In October 1880, Ivan Vazov arrived in Plovdiv and rented a room on Dzhambaz Hill. Nearly half a century later, near his first residence, a famous house with a tower (the Dzhakov House) was built. Shortly after, the writer established his own place on what is now “Beethoven” Street No. 3, where he lived until the autumn of 1886. There, he created some of the works that would later bring him national acclaim and respect. Just a few meters away, in the "palace" of the publisher Dragan Manchov, he edited the magazine “Nauka” (Science) and, together with Konstantin Velichkov, began publishing “Zora” (Dawn), Bulgaria’s first literary magazine.
After his forced exile in Odessa, Vazov settled in Sofia, yet Plovdiv forever remained in his heart. And the people of Plovdiv never forgot him!
In 1895, when he celebrated the 25th anniversary of his literary career, a delegation from the city under the hills presented him with valuable gifts as a token of gratitude for his contribution to the community’s cultural advancement.
Further recognition came at the beginning of the 20th century, when a new community center was established at the foot of Dzhambaz Hill. Since it was located just below the rocks where Vazov’s 1880 home once stood, the center was named “Ivan Vazov”.
In 1920, the celebration of Vazov’s 50th birthday became a national event. The people of Plovdiv invited Ivan Vazov to visit the city of his youth. The enthusiasm at his reception moved Vazov to tears. The train station platform was packed with a huge crowd. Before he even stepped off the train, he was lifted up and carried to a chariot drawn by pure white horses, which ceremoniously proceeded along “Stantsionna” Street lined with welcoming residents. When the procession stopped in front of the Military Club, it was announced to the poet that from now on “Stantsionna” Street would bear his name.
Another tribute took place in January 1929, when a commemorative plaque was placed in front of his house at “Beethoven” Street No. 3. The city council simultaneously voted to purchase the poet’s former home and convert it into the “Ivan Vazov” House-Museum. A subsequent vote in 1930 confirmed this decision, but in 1932, a new owner demolished the house, leaving only the commemorative plaque intact.
In 1937, when the mayor of the city was Bozhidar Zdravkov, a cultural committee was formed within the municipality, including representatives from cultural and educational institutions. One of their first proposals was a monument of Ivan Vazov in Plovdiv to be built, which, since he had always described the city under the hills as his second hometown. The plan was to fund the building of the monument through donations and charity events.
By the spring of 1942, 70 000 leva had been collected, with an additional 20 000 provided by the Ministry of Education. However, the total amount was insufficient for a grand monument. Therefore, the cultural committee, led by the mayor Petar Malchev, decided to commission a bust instead, and they requested additional funding from the Ministry of Education for the 1943 budget. Only then was a national competition for the monument’s design announced, with two applicants: the prominent Bulgarian sculptor Andrey Nikolov and Mina Ivanov. Nikolov's bid ranged from 280 000 to 330 000 leva, while Ivanov’s was 130 000 leva. Due to the higher cost of Nikolov's offer, it was declined.
The actual work began in the spring of 1943, and the monument was installed in the City Garden near Ivan Vazov's house in December of that year, though it was later removed.
Today, a monument of the poet stands at the entrance of the newly renovated Dondukov Garden, and there was even a recent proposal to rename it to Ivan Vazov Garden. Vazov's creative period in Plovdiv was one of his most prolific, during which he wrote “Epic of the Forgotten”, “Uncles” and many others of his most significant works.
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