Figures of Plovdiv

Figures of Plovdiv

Petko R. Slaveykov (1827 - 1895)

Petko R. Slaveykov (1827 - 1895)

1/1/2012 12:00:00 AM

Petko Rachev Slaveykov was born on November 17, 1827, in the town of Turnovo. Writer and journalist, public and political figure; Member of Bulgarian Literary Society (later the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences). He presided the Second National Assembly. Minister of Education and Minister of Internal Affairs (1880).

In 1881 he stood against the Authorities Regime, set by Knjaz Alexander I Batemberg, because of which he was expelled from the Principality of Bulgaria together with other Liberal Party leaders. He emigrated with his family to the capital of East Roumelia - Plovdiv, where Pencho Slaveykov studied in the Plovdiv High School while his father was a teacher there. They lived in Plovdiv until 1884, when P. R. Slaveykov moved back to Sofia again.

While living in Plovdiv, P. R. Slaveykov continued his fight against the conservative block of the Knjaz. For two years (1881-83) he was teaching in Plovdiv. Together with Petko Karavelov, he started publishing the Independence newspaper (1881-82), which was the successor of the Sofia newspaper called Independence, a secret publication of the Liberal Party. P. R. Slaveykov went on the fight for restoration of the Turnovo Constitution. He was also the editor of the comic newspaper called Koukourigou (in English Cock-a-doodle-doo), 1882-83.

Slaveykovs presence in Plovdiv could be traced in the Slaveykovs house, the Slaveykovs school and the Slaveykovs cafe (the latter is situated on the small Vuzrazhdane Square in the southeast foot of the Dzhambaz Tepe hill, almost opposite the Marazliyata school), where Slaveykov used to respectively live, work, and take his rest. For two years he was coming each morning to that cafe, a few houses from where he lived to have some coffee and some chat. The old Revival-period house where he spent those two years, today hosts the Plovdiv Teachers House and is still a place where issues like education, knowledge and culture are discussed.

Georgi Vulkovich, Dr. (1833 - 1892)
Dr. Georgi Vulkovich - born in Edirne, 1833. Doctor, political figure and a diplomat. Member of Bulgarian Literary Society (later the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences). He comes from the eminent Reviv...
Alexander Bogoridi, Knjaz (1822 - 1910)
Knjaz Alexander Bogoridi - man of law, statesman. Son of probably the most influential person after the Sultan in the Ottoman Empire - Knjaz Stefan Bogoridi (called Stefanaki Bey). Alexander B...
Karel Skorpil  (1859-1944)
Karel Skorpil (1859-1944)
1/1/2012 12:00:00 AM
Czech by origin. Also known under the spelling of Schkorpil (pronounced Sh-korpil). Teacher, archaeologist; museum founder. Spent some time as a teacher of Maths...
Dusho Hadjidekov (around 1827 - 1878)
Eminent trader, public figure, donor; participant in the national liberation movement. He himself funded the construction of the old building of St Trinity School in Plovdiv, and later became its p...
Nedko Donchev Kableshkov (1867 - 1964)
Eminent man of law, journalist and public figure, Nedko Kableshkov is the pioneer of donating in Plovdiv. In 1949 he made a large donation of e...
Nikolay Galov (1943-1993)
Nikolay Galov (1943-1993)
1/1/2012 12:00:00 AM
Nikolai Galov, also popular by the nickname “The colleague Galov", was born on July 5, 1943 in Plovdiv.  He died on Jule 9, 1993, in that same city...
Lyuben Grois (1934 - 1982)
Lyuben Grois (1934 - 1982)
1/1/2012 12:00:00 AM
“Labor is the high price of my freedom” - That thought belongs to the great Bulgarian theatre director, Lyuben Grois, and is taken from his two-volume book of “archives”, released 20 years...
Nikolay Haitov (1919 - 2002)
Nikolay Haitov (1919 - 2002)
1/1/2012 12:00:00 AM
Academician. One of the best Bulgarian writers. Born in the Rhodope Mountain village of Yavrovo. Author of many novels and short stories. Screenplay-writer of wonderful films (Koziat Rog, i.e. Goat...
Stefka Blagoeva (1938-2000)
Stefka Blagoeva (1938-2000)
1/1/2012 12:00:00 AM
Stefka Blagoeva was the founder and main conductor of the Plovdiv Boys’ Choir in 1975. During her conduct the Choir participated in a large number of music festivals all over Bulgaria and Europ...
Lucien Schevalas (1840 - 1921)
Lucien Schevalas (1840 - 1921)
1/1/2012 12:00:00 AM
Lucien Schevalas was born in Obonne, Switzerland. Swiss park designer, gardener of royalties. He graduated from the Forestry Institute in Paris. \r\nHe came to Bulgaria afte...