Two thousand years underground

🏛️ Past and present seamlessly blend in Plovdiv 🌟🚶 Plovdiv is an ancient city spanning over 8,000 years, spanning the Thracian, Greek, Roman, Byzantine, Ottoman, and modern Bulgarian eras. It's no surprise that every neighborhood is steeped in layers of history. One of the most remarkable is the Ancient Stadium of Philippopolis, hidden beneath the city's pedestrianized central plaza. Built around the 2nd century under the Roman Empire to host large-scale sporting events, it held over 30,000 spectators, making it a remarkable sight compared to the stadiums in Rome. Over time, the stadium gradually became buried by dirt and modern buildings. It wasn't until the 20th century that archaeological excavations revealed it again. The problem was that it was overgrown with modern structures, so authorities opted to "preserve some of the structures" and expose them to the public, rather than completely demolishing them. Today, if you stroll down Plovdiv's pedestrianized streets, you'll find a path leading down to the ruins of the stadium below. This area has been transformed into a cafe, restaurant, and relaxation area, while the upper floors remain bustling with tourists and locals. The coexistence of past and present within the same space gives this place a unique charm. A highlight is the stone amphitheater, whose rounded shape remains distinctly visible. You can view it from above, or descend to experience the detailed stone carvings, further revealing the grandeur of the Roman Empire. And if you look behind you, you'll see the Dzhumaya Mosque, an Ottoman-era mosque standing tall alongside the Roman amphitheater, as if telling the story of the coexistence of different cultures in the same city. ✨ The impressive sight here is not just the ancient monuments, but the "dialogue between time," where the Roman past and modern life continue to seamlessly blend together. 📍 Ancient Stadium of Philippopolis – Plovdiv, Bulgaria #Plovdiv #Bulgaria #AncientStadium #RomanHistory #WalkingThroughHistory