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Founded in 4th century BC, Plovdiv is one of the oldest centres in Europe. It has kept the traces of many ancient cultures - Thracians, Macedonians, Romans, Slavs, Byzantines and Bulgarians.
Seized by Philip II of Macedonia, incorporated in the territory of Ancient Macedonia in 342 BC and then named Philippopolis in the 3rd - 1st centuries BC, the town flourished and grew to be one of the largest in Thrace.
Eumolpia, Trimontium, Julia, Ulpia, Flavia, Poulpoudeva, Filippopolis - these are all different names of the town from Thracian and Roman times.
On the hills where Plovdiv is situated today public and private buildings with impressive dimensions have been preserved.
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Mostly fragments - columns, capitals, friezes, mosaics, bas-reliefs and street pavements remain today from the city's ancient buildings - the forum, the stadium, the amphi-theatre of Philip II of Macedonia, basilicas, thermae, houses and administrative buildings.
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The Antique Theatre (2nd century), seating 3,000, has been completely restored and performances are again presented here.
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Old Plovdiv on Trimontium was the centre of the Bulgarian National Revival architecture at its height. Developing in a natural way, the Bulgarian building traditions form the core around which the new styles of the time evolved.
With multi-coloured facades, yoke-shaped bay-windows, abundant decoration and furnishings, Plovdiv's two- and three-storey houses are as eye-catching as ever, fairly resembling little palaces.
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There are many more things to see in Plovdiv: museums, churches, exhibitions, the workshops of the traditional masters of old Bulgarian arts and crafts on Strumna Street - coppersmiths, furriers, potters.
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The city of Plovdiv combines an interesting past with a lively present. Today, Plovdiv (376,000 residents) is the second important cultural and economic centre of Bulgaria and the major administrative centre of Plovdiv region.
It is the home of various arts festivals and trade fairs each year. The first international trade fair in Plovdiv was held in 1892. Nowadays there are two fairs each year - the largest such events in the Balkans.
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