Location: Plovdiv Province
Plovdiv (in Bulgarian, Пловдив; in Greek Philippopolis, "Φιλιππούπολις"; in Turkish, "Filibe") is a city in Bulgaria and the capital of the province of Plovdiv. With a population of 341,567 inhabitants (2015) and an urban agglomeration of 544,628 inhabitants, it is the second most populated city in the country, after the capital, Sofia. It is located in the lowlands of Thrace, on the banks of the Maritsa river and the seven hills. The population is, predominantly, Bulgarian although minorities of Gypsies, Turks, Jews and Armenians also inhabit the city. Plovdiv is the second largest city in Bulgaria and one of the oldest cities in the country with a history of settlement dating back to 6000 BC.
The climate of Plovdiv is humid subtropical with the four seasons are well defined. The summers are long and dry with maximum temperatures that exceed 30 ° C. The winters are cold with snowfall. In the city it snows an average of 33 days, although this number can vary a lot between years, with 2-5 cm of depth. The average winter temperature is 2 ° C.
Cathedral of the Nativity of the Mother of God is a Bulgarian Orthodox church situated in the Old Part of Plovdiv. Historical evidence point that a church stood on this spot as early as 9th century. In 1189 it was destroyed by the Crusaders during the Third Crusade. Later church was reconstructed and a monastery appeared next to it. This church was again destroyed when Ottoman Turks conquered Plovdiv and laid waste to it. This area was abandoned for centuries until 19th century when church was once again constructed on this spot. Its construction lasted between 1844 and 1845 under supervision of the masters from the city of Bratzigovo.