For the people of Plovdiv, the hill was a favorite place for walking probably since ancient times. "The Bunarbashi area is a meeting place for the intelligentsia and the aristocracy," Evliya Chelebi announced in the mid-seventeenth century. This was also later reported. The oldest holiday of Plovdiv is connected with this tradition - the welcome of the sunrise on the first day of May when all the trees are leaved and the winter is finally over. When it was yet dark, families headed to the top of Bunardzhika. The steep path remained until 1932. The hike in the darkness was difficult and tiring, but it was worth the effort - according to the legend, he who welcomed the sunrise, would be healthy all year long and would have good profits. The mayosvane, that is, the welcome of the first rays of the sun, had to be on the very top of Bunardzhika.
The rocks and the flat ground beneath them were crowded with people. After the “capture of the sunrise”, everyone descended to the low at today's Ruski Boulevard, where a wide meadow of lush fresh grass stretched. Here, the women ordered rich meals. Only at dusk did everyone pack their things and headed home.
Plovdiv and in particular Bunardzhika Hill are also associated with Tsar Ferdinand's great dream of constructing a large palace complex near the hills. As early as 1892, he liked the place where big parties and balls were constantly held, and a little later he requested it from the municipal government. From there, they knew that if they gave Bunardzhika to Knyaz Ferdinand, they would deprive the city of the priceless good that it had for centuries. However, the decision was made: to donate to His Royal Highness the Knyaz Bunardzhika together with Tsar-Simeon’s Garden and a vast area from today's House of Technology to the High School of Commerce and from the House of Technology to Danail Nikolaev St. The palace would also include the preserved forest at the current intersection of Peshtersko Shose and Aprilov Blvd. In 1896 the royal stables were accommodated in Tsar-Simeon’s garden, and the following year the decision was confirmed by a second vote. This terrain of hundreds of acres was to become an imposing park with waterfalls and lakes, rare plants and animals, and among it was to grow a Plovdiv Versailles, similar to the palaces left by the French kings. At first glance, nothing could stop the implementation of the project. However, this was not the case - the property owners strongly opposed their alienation. Trials began, which lasted until 1912. Thereafter, three wars ensued, and in 1918 Tsar Ferdinand was forced to leave Bulgaria. This way, Plovdiv lost its Versailles.
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