Timeline of Plovdiv

The following is a timeline of the history of the city of Plovdiv, Bulgaria.

This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.

Prior to 20th century

• 342 BCE – Philip II of Macedon conquered the Thracian settlement Pulpudeva and renamed it "Philippopolis."^[1]
• 2nd C. CE – Roman theatre built by Emperor Trajan.^[1]
• 250/251 CE – Battle of Philippopolis; town sacked by Goths.^[1]
• 340's – Christian church council held in Philippopolis.
• 836 – Town becomes part of the First Bulgarian Empire under Khan Malamir.^[1]
• 971 – John I Tzimiskes captures Philippopolis in his campaign against Sviatoslav I.
• 1205 –Philippopolis surrenders to Kaloyan of Bulgaria.^[2][3]
• 1208 – June: Battle of Philippopolis (1208).
• 1262 – Byzantines under Michael VIII retook the city.
• 1323 – Tatar forces attempted unsuccessful siege.^[4][3]
• 1344 – Anna of Savoy ceded the city to Ivan Alexander of Bulgaria.
• 1363 – City taken by Turkish forces under Lala Şahin Pasha.^[5]
• 1364 – Ottomans in power; town renamed "Filibe".^[1]
• 1420's – Great Mosque built.^[6]
• 1440's – Imaret Mosque [bg] built.^[6]
• 1818 – Earthquake.^[3]
• 1832 – Church of St Constantine and Helena rebuilt.^[1]
• 1835 – St. Nicholas church, Plovdiv [bg] rebuilt.
• 1836 – St. Petka Church school established.^[1]
• 1844 – Church of the Holy Mother of God, Plovdiv rebuilt.
• 1846 – Fire.^[3]
• 1847 – Textile factory in operation.^[7]
• 1856 – St. Marina church [bg] rebuilt.
• 1861 – Cathedral of St Louis built.
• 1870 - Plovdiv Central railway station opened.
• 1875 – Greek Zariphios School established.^[8]
• 1878
  • Battle of Philippopolis (1878).^[3]
  • City becomes capital of Eastern Roumelia per the Congress of Berlin.^[1]
  • Danov publisher in business.
  • Tomasian tobacco manufacturer in business (approximate date).^[9]
• 1879 – Naroden Glas newspaper in publication.^{(bg) [citation needed]}
• 1881 – International Theatre Luxembourg opens.^[8]
• 1882 – Plovdiv Regional Archaeological Museum [bg] opens.^[10]
• 1885
  • "Bloodless revolution at Philippopolis."^[11]
  • Еко де Балкан (1885) [bg] newspaper published.
• 1886 – November: "State of siege at Philippopolis on account of brigandage and Russian agency."^[11]
• 1891 – City master plan approved.^[8]
• 1892
  • August: "First Bulgarian exhibition" opens.^[11]
  • Exhibition Park laid out.^[3]
  • Plovdiv Synagogue built.^[12]
• 1893
  • "Socialist organization" founded by Dimiter Blagoev.^[1]
  • Population: 41,068.^[13]

20th century

• 1906
  • Anti-Greek unrest.^[8]
  • Population: 45,572.^[3]
• 1908 – Plovdiv Central railway station built.
• 1909 – Pathé cinema opens.^[8]
• 1910 – Population: 47,981.^[14]
• 1912 – Amer Gaazi Dzami (mosque) demolished.^[8]
• 1917 – Plovdiv Regional Ethnographic Museum established.
• 1921 – FC Maritsa Plovdiv (football club) formed.
• 1926 – Todor Diev Stadium opens.
• 1928 – April: 1928 Chirpan–Plovdiv earthquakes.^[8]
• 1932 – Тодор Александров (1932) [bg] newspaper begins publication.
• 1934
  • Annual Plovdiv Fair begins.^[1]
  • Population: 99,883.
• 1938 - Plovdiv Regional Ethnographic Museum new location.
• 1940 – 1940 Bulgaria tobacco strike [bg].
• 1945
  • Plovdiv Medical University founded.
  • Plovdiv Philharmonic Orchestra established.
• 1947 – FC Spartak Plovdiv (football club) and Detska Kitka Choir formed.
• 1950 – Plovdiv Stadium built.
• 1951 – Plovdiv Regional Historical Museum established.
• 1953
  • 1953 Plovdiv strike [bg].
  • Opera house established.^[15]
• 1955 – Trolleybus begins operating.
• 1956 – Population: 161,836.
• 1957 – Alyosha Monument, Plovdiv erected.
• 1960 – Plovdiv Regional Museum of Natural History [bg] founded.
• 1961 – Hristo Botev Stadium (Plovdiv) opens.
• 1964
  • Academy of Music, Dance and Fine Arts (Plovdiv) [bg] established.
  • Population: 203,800.^[16]
• 1965 – Plovdiv Airport new terminal opens.
• 1972 – Plovdiv University "Paisii Hilendarski" active.^[17]
• 1981 – Expo 81 held in city.
• 1985 – Population: 342,131.
• 1987 – Administrative Plovdiv okrug (province) created.^[18]
• 1991
  • Maritsa newspaper begins publication.^[19]
  • Museum of Aviation, Plovdiv [bg] founded.
• 1993 – Population: 345,205 (estimate).^[20]
• 1999 – Ivan Chomakov becomes mayor.

21st century

• 2005 – "Night of museums" begins.
• 2007 – Slavcho Atanasov becomes mayor.
• 2011 – Ivan Totev [bg] becomes mayor.
• 2013 – Population: 341,041.
• 2014 – February: Anti-Muslim unrest.^[21]
• 2019 – European Capital of Culture

See also

• History of Plovdiv
• Other names of Plovdiv e.g. Felibe, Filibe, Filippopoli, Paldin, Philippopolis, Philippoupolis, Puldin, Trimontium
• List of mayors of Plovdiv
• Timelines of other cities in Bulgaria: Sofia, Varna