Often called “one of the wonders of the largest city park”, the lake with fountains in Tsar Simeon’s Garden is truly a remarkable and beloved place for relaxation for both Plovdiv’s residents and visitors.
However, there was a time in the garden’s history, during World War I, when it was completely abandoned, and the lake turned into a foul-smelling swamp.
A sewage canal running along today’s “Avksentiy Veleski” Street added even more unpleasant odors to the stagnant waters. Swarms of relentless mosquitoes tormented the residents of the surrounding houses. The city authorities debated how to deal with the problem and eventually decided on a drastic solution—filling the lake with earth and replacing it with a football field. This would, they believed, “eliminate the infection” and put an end to public complaints. In the spring of 1921, laborers began the work. Later, another idea emerged—to create a children's play area there and the lake soon would be forgotten. No football field was built, no playground was constructed. What remained was a large pit filled with garbage, thorns, and nettles. Though reduced in number, the mosquitoes remained, as did the foul odor.
Salvation came from an unexpected source—a new organization in Plovdiv. In 1922, a branch of the Bulgarian National Maritime Agreement was founded in the city. The organization aimed to promote interest in rivers, fishing, water sports, and trade by water. This initiative reminded Plovdiv’s citizens of a long-neglected treasure—the Maritsa River. At first, the military provided the aspiring sailors with two boats. By early 1927, Plovdiv’s water sports enthusiasts had built a small fleet—eight sports boats, two pontoon boats, and even a motorboat. Encouraged by their success, the organization decided to revive the lake in Tsar Simeon’s Garden. The group signed an agreement with the Plovdiv municipality to manage the lake and its adjacent refreshment stand. They cleaned the lake, lined its bottom with stone tablets, and invested significant funds in improving the area. With some of their boats relocated to the lake, it quickly became one of Plovdiv’s main attractions. During celebrations, the lake came alive—boats decorated with lit candles floated across the water, while fireworks and rockets illuminated the park. Festivities lasted until midnight. During the day, the lakeshore was bustling with fishermen, who paid for every hour spent by the water.
For years, a unique sculpture reminded Plovdiv’s citizens of this event—a statue depicting two children and a large fish. It stood at the northern end of the lake, with water flowing from the fish’s mouth to fill the lake. Today, this monument exists only in archival photographs.
In the 1930s, another sculpture appeared in Tsar Simeon’s Garden, showing a fish embraced by a small child. In the same artistic spirit, yet another piece was created—the “Little Fisherman” statue, which was lost for many years but has now been restored to its place by the lake with the fish.
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