It is a tale filled with many destinies, twists, loves, even hatred, smiles and tears, pains and passions

 

In our article about the beautiful abandoned houses in Plovdiv, we shared the story of the forgotten glory of the Bozhilov estate, a work of one of the most prominent Plovdiv and Bulgarian architects, Kamen Petkov. The grotesque ruin that stands today was once a magnificent estate, with bay windows, intricate details, sophisticated interior designs, high 3-meter ceilings, and a perfect garden.

However, it is not only the home of this noble Plovdiv family that is impressive, but also the story of their lives, which is worthy of a long novel. It is a tale filled with many destinies, twists, loves, even hatred, smiles and tears, pains and passions. The Bozhilov family saga unfolds like a long series in the style of The Tree of Life.

The lineage of the Plovdiv family begins with Yanko Bozhilov Semov, who passed away at the age of 72. He was a wealthy and influential man. It was once said that he owned half of Plovdiv. He possessed enormous estates and buildings near the Goods Station, the entire block around the universities and Baikal, and much more. Yanko had six children. Five from his first wife, who died during an abortion—two daughters and the sons Bozhil, Dimitar, and Atanas. His second wife bore Yordan Bozhilov, the father of the great artist Georgi Bozhilov-Slona.

One of the six children, Bozhil, was sent to Germany to study finance. He completed his education and returned home. He was known both for his financial expertise and for being a significant rice and grain producer. He was one of the most important, promising, and resourceful members of the family, driving both family affairs and the estate’s operations alongside his father. Another notable family member was Atanas, who studied agronomy in France and later applied his knowledge to the family business in Plovdiv.

All of Yanko Bozhilov Semov’s children had daughters. The only one who continued the family line was the late Atanas Bozhilov. His son Yanko was a professor, an aviation engineer, and a doctor of sciences. Yanko is no longer alive, as well. One of Yanko and his wife Anka's children is Boyan Yankov Bozhilov, who was succeeded by his two sons—Boyan Bozhilov and Alexander Bozhilov. These two men represent the last branch of the family tree, ensuring its continuation.

The most unusual and scandalous moment in the family’s history involves a forbidden love. The eldest daughter of the patriarch Yanko fell in love with her first cousin, Philip. She got pregnant and married him out of love. However, she died during childbirth, giving birth to her daughter Ana, and during that time she had already been disowned by the family. Her actions were considered a disgrace to the family. Little Ana lived with her father, who remarried. She never had children and died at the age of 89.

After the vibrant years of great prosperity, the cycle of decline began. The downfall of the aristocratic family came after the deaths of Yanko Bozhilov Semov and his second wife. Some of their properties were sold off because there was no one to pay the taxes. The family business, like all others after 1944, fell under state control. Eventually, all of their property was nationalized— their fields and other possessions were seized and transferred to state ownership by the communist regime. The grown-up children scattered outside Plovdiv, and many of them died young. Yordan died at 34, Dimitar left his children at 30, and Atanas got paralyzed from the waist down at 52. They struggled to cope with the unjust and abnormal seizure of their private property, something they had built over a long time with much effort and enthusiasm. Bozhil remained childless, and in his later years, his nieces Ana and Velichka took care of him. He left them a large house and several properties in gratitude for their care and because they were orphans.

Later, through the Restitution Law, the heirs managed to reclaim parts of their properties, but the Bozhilov estate remained co-owned with the municipality. The authorities at the time did not allow the municipal part to be bought back, and unfortunately, after a fire, little remained of the building.

Today, their story is still passed down from generation to generation, while the crumbling cultural monument—the estate—serves as a reminder of them and of that beautiful, aristocratic Plovdiv, which we now read about in chronicles and books about the lost city.