Bulgaria Inside

The appearance of ancient theaters in the distant past was tied to rituals connected to the tribute to Dionysus. These celebrations had Thracian origin but later on became popular in Greece. Initially these honored fertility and later on turned into theater performances.

Greek drama turned the theaters into really popular places. The mild climate allowed performances to take place in the open air.

Construction of new theaters became a necessity. According to a theory, the ancient theater in Plovdiv was constructed during Roman times. Its architecture proves this claim.

The theater is divided into three parts. Such facility was needed due to the importance of Plovdiv during the Hellenistic period. Apart from the beautiful architecture, its location was of great importance.

Old Plovdiv was destroyed several times and the ancient amphitheater was hidden beneath the ground for many years. Archaeologists had to work nearly one decade to uncover it.

The theater has the typical for that period structure. All seats from rows one to 14 have no marble backs. Aisles separate the sectors. The lower part is divided in six and the upper part is separated in 12 sectors.

Two types of marble were used in the decorative elements.

In 1965, Bulgarian scientists managed to uncover the entire theater buried beneath the ground. Before they started working, only a small part of the building was revealed.

The theater is situated in the old part of town, near the musical academy. It houses on a regular basis plays and other events. First-time visitors are usually left breathless. Plovdiv will definitely be a different city without one of its landmarks.