Plovdiv is one of the oldest cities in Europe. Allegedly, it is a contemporary of Troy and Mycenae but is more ancient than Rome, Athens, and Constantinople. Historians do not indicate the exact age of the city. In 1975, the remains of a religious building from the period of the Crete-Mycenaean culture were found, which are equal to the findings on the island of Kronos.
Plovdiv is known for its cultural and historical heritage which dates back to the Thracians, the most ancient inhabitants about which written sources were found on the Balkan Peninsula. They were carriers of an extreme culture entwining in other cultures. The development of the city is linked to the Age of Philip of Macedonia, it flourished in the heyday of the Roman and Byzantine empires, was somewhat kept in the years of the Ottoman Empire, and again reached its upsurge during the Renaissance. The ancient history of the city left lasting traces in its architecture. Remains from Antiquity, Middle Ages, Renaissance, and modern culture coexist woven into the irresistible beauty of this eternal city.
The Old Plovdiv architectural reserve is a well-preserved complex in which, on a small area, one can walk through different epochs, see ancient buildings adapted to the modern life, and feel the atmosphere of the city during the Renaissance. The Old Town, as the complex is known, is situated on a natural elevation: the Three Hills (the adjacent hills of Dzhambaz, Nebet, and Taksim). Over the centuries, many nations lived there. Every one left both remnants of their culture and their own name to the city. Plovdiv is one of the oldest cities in Europe: its beginning dates back to 4000 BC. In antiquity, Thracians settled on the hill and built a fortified settlement, which in the 4th century BC was conquered by Philip of Macedonia. He gave one of the many names to the city – Philipopolis – and surrounded it by thick walls. Later, Thracians regained their power over the city but after a series of battles, in the 1st century A.D., it came under Roman rule. From Thracian times, there is a fortress preserved at the very top of Nebet Hill.
During the time of the Roman Empire, Plovdiv (then called Trimontium) was an important regional centre. The city was flourishing and a large-scale construction was boiling of both buildings and facilities and roads. From that time, there are many well-preserved remains of the thriving city left: paved streets, fortress walls, buildings, a water supply system, and sewage. Trimontsium expanded to the extent of leaving the boundaries of the fortress walls so that new ones had to be built. Many parts of the city are not located on the hill but at its foot. From Roman times, most interesting are the Amphitheatre, the Roman Stadium, the Ancient Forum, and the Eirene residential building.