Bulgarian cities - Plovdiv - European Capital of Culture 2019

The Roman Stadium in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, is among the largest and best preserved buildings from the time of the Ancient Rome in the Balkan peninsula. The facility, approximately 240 m (790 ft) m long and 50 m wide, could seat up to 30000 spectators. Today, the northern curved part of the stadium is partially restored and is one of the most recognisable landmarks of the city among the many preserved buildings from Roman times. Throughout the years, Plovdiv bore different names: Kendrissos , Evmolpias , Philippopolis, Pulpudeva , Trimontsium , Ulpia , Flavia Julia , Plapdiv , Puldin Ploudin , Filibe and others. The ancient city of Plovdiv is the second largest city in Bulgaria with a population of 368,469 people, accounting for 4.6 percent of the total of the country. Plovdiv is the administrative center of Plovdiv. The city is built at the foot of the seven hills , which is why it is often called The City in the hills or seven hills . Situated in the west of the Bulgarian part of Thrace, passed through it largest river in Bulgaria - Maritsa. Plovdiv is host to a huge variety of cultural events such as the International Fair Plovdiv, the international theatrical festival - A stage on a crossroad, the TV festival The golden chest, and many more novel festivals, such as Night/Plovdiv in September, Kapana Fest, and Opera Open. There are many preserved ruins such as the ancient Plovdiv Roman theatre, a Roman odeon, a Roman aqueduct, the Plovdiv Roman Stadium, the archaeological complex Eirene, and others. The city is used to be the new industrial zone of Bulgaria. Plovdiv is the European Capital of Culture alongside the Italian city of Matera, Italy. The closing ceremony for the European Capital Culture is scheduled to be on January 12, 2020, Plovdiv, Bulgaria on December 21, 2019