of expressiveness and vivid fantasy.
The village of Kaloyanovo is a municipal centre of 14 settlements. It lies at a distance of 24 km north of Plovdiv and has a population of about 2 500 inhabitants. On the territory of the village there are remains from settlement mound from the Neolith, Thracian mounds, a Roman fortress and a road station. The settlement is described in the Ottoman documents in 1576 and was known under the name of Seldzhikovo until 1934.
The region is specialized in agriculture.