Emile Ouroumov | Photography & Curating

[# LFP09_22]

Ancient Theatre (2nd century), Hotel Trimonitum (1955, today Ramada Princess Casino), Central Post Office (end of 1970s), former Palace of the Communist Party (1969, today regional administration), Rhodopes mountain range.
Tsar Ivaylo St.

[# LFP19_22]

Parts of the Odeon and Library of the Roman forum of Philippopolis (1st century, rediscovered in 1971); billboard advertising a chain of restaurants.
Between General Gurko St., Central Square (former “Red Square” until the 1960s) & Knyaz Alexander I St. (fomer Vasil Kolarov, generally known as “Main Street”)

[# LFP35_36]

Pedestrian “Archeological Underpass” (1984, excavations of a 3rd century residence), under concession since 2003.
Bd. Tsar Boris III – “The Unifier” (former Georgi Dimitrov)

[# LFP02_07]

Former Orta Mezar Ottoman bath (“Eni Hamam” or “Jewish Bath”, later “Tsar Boris”, then“Chaïka”), one of the oldest buildings in Plovdiv (15th century). Operating until ca. 1992. After the communist era, converted to a furniture store in 2001, privatized in 2005, burnt down in 2016.
Sq. Tsar Kaloyan (former Yakov Sverdlov)

[# LFP33_01]

Chifte Hamam (or “Ancient Baths”), Ottoman, 1582. Operating until the end of the communist period, then abandoned and decaying. 1999-2017, independent contemporary art centre (without access to funding for restoration). Since 2020, part of Municipal Art Gallery, closed and declared hazardous, announcements of unrealised refurbishing projects.
Corner 6 septemvri & Tsar Boris III – “The Unifier” (former Georgi Dimitrov) Boulevards

[# LFP04_15]

House in “Bulgarian Renaissance” style.
Corner of Petko R. Slaveykov & Kiril Nektariev Streets

[# LFP03_27]

Hotel in the architectural reserve of the Old Town, 4-floor pastiche imitation of “Bulgarian renaissance” architecture style, ca. 2023, connected to local cosmetics company “Refan” (cf. # LFP19_04).
Stoyan Chalakov St.

[# LFP32_08]

“Venus 2002”. Misovi Brothers’ residence and (former) bakery, 1928.
Corner of Karlovska St. & Bd. Maritza (former Lenin)

[# LFP35_15]

Asvasdurjan’s residence, 1930s. From 1949, Pioneers Palace (Communist Youth), listed as historic monument in 1999. In the 2000s, cocktal-bar “Viosisida”. Since 2014/15, property of businessmen in the liquor industry, radically reconstructed with impaired authenticity (extensions, parking, fence, etc.) Situated 250m from the Tourist info centre, photography strongly forbidden, constant surveillance by bodyguards and illegally installed cameras in surrounding public spaces.
Corner of Antim I & Stefan Karadja Streets

[# LFP01_11]

Residential house from the Interwar period, protection installed since ca. 2019.
Sophronii Vrachanski St.

[# LFP02_02]

Notarial office, 2016, reconstruction of the residence of Baron Gendovich, 1884, arch. Josef Schnitter.
Corner of Beethoven & Opalchenska Streets

[# LFP01_12]

Residential house from the Interwar period, protection installed since 2019.
Corner of Hr. G. Danov (former Gen. Vladimir Zaimov) & P. Karavelov Streets (opp. Puppet Theatre)

[# LFP19_04]

“Plovdiv 2019, European Capital of Culture“. 1930s building; pizzeria Verdi (1993 - second half of 2000s).
The building’s condition hasn’t changed since ca. 2009.
Corner of Otets Paisii & Konstantin Irechek Streets

[# LFP05_22]

Gift shop “pLOVEdiv” in the Kapana neighbourhood, undergoing a process of gentrification.
Corner of P. Kurtevich & Kojuharska Streets

[# LFP04_34]

“Kapana”neighbourhood, undergoing a process of gentrification.
Zlatarska St.

