We compare them to the Spanish Steps in Rome because both attractions lead to a hill and connect it to the central streets of the city. But did you know that almost 100 years ago, the oldest public clock under the hills was discovered here and probably the main entrance of the Ancient Stadium!?
Where today stands the monument to the Plovdiv mascot Milyo, in the summer of 1924 a six-meter trench was dug. From the dirt they pulled out large marble columns with exquisite ornaments. It turned out to be the main entrance to the Ancient Stadium. A few meters from it, exactly at the place where the hill begins to rapidly rise to the height, the builders uncovered the foundations of a beautiful marble building. The building was round and surrounded by slender columns. While clearing the antiquities, the workers came across a bubbling spring with crystal clear drinking water.
The old scholar and researcher of Plovdiv, Kozmas Myrtilos Apostolidis, carefully examined the find and saw that here was the oldest public clock of the city. It was built in 161 AD, i.e. more than 1,800 years ago. Then the purpose of the spring became clear - the water moved the mechanisms of the clock. At the same time as the hydraulic clock, a sundial was built into the building. Low below the dials (actually marble slabs) spouts of lion's heads poured forth clear jets.
Sometime in the 18th century, Hadzhi Shaban Agha built a house above it. In the foundations, workers bricked the dial of the sundial. In 1922-1923, the famous Plovdiv pharmacist Nesho Chipev became the owner of the property. The pharmacist decided to erect a large building with shops, an establishment in the underground part, and to place his son's clinic on the upper floors. When the excavations reached a depth of three meters, the ancient finds began to emerge. Some of them were buried 6 meters below street level. The excavations delayed the construction, Chipev ran out of money and decided to finish only the shop part. The new shopping center was named Chipov Bazaar. Here was the representation of Telefunken, the Columbia world music house, Koiro photo and Maistorov photo, the Karakash hatmaker, the fashionable Parisian hairdresser Nedelcho Angelov, the carpet store of the Zakarian brothers, etc. After some time, the brothers Stoyan and Vasil Chinkovi opened the Divite Petli restaurant, which quickly became a favorite place of the youth. It was five meters below street level.
Nesho Chipev died in May 1946, and around 1960 the shops were demolished and in their place the staircase connection between the street and Sahat Tepe was formed.
In September 1962, probably where the Divite Petli restaurant was, the cult bar Kamenitza was opened, which also gave the name to this part of Plovdiv. Its working hours were from 11 pm to 4 am with variety programs and music. Over the years, it has been a frequent stop after a performance for the actors of the Drama Theater and guests from other cities. The well-known Bulgarian radio and television host Toma Sprostranov made his debut as a DJ in the bar right after its opening. For nearly two decades, the club has been a favorite place for entertainment for young Plovdiv residents, and the most popular musicians - Lili Ivanova, Emil Dimitrov, Mitko Shterev - performed on its stage.
After the bar was closed, the place changed numerous owners, tenants and directions of development. We remember it as a Caligula mix bar, a folk club, a children's party center, a restaurant for Mediterranean cuisine, for Bulgarian gourmet food, and now a wine bar.
In 2014, this was one of the last areas to undergo a renovation along Main Street and the place was transformed into a beautiful water cascade with benches and lots of flowers.
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