Lost in Plovdiv

Some time ago we prepared a detailed article with the names of the neighborhoods under the hills, and it turned out that there are quite a few different designations that almost no one knows. We took it upon ourselves to check how it was years ago, as there were also peculiarities and different names.

In his book Plovdiv Chronicle, Nikola Alvadzhiev writes that according to the first plan of the city, drawn up by engineer Josef Shnitter in 1892, 32 squares, 399 streets and about 40 neighborhoods were indicated, most of them with Turkish names, and others - indicated only with numbers. Here are the neighborhoods and their boundaries in the past:

Pazarichi Mahala - it was located above the western side of Nebet Tepe, around the church of St. St. Constantine and St. Elena

The Armenian neighborhood – it started from the beginning of 4 January Street and went down past the Surp Kevork church to Chifte Banya

Koch Husein Mahala - from Starinna Street to St. Nedelya Church

Kyuchyuk Laut Mahala – from the end of the New neighborhood in the south to the Kamenitza beer factory

Yuskulubech Mahala - under the eastern slopes of Nebet Tepe

Chohadzhi Mahala – on the southern slopes of Dzhambaz Tepe

Kumru gyol Mahala (Lake of the Doves) – south of the Catholic neighborhood to Lauta district

Hisarichi Mahala - on the west side of the church of St. Mother of God

Pulat Mahala – southwest of Taksim Tepe to Main Street

Ibni Kasam maf odalar - on the eastern slopes of Dzhambaz tepe next to P. R. Slaveykov Street

Ibni Kasam Zimyan Mahala - to the northeast from P. R. Slaveykov Street to the Church of St. Nedelya

Bey Medzhid Mahala - around the then Tsar Ivan Shishman Square (today Alexander Malinov Square)

Kaptyan Hristyan Mahala - south of Bey Medzhid Mahala and along Tsarigradsko Shose

Buyuk Laut Mahala - covers a wide area south of the Church of St. Petka

Gyol Mahala - at the beginning of the Stanimashko (Asenovgrad) Shose

Eni Khodja Rumyan Mahala - west of Tepealta to the beginning of the road to Constantinople

Hadji Yan Mahala - from the lower part of the Armenian neighborhood to Targovska Street (today R. Daskalov)

Uzun Charsha - from Dzhumaya Square to the old bridge on the Maritsa River

Tahtakale (the wooden fortress) - the central part of the bazaar around Vazharska Street (today's Benkovski Street)

Hadji Maksud Mahala – from the northern entrance of the Tunnel to Chifte Banya

Kaya Medzhid Mahala – around Alexander the First Boys’ High School (today St. St. Cyril and Methodius)

Tabak Hisar Mahala - behind the high school, on the right bank of the Maritsa River

Tyulbeki Khoja Mahala - east of the Tabak Hisar Mahala, on the right bank of the Maritsa River

Kechedzhi Eni Bey Mahala - immediately around the church of St. Nedelya, north to the Maritsa River

Hadji Hassan Mahala - the gypsy neighborhood, between today's Iztok and Shesti Septemvri streets

Aladzha Medzhid Mahala – west of Sahat Tepe

Kutudzhilar Mahala – to the northeast of Aladzha Medzhid Mahala

Okchular Mahala – East of Kutudzhilar Mahala

Dzhami Kebir Mahala - around the old building of the National Library (today the History Museum on Saedinenie Square)

Gul Bahcha Mahala – below the eastern side of Bunardzhika

Muselle - today Kocho Chestemenski Square

Rusin Mahala - around today's Plovdiv Stadium

Said Mehmed Efendi Mahala - on the left bank of the Maritsa River, next to the Pedestrian Bridge

Yusein Efendi Mahala – North of Said Mehmed Efendi Mahala

Hafez Efendi Mahala - around the middle part of the road to Karlovo

Hadji Ismail Efendi Mahala – north of Hafez Efendi Mahala

Yumer Efendi Mahala – to the east of Hadji Ismail Efendi Mahala

Tepealta Mahala – at the southeastern foot of Dzhambaz Tepe

Ortamezar - from the City Garden (today Dondukova) to Muselle (Kocho Chestemenski Square)

Marasha Mahala – north of Muselle

Kerkhane Mahala - the western side of the Tsar-Simeon Garden (to today's 22 Septemvri Square/ Grozdov Pazar)

Barsak Mahala and Kirpich Mahala - gypsy neighborhoods near the St. Archangel Michael cemetery

Aslan Bey Mahala - around today's Kapitan Burago Street

Kapana Mahala - around the streets Zhelezarska, Abadzhiyska, Hr. Dyukmedzhiev. A small part of it was called Eski charsha - the flea market.