PLOVDIV

Plovdiv has 78 schools including elementary, high, foreign language, mathematics, technical and art schools. There are also 10 private schools and a seminary. Universities in Plovdiv: - Plovdiv University - Medical University - University of Food Technology and Agricultural University are the only in Bulgaria. Plovdiv is a major center of agricultural production. - Music Academy in Bulgaria - Academy of Music, Dance and Fine Arts - College of Medicine - Technical University - Plovdiv branch. - College of Economics and Administration. - Orthodox Theological Academy "St. Cyril and Methodius" - Technical College "John Atanasov" part og Sofia Technical University - European College of Economics and Management - Agricultural College High schools in Plovdiv: Among the most prestigious schools in Plovdiv are: - Plovdiv Language School address: bul. Bulgaria 123, phone 00359 32956051 - Language School "Ivan Vazov" address: "Bulgaria" 121 +359 32954459 +359 32951218 - French Language School "Antoine de Saint Ekszyuperi" Address:. Vuk Karadzic 13A, 00359 32957088 - Mathematics High School Address:. Boxwood No 11, kv. "Hr. Smirnenski" tel 00359 32643157 - National Art School "Tcanko Lavrenov" Address:. "Yanko Sakazov" 2A - National School of Music and Dance address: bul. "Ivan Vazov" 23, tel: 00359 32 62 49 22

The medical service in Plovdiv is well-developed. There are: - 12 state and municipal clinics; - 5 private hospitals - Medline Clinic, Caspela, Thorax, Pulmed and Trimontsium; -16 Polyclinics (10 of which are dental); - 5 dispensary. In the city operates about 600 private doctors' offices over 30 municipal cabinets and over 120 pharmacies.

The commercial sector in Plovdiv is quickly developing. There are several Shopping centers mainly in the Central district and the district of Trakiya. Those include Shopping Center Grand, Market Center and 2 more all on the Kapitan Raycho Street, Forum in Trakiya, Excelsior, etc. There are several malls under construction, as well. One of the biggest malls of Plovidv is the Galeria Mall, with a free parking lot, about 100 stores, coffee houses, ice-scathing ring, climbing wall, bowling, arcade center and other entertainment. There are several hypermarkets Metro, Billa, Triumf, Kaufland, Praktiker, Mr. Bricolage, Baumax, Technomarket Europa, Technopolis, etc. The central street is the main shopping area full of shops, cafés and restaurants. A number of craftsmen workshops and souvenir shops are located in the Old Town and the small streets in the city centre. In the city operates 9 traditional open-air markets for agricultural goods. The Plovdiv International Fair, held annually since 1892, is the largest and oldest fair in the country that gathers companies from all over the world in an exhibition area of 138,000 m2. It attracts more than 600,000 international and local visitors.

Plovdiv is full of nice restaurants and bars located mainly in the city centre and the Old town. Some of the best restaurants in Plovdiv are: Grazhdanski Klub, Puldin Restaurant, King's Stables, Hemingway, Philippopolis Restaurant & Café, Gusto Italian restaurant, Restaurant Renaissance, XIX Vek, Rahat Tepe Steakhouse, Hebros Hotel Restaurant, Italian Ristorante Da Lino, Steakhouse Dayana, Malâk Bunardzhik restaurant. Some of the best bars in Plovdiv are: Art Club Nylon, Café Starino, City Place, Caligula, King's Stables Café, Art Bar Maria Luiza, Marmalad, Plazma Light, Apartment 101, Café Taksim Tepe, Cafe Dreams, Petnoto, Enjoy Club 69, Café Avenue, Sky Bar, Mojito Bar, Fashion Café, Roman Amphitheatre, Nikolai Masalitinov Dramatic Theatre, Luki Cinema, Club Infi.

