On the occasion of Palm Sunday (Tsvetnitsa) and Earth Day – April 22nd – the Kamenitsa steps are being transformed into a colorful artistic composition. The painting of the steps with floral motifs, symbolizing spring, began on Sunday and is expected to be finished within a few days.
The idea behind this unique artistic design is to create an impression of a three-dimensional effect. It is made specifically for the architectural features of the stairway, with the image being perceived in its entirety from a certain vantage point at the foot of the steps, thereby creating an optical illusion and a unique visual experience. The artist behind the graffiti is Ivan Plamenov Velichkov – an artist with over 20 years of experience in the field.
Similar artistic designs that combine cultural and visual means have gained great interest among locals and visitors in cities such as Valparaíso (Chile), San Francisco (USA), Seoul (South Korea), Wuppertal (Germany), Sicily (Italy), and Rio de Janeiro (Brazil).
Works by the graffiti artist Ivan Velichkov can be seen in the Netherlands, North Macedonia, England, Austria, and other countries. His works are most commonly found in Bulgaria. He is the creator of the graffiti of the Panagyurishte Treasure, depicted in 2012 in the underpass on “Gladston Street”.
The scheduled removal date is set for May 31, 2025, so if you wish to enjoy this colorful fairy tale, be sure to plan a walk to the location.
The site is one of the attractions in Plovdiv, and in the past, almost 100 years ago, it was the location where the oldest public clock was situated, and where probably the main entrance of the Ancient Stadium was discovered.
Where the monument of Plovdiv’s icon Milo stands today, during the summer of 1924 a six-meter deep pit was dug. Large marble columns with exquisite ornaments were extracted from the soil. It turned out that this was the main entrance to the Ancient Stadium. A few meters away, precisely at the place where the hill begins to soar steeply upward, the builders uncovered the foundations of a beautiful marble building. The structure was round and surrounded by graceful columns. While clearing out the antiquities, the workers came upon a vigorous spring with crystal-clear drinking water.
The old scholar and researcher of Plovdiv, Kozmas Mirtilos Apostolidis, carefully examined the find and deduced – this is the city’s oldest public clock. It was built in 161 AD - more than 1800 years ago. At that time, the purpose of the spring became clear – the water powered the mechanisms of the clock. Alongside the hydraulic clock, a sundial was also integrated into the structure. Low down under the dials (which were actually marble slabs), lion-head water spouts poured out clear streams.
In 2014, this was one of the last zones that underwent renovation along the Main Street, and the area was transformed into a beautiful water cascade with benches and many flowers, and now, in just over a month, it will feature a unique artistic design.
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