Cover photo: Dimitra Lefterova
Considered one of the oldest cities in the world, Plovdiv is known for its ancient history, architectural heritage, and cultural diversity. Countless historical, archaeological, and cultural landmarks can be seen here, making the city a place where the past, present, and future uniquely intertwine.
In one of the last spring tours of “Spiritual Routes”, Dr. Stefan Shivachev guided us along the central street of the city under the hills, revealing interesting facts and stories about its development over the years.
Plovdiv’s Main Street is an architectural and social phenomenon shaped over centuries. In the beginning, it started from the only bridge at the time over the Maritsa River and extended to Dzhumaya Square. It was called “Uzun Charshiya” meaning “Long Street”. This was the center of Plovdiv’s economic life. Its first surface was made of large stones, and in 1900 paving efforts began. This was also the pthe city’s administrative and commercial life, with many institutions located around the area of the Thursday Market.
Later, at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century, Plovdiv began to gradually shed Ottoman influence, and in 1896 it became the first city in Bulgaria to acquire an urban development plan. The plan, created by architect Josef Schnitter, envisioned the central artery of Plovdiv—from Tsar Simeon Garden to the Maritsa Bridge—as being 50 meters wide. He followed European models, realizing that Plovdiv would grow and the Main Street would need to accommodate increasing traffic.
During that time, small, rickety shops began to be replaced by buildings closely aligned side-by-side. One of the first was the structure that until recently housed the central office of the Bulgarian National Bank in Plovdiv. It was built in 1909 based on a design by Swiss architect Jakob Mayer. Another landmark from that period was the iconic “Maritsa” pharmacy, which remained a well-known landmark for generations of Plovdiv residents, even though it was demolished shortly before 1980.
Typical of this period were the so-called “revenue buildings,” which in essence resembled modern-day shopping malls, housing various workshops and offices, with owners earning income from rents.
An important public building of the era was the famous Kurshum Han (Lead Inn). It was located where today’s Central Market Hall stands and for a while was the most valuable property in the commercial part of the city. Unfortunately, the 1928 earthquake left it in very poor condition, and the city council used this as an opportunity to decide on its demolition.
With the advent of cars and carriages, the Commercial Street gradually became an important transportation route. Not coincidentally, the first transit line in Plovdiv went from the Central Railway Station, through the Main Street, across the Maritsa Bridge, to Filipovo Station. Dzhumaya Square became the main hub for carriage drivers and later for the first automobile taxis traveling to nearby settlements. In the 1930s, omnibuses appeared, and after 1953, trolleybus transport was introduced.
In the 1970s, a major renovation of Main Street began, which significantly contributed to its current appearance. Today, it is an impressive architectural ensemble reflecting a variety of styles and influences. Baroque, Neoclassicism, Art Deco, and Modernism—numerous architects from around the world have created true masterpieces here over the years. We’ve written extensively about many of them—such as the former Molle Hotel building, Balkan Cinema, and Plovdiv Municipality. The beauty of others, we leave for you to discover!
Photo: Dimitra Lefterova
Today, the street bears the name “Prince Alexander Battenberg I,” but everyone simply calls it the Main Street. Due to its length, it is informally divided into two sections—Small and Large Main Street—and proudly holds the title of “the longest pedestrian zone in Europe”.
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