At present there are over 200 registered architectural monuments of culture in Plovdiv, 30 of which of nation-wide importance. The world-famous sites in Plovdiv are: - the Ancient Theatre of Philippopolis (2nd c. AD); - the Roman Stadium (2nd c. AD); - the splendid mosaics in residential houses and basilicas; - the Nebettepe archaeological complex; - the National Revival-style architecture represented in many houses - the houses of Balabanov, Koyumdjioglu, Hadji Aleko, Mavrudi, Georgiadi, Nedkovich, Hindliyan, etc. The Panagyurishte treasure from the end of the 4th c., 6.164 kg weight, comprises 9 gold vessels with unique decoration. The Old Plovdiv was declared an architectural museum reserve because of the architectural features of the National Revival-style houses sited compactly on the territory of the Three Hills (Nebet Tepe, Jambaz Tepe and Taxim Tepe).

THEATRES The Plovdiv Drama Theatre is a successor of the first professional theatre group in Bulgaria founded in 1881. The Plovdiv Puppet Theatre, founded in 1948, remains one of the leading institutions in this genre. The Plovdiv Opera was established in 1953 and the Philharmonic was founded in 1945. MUSEUMS The numerous monuments of culture exceed the number of 300,000 and are kept in 5 museums - the Archaeological Ethnographic, Historical, Nature museums, and in the City Art Gallery. Archeological Museum - 1, SaedinenieSq., tel.: 032/624 339,633 106 Ethnographic Museum - 2, D-r Stoyan Chomakov Str, tel.: 032/625 257 Historical Museum - 1 Saedinenie Sq., tel.: 032/269955 Hr. G. Danov House-Museum - 2, Mitropolit Paisii Str.( tel.: 032/629 405 Natural Science Museum - 34, Hr. C. Danov Str. tel.: 032/626 663,626 683 Balaban House - 57, D-r K. Stoilov Str, tel.: 032/627 082 Hindliyan House - 4, Artin Gidikov Str., tel.: 032/628 998 Nedkovich House - 3, Tsanko Lavrenov Sir., tel.: 032/626 216 Limartin Museum Exposition - 19, KnyazTseretelev Str. tel: 032/631 776 GALLERIES City Art Gallery - 15, Knyaz Alexander Batenberg Str., tel.: 032/624 221 Permanent Exhibition - 14 A, Saborna Str., tel.: 032/635 322 Permanent Icon Exhibition - 22, Saborna Str., tel.: 032/626 086 Tsanko Lavrenov Museum Exposition an Mexican Art Permanent Exhibition - 11, Artin Gidikov Str., tel.: 032/628 745 Zlatyu Boyadzhiev Permanent Exposition - 18, Saborna Str, teL: 032/635 308 Georgi Bojilov-Slona Permanent Exhibition - 1, Knyaz Tseretelev Str. Tel.: 032/621 474 Trakart Gallery Philippopolis Art Gallery - 29, Saborna Str., tel.: 032/624 851 L'UNION Gallery - 5, Krivolak Str., tel.: 032/620 717 Dyakov Gallery - 17, Angel Bukureshtliev Str., tel : 032/271 068 Romfea Gallery - 83 Maritza Blvd., tel.: 032/950 608 CHURCHES AND MONASTERIES There are many 19th century churches, most of which follow the Eastern Orthodox architectural style, such as the St. Constantine and Helena, the St. Marina, the St. Nedelya, the St. Petka and the Holy Mother of God Churches. There are several more churches in Plovdiv: Roman Catholic cathedrals, the largest of which is the Cathedral of St. Louis, Protestant churches, Apostolic churches, etc. 2 mosques remain in Plovdiv from the time of the Ottoman rule and Sephardic Plovdiv Synagogue dating to the 19th century. EVENTS Well known in the country and abroad are cultural events like: - the International Chamber Music Festival which has been taking place in the Old Town for more than 35 years; - the National Autumn Exhibitions in the houses of the Old Town; - the Golden Chest International Television Film Festival; - the Golden Rhyton Documentary Film Festival; - the Verdi Festival which draws the admirers of opera to the Ancient Theatre one of the most attractive places in the Old Town; - the annual Easter and Christmas Musical Festivals; - the International Folk Festival, which is one of the most exotic and popular cultural events at the end of the summer. Some recent initiatives also arouse interest - the Scene on Crossroads International Theatre Festival; the Week of Modern Arts, which takes place inside Ihc historic and architectural monument Starinna Bath; Impressia Art Pair; the summer film panorama ,,Film Nights in Philippopolis"; the Festival of the Old Town.