Trip tp Plovdiv

On Saturday we took a trip to Plovdiv which is one of Europe’s oldest continually inhabited cities.  The journey there was beautiful as the hills are gradually changing from lush green to muted shades of yellow and amber.  

 Plovdiv is located in south-central Bulgaria; a crossroad between North, South, East and West. Many cultures have occupied this city at one time or another.  It was a Neolithic settlement, a Thracian hub, a Roman cultural & economic center, a part of the Byzantine Empire as well as the Ottoman Empire; just to name a few.  After many wars, border changes, treaties and conflicts on Sep 6, 1885 it was united once again with Bulgaria and is the second largest city in the country.

 The greatest attraction to the city is the Roman Theater built in the early 2nd century A.D. by the Roman Emperor Traianus.  After being uncovered, by chance, following a mud slide it was excavated from 1968-79 by the Bulgarian Conservation School. I suppose I should not have been surprised that the Romans were once in this area since they conquered most of the known world of their time. Visiting this authentic Roman structure was a great thrill.

 In high school I studied Latin in preparation for college exams.  No study of a foreign language is complete without also studying the culture; with which I became very fascinated.  Elder Segeberg accompanied me as we braved the steep stone staircases to explore the structure.  In those long ago days in Latin class never did I think I would explore an actual Roman structure, let alone one in Bulgaria.

 There are many other remnants of public buildings, shrines, baths, aqueducts and theaters as you walk along the cobblestone streets in Old Town.  Although we did not have time to see even a fraction of all that Plovdiv has to offer we enjoyed a wonderful day of appreciating culture and exploring a beautiful and historic area.  We look forward to more opportunities to explore other regions of Bulgaria during our time here.

 Love
Elder and Sister Segeberg