68 years ago, in September 1956, the Trimontium Hotel-Restaurant (Princess Trimontium, Ramada Plovdiv Trimontium) was opened in Plovdiv. It is located right in the city center, near Tsar Simeon’s Garden, just a few minutes' walk from the administrative center, the shopping area, and the Old Town beneath the hills. Its fame rose in the second half of the 1950s, when it became one of the most prestigious buildings in Plovdiv, and the restaurant was one of the most luxurious and refined venues in the country. For visitors to Plovdiv, it was the face of the city.
In order for the hotel to be built, several buildings on Kapitan Raycho Street were demolished in the early 1950s. One of them (No. 13) was where the famous Bulgarian writer Ivan Vazov once lived. The groundbreaking took place in 1954, and the construction was completed in one year. The design of the building was by architect Boris Yolov, and the execution was carried out by architect Stefan Todorov from Plovdiv. The name “Trimontium” was chosen by the first director of the hotel, Vladimir Kostov.
The opening of the hotel was deliberately delayed until 1956 to coincide with the April Plenum of the Central Committee of the Bulgarian Communist Party. At the time, the hotel had four floors with rooms, conference halls, a unique garden-restaurant (opened in June 1957), a café-patisserie (in 1959, it featured a modern jukebox with 150 singles by famous Western singers, which was moved to the 9th Kilometer Campground in 1973), and in the western part, where the casino entrance is now, the famous "Bumbarnik" (officially called "Trimontium Winery").
It’s hard to find a resident of Plovdiv who doesn’t have a story to tell about "Trimona" and "Bumbarnik" from their youth. The stories often begin with something like: “Did you see in ‘Trimona’ bro…” or “Did you catch the cool tea in front of ‘Trimona’ yesterday…” or “Last night at Bumbarnik…”.
Trimontium was part of everyday life, a legend in the local language, a place for drinks, cool dates, music, and an unforgettable experience, especially in its fantastic garden. It was also visited by many famous world figures, such as the phenomenal opera singer Elena Nikolai, who brought fame to Bulgaria worldwide. She wrote humbly: “A memory from a lovely evening spent at ‘Trimontium’ with warmth and affection.” At the time, she was a prima donna at Milan’s La Scala.
The world’s first cosmonaut, Yuri Gagarin, visited Plovdiv and was warmly welcomed by people filling the streets of the city. He was also declared an Honorary Citizen of Plovdiv. He rested at the most prestigious hotel of Balkantourist – “Trimontium” and wrote a message in the hotel's guestbook: “I am very grateful to the hotel for the few happy moments I spent here. I wish you stronger ties with tourists from all countries and continents, and in the future – with tourists from other planets.” The date was May 23, 1961 and this document holds great value.
In 1960, the actors of the Dramatic Theatre in Sofia also called the hotel “the pride of our republic.” Another autograph was left by our world-famous bass singer, Nikola Gyuzelev, along with many other prominent figures.
Today, the hotel is under the management of the Ramada by Wyndham chain. The famous garden-restaurant has been replaced with a swimming pool, a casino is now located where the Bumbarnik was, and Plovdiv now possesses a wide range of accommodations and entertainment venues.
