The Hills of Plovdiv

Five thousand years ago, the martial and freedom-loving Thracians established and fortified a settlement built upon seven syenite hills which remain as silent witnesses of the tempestuous, eventful history of the city of Plovdiv. This is one of the most fascinating of European cities. In 342 B.C. Philip II of Macedon (father of Alexander III The Great) claimed the city, naming it Philippopolis. Large remnants of this valuable history are to be found as we travel these ancient hills. Bulgarians consider Plovdiv as a great place to visit: livelier, friendlier and more cosmopolitan than the larger capital city of Sofia. The non-pretentious Plovdiv has a growing tourist trade, and it remains a real city with real people, while London, Paris, Rome, et al, have reached the saturation point of art galleries and souvenir shops catering exclusively to tourists.

The Romans called this city "Ulpia Trimontium" (lying on three hills). It was centered on three connected hills (today named Taxim, Nebet and Jambaz) rising above the Thracian Plain overlooking the Maritsa river. Plovdiv Old Town is a maze of climbing cobblestone streets where the twists and turns offer many surprises. As you join the increasing number of European Union tourists who come to visit these hills, you will see the original Thracian fortifications, overlaid with Byzantine walls at the crown of these hills. You will stroll among great timber-framed painted mansions; these dozens of National Revival style houses erected during the Bulgarian Renaissance; you will look down on the spectacular views of the Ottoman's Turkish mosques and artisan's homes; and you will visit the famous restored 3,000-seat Philippopolis Amphitheatre. You will also get spectacular views of the plains surrounding Plovdiv and the Balkan mountain range to the north.

In the photograph to the right, we are looking in a northerly direction from the very top of Bunarjik Tepe over the central area of Plovdiv.

The clock tower of Sahat Tepe is visible at the extreme right of the photo and the Maritsa river is making its way past a portion of the heavily-populated Trakia neighborhood at the photo's top.

The tall, sculptured imaret of Djumaya Mosque, at Plovdiv's central area, can easily be seen near the middle of the picture.

Nebet Tepe, 203 meters above sea level, marks the northern end of Old Town Plovdiv. Remnants of the ancient fortress walls from Byzantine times are seen here. At the highest point of the hill is the ruined citadel that was built by a Thracian tribe in the 3rd century B.C. In the 4th century, Byzantine emperor Justinian I reinforced the town fortification system. Examining the foundations as shown in the accompanying photograph, it is evident just how formidable and extensive the fortress was.

At the eastern wall, we see alternate layers of mixed stone and brick masonry extending more than nine meters in height. From the hilltop, one can easily see the Balkan mountains. This area is popular with painters and artists, inspired by the great views. Jambaz Tepe, the southeast and largest hill, at 205 meters above sea level is also the highest of these three hills. The water reservoir for the entire town was located on Taxim Tepe, the southwest hill. The modern city's busiest street, Tsar Boris Obedinitel Street, tunnels through the base of these hills, passing directly beneath the restored Philippopolis Amphitheatre, a monument of history in tribute to Philip II of Macedon where performances are given again. Another major thoroughfare, Street Shesti Septemvri (6 September) makes a brief curve, edging closer to the picturesque Maritsa River as it travels around the hill. This is a society in transition as the private sector expands.

The photo at the left was taken from the busy corner of Tsar Boris III Obedinitel and 6th September streets, very near to the center of Plovdiv.

From there, you look up to this scene on Nebet Tepe, at the extreme northern end of Old Town Plovdiv. These ancient walls are favorite lounging spots for local youngsters, artists and tourists on any of our pleasant clear days.

A large open-air cafe just a few steps before the ruins of the Thracian fortress "Eumolpia" offers a great setting for your afternoon and evening food and refreshments under the shade of its large linden trees.

The photo at the right was taken from the highest point of Nebet Tepe (the spot shown in the photo above) as we are looking west down Street 6 Septemvri.

A pedestrian tunnel can be seen in this photo, which comes up to street level again just in front of the former Turkish Bath, seen in the lower right of the photo. Another tunnel is provided beneath Street Tsar Boris III Obedinetel.

Many small and interesting shops can be found in these tunnels which are located at many convenient spots in the city, including the busy railway station.

Now we move on to visit the remaining Plovdiv hills; Sahat, Dzhendem and Bunarjik. One hill, Markovo Tepe, has nowadays subsided almost completely under the pavement of modern Plovdiv. The city is liveliest in early evening when the citizenry turns out for the korso, the traditional promenade. The favorite route is up and down Knyaz Aleksandar, downtown's main street, lined with shops, restaurants, bars, night clubs and sidewalk cafes. In the distance ahead you will see a monument of the Russian soldier Alyosha at the top of Bunarjik. You will also walk past Sahat, (a Turkish word meaning clock) standing 212 meters above sea level. Sahat is seen in the photo set with the radio and tv towers in a view taken from Bunarjik. The final hill, Dzhendem, ( a Turkish word which means Hell), is more south and east. It is the tallest of Plovdiv's hills. Near it, you will see more of the old city walls.

	Bunarjik takes its name from the spring gushing from within its rocks. This hill is 234 meters above sea level and here you will find two important parts of the city's past: the monument to Russian Czar Alexander II and Alyousha. At one time, the Greeks erected a statue of Hercales here, which was preserved in their Philippopolis coin.

No doubt the hills of Plovdiv have stood silently as the city has passed through the multitude of transformations in its long history. But everyone agrees, none have been as much fun as this one. For milleniums, Plovdiv's hills have stood on the road which leads from Europe to Asia.

The city fascinates visitors with its modern residential districts, its beautiful buildings and, of course, its International Fair, which is visited by hundreds of thousands of people annually. Each of the Plovdiv hills is surrounded by large amounts of "green space"; usually a park with many trees, tennis courts, restaurants and kafes. They are a quiet, pleasant place to walk and pass some idle moments with friends or family.

This panoramic view taken from the top of Jendem Tepe, the highest of Plovdiv's hills at 283 meters, shows Bunarjik and double-peaked Sahat. The Old Town Plovdiv's hills of Taxim, Nebet and Jambaz can be seen at the extreme right side of the photo. The little which remains of Markovo can be seen just at the right-hand edge of Bunarjik.

This is a composite photo taken from Sahat Tepe looking toward the three hills of Old Town Plovdiv.

Syenite is a coarse-grained igneous rock, similar in appearance and composition to granite, but containing little or no quartz. The chief minerals in syenite are feldspars, with mica, hornblende, and pyroxene. Varieties are distinguished as augite syenite, hornblende syenite, mica syenite, and nepheline syenite. Syenites are comparatively rare rocks, found chiefly in a few areas of the United States and Europe. They are occasionally substituted for granites as building stones. It is useful in the building industry; superior to granite because of its fire-resisting qualities. Its name is derived from Syene, Egypt. Syenites are found as ring complexes and discrete intrusions.