We often hear Plovdiv residents call Tsar Simeon's Garden the “city” park, but despite its long history, it is far from the first park under the hills

 

About 14 years earlier, immediately after the Liberation, the first city garden with representative and public functions was established not only in Plovdiv, but also in Bulgaria. Today it is better known as the "garden next to electric company". It is also the work of the famous "Minister of Flowers" Lucien Chevalas, and the main inspirer and administrator for its formation is the Governor-General of San Stefano Bulgaria, Knyaz Dondukov-Korsakov, whose name it bears today.

In 1992, the garden was declared a monument of park art. Since 1993, it has been in the regime of protection of historic green areas in the Central part of the city.

The monument to Captain Alexander Burago, whose squadron first entered Plovdiv and liberated the city in January 1878, was erected in the park in 1969. In the 1960s, the House of the newlyweds was built in the garden, and in 1973, the Lotus Hall was built. Civil marriages, naming of children, gold and silver weddings have been taking place in the house and the hall for decades.

A monument of gratitude was unveiled in 1998 on Tsar Kaloyan Square next to the garden. It is a symbol of gratitude for saving the Jews of Plovdiv.

In the autumn of 2018, the first Bulgarian ethno-garden was formed in the park. It has seven trees of the Lagerstroemia genus (Indian lilac), blooming in different colors, as a symbol of peaceful coexistence of many ethnic groups and cultures. Children from different communities - Armenian, Bulgarian, Jewish, Italian, Russian and Turkish - took part in planting the trees. The seventh tree is a symbol of all other nations, whose life, culture and history are connected with Plovdiv.

In the immediate vicinity of it is the Natural History Museum under the hills.

Recently, there has been a lot of talk about the renovation of the park, including the repair of alleys, complete replacement of lighting, construction of drainage and irrigation systems, landscaping, installation of children's facilities. The fountains on the main alley will be removed and flowers and ornamental shrubs will be planted in their place. There’s a plan for a large fountain in the center of the site. So far, however, such renovation hasn’t started and the first city garden stands somehow aside and forgotten by the people of Plovdiv and visitors to the city.