Although walking is not recommended at this time, unless you're with your pet, the team of Lost in Plovdiv will take you on a short trip in time. The place is the central square of the City under the hills, better known as the Dzhumaya. In fact, this was never its official name. Its former names are Aynal Megan (Moon Square), Alexander Stamboliyski, Knyaz Boris and November 19. Today, it is known as the Roman Stadium.
Seven streets intersect the square. Here was the first piazza for carriages, then the first taxis gathered here. Today, too, there is a piazza for taxis at the beginning of Hr. G. Danov Street. The first bus lines and then the first trolleybuses in Plovdiv also passed through it. The stops of the individual vehicles were marked with brass numbers riveted on the curb.
Today, the area around the square is mostly pedestrian, but a number of buildings still exist today, as you can see from the archive photo. Some of them have been partially modified, others a little more. The building at the corner of Hristo G. Danov and Skyler, which was recently refurbished, is still to be erected in the 1930s.
Theout-of-frame Roman stadium is missing and there’s a square in its place. It was not until 1977 that the project of Arch. Lyuba Velcheva for the exposition of the exposed part of the Ancient Stadium and the first conservation by arch. Vera Kolarova were realized.
However, the most interesting thing is to look at the shops and other shop windows. The background shows two banks that exist today along Ferdinandova Street. There is no change in their business, at least. They were banks before, they are banks now.
As we approach the square, we come across the Bratanov pharmacy. Today it bears another name, but there is still a pharmacy there. People have bought medicines before and now - from the same place.
Unfortunately, there is a change, and it is the only place for culture and literacy. The legendary Otets Paisii Bookstore was moved to the corner building a few years ago down Hristo G. Danov Street, and does not exist today in its new location. At the place of the bookstore from the 1920s, today is the tourist information center of Plovdiv Municipality.
For the other direction, not revealed by the photo, more details can be found in one of our articles - Plovdiv: before and now.
Can you find other similarities/differences?
