Permanent Exhibition ‘Bulgarian National Revival’

The permanent exhibition ‘Bulgarian Revival’ of the Regional Historical Museum – Plovdiv is part of the architectural and historical complex Ancient Plovdiv. It is housed in the Georgiadi House.

Across three floors and fourteen halls, the exhibition tells the history of Plovdiv and the region from the onset of Ottoman rule until the Liberation. The rich collection of objects, documents and photographs enables visitors to immerse themselves in the atmosphere of the city’s distant past – a time of foreign domination, but also a time of asserting the Bulgarian national identity. The historical narrative is generously illustrated with artworks by renowned Bulgarian artists: Zlatyu Boyadzhiev, Dimitar Gyudzhenov, Nyagol Stanchev and others.

On the first floor, the ethnic and religious communities that lived in the city are presented through personal belongings, household objects, and textiles. Emphasis is placed on the socio-economic and cultural life of that time through reconstructions of a Turkish coffee house, a gossip corner, a commercial office and more.

On the second floor, exhibitions are arranged dedicated to the Haiduk movement, Vasil Levski, the national liberation and church struggles, as well as education and enlightenment. The everyday life of Plovdiv during the Revival period is depicted through the authentic kitchen, the hayet (reception room) with its adjoining estrade and other urban amenities characteristic of the 19th century.

The top floor presents the April Uprising of 1876 and the Russo-Turkish War of 1877–1878 through personal belongings, weapons, photographs, and documents.The halls display a replica of a cherry-wood cannon, an original Plovdiv flag, uniforms from the April Uprising, etc. The exhibition concludes with the Treaty of San Stefano from March 3, 1878.

The Georgiadi House is a cultural monument of national significance. The building is a typical example of the Plovdiv symmetrical house from the 19th century. It stands out from other Ottoman-period houses mainly with the smooth line of the ‘kobilitsa’ as an architectural element, which is repeated in built-in cupboards (dolapi), fences, gates, etc. It has a richly painted colorful facade and a beautifully designed interior: painted walls, carved ceilings, built-in furniture and niches. An unusual luxury is the inner well, which remain functional to this day.

Monday – Saturday 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Sunday – closed

Address: 1 Tsanko Lavrenov St., Plovdiv, 4000, Bulgaria

The last ticket sale is at 4:30 PM.