[# LFP21_23]

“Verona Residence”, 2023 (in construction). Approximative concrete reproduction of the illegally demolished in 2019 residence of tobacco merchant Atanas Kutsooglu, listed monument of culture (1923, arch. Josef Schnitter; during the communist period, kindergarten “Slavyanka”).
Corner of Gladstone (former Sasho Dimitrov) & Émile de Laveleye Streets

[# LFP07_17]

Residential house from the Interwar period; “Euroshop” (closed since at least 2011). “Kapana”neighbourhood, undergoing a process of gentrification.
Yoakim Gruev St.

[# LFP14_03]

Residential house from the Interwar period; “Beauty Land”, 2020 (previously, perfume then outlet shop).
11-ti avgust St. (known as “Italian Street”)

[# LFP12_32]

Residence Hotel “Vizualiza”, 2022. Pastiche reconstruction of 1890 “Orel” tobacco factory.
Angel Bukoreshtliev St.

[# LFP26_14]

Dimitar Kudoglu’s tobacco warehouse, 1923, listed as historic monument in 1985, privatised in 2005 (by a company connected to the honorary consul of Italy), burnt down in 2016.
Corner of Ivan Vazov & Kapitan
Andreev Streets

[# LFP26_04]

Dimitar Kudoglu’s tobacco warehouse, 1923, listed as historic monument in 1985, privatised in 2005 (by a company connected to the honorary consul of Italy), burnt down in 2016. Seen from the plot of another tobacco warehouse (of Daniel Shaki, 1926), privatised and today property of Galaxy Investment Group (connected to the liquor industry, cf. # LFP35_15), partially destroyed in 2009, victim of the same fire in 2016, fully demolished in 2022, listed as historic monument post factum, in 2023.
Corner of Kapitan Andreev & Dr. G. M. Dimitrov (former Nikola Galabov) Streets

[# LFP24_16]

“Diamond Town” residential development by a Jordanian investor, 2023. Built over the site of two historic tobacco warehouses, privatised and then demolished in 2009 (east wing of Daniel Shaki’s warehouse, 1926) and 2015.
Corner of Dr. G. M. Dimitrov (former Nikola Galabov) & Kapitan Andreev Streets

[# LFP25_28]

“Orient Tobacco” (Chaprashikov family) tobacco warehouse, early 1920s, listed as historic monument in 1985, privatised in 2009, illegally semi-demolished in 2016. Seen from the central “South” coach station (1959).
Corner of Odrin & Dr. G. M. Dimitrov (former Nikola Galabov) Streets

[# LFP21_28]

Monument to Stefan Kiradjiev (secretary of the Tobacco workers’ Union between 1919 and 1923, executed after the 1923 September Uprising), communist period, damaged since 2013.
Corner of Gladstone (former Sasho Dimitrov) & Naiden Gerov Streets

[# LFP33_15]

“Fraternal Mound” Funerary Memorial, 1974 (“Bratska Mogila”, abandoned). Background (east): “Aliosha” monument to the Soviet Army, 1957. Similar to megalithic astronomical alignments, each year on 9 September, the Sun rises directly above the Soviet soldier statue, in commemoration of the 1944 overthrow of the Nazi-aligned government (the photograph was taken on 2 September).
Bd. Svoboda (former Malchika)

[# LFP13_12]

Casino Efbet Balkan, 2012. Former Cinema Balkan, 1941, privatised through the “restitution” process [de-nationalization] in the early 1990s, closed in 1994, then Bingo Balkan). Fast-food McDonalds, first in Bulgaria, 1994.
Knyaz Alexander I St. (fomer Vasil Kolarov, generally known as “Main Street”)

[# LFP25_20]

Casino Admiral, 2012/14 (renovated in 2019, “Casino Astra Club” until 2012), in a section of the Central “Yug” [South] coach station (1959, privatized ca. 1998, projects for closure and demolition, to be potentially replaced by unlimited height real estate development).
Corner of Hristo Botev Bd. & Tsanko Dyustabanov St.

[# LFP21_16]

Central Post Office (end of 1970s), Hotel Trimonitum (1955, today Ramada Princess Casino).
Central Square (former “Red Square” until the 1960s)

[# LFP20_12]

Former Palace of the Communist Party, 1969 (today regional administration). First “International Style” building in Bulgaria (together with Energoproekt, Sofia). Only remaining authentic example in the country (after the renovation of Energoproekt in 2020), planned reconstruction project with glass cladding , entirely modifying its appearance.
Central Square (former “Red Square” until the 1960s)

[# LFP02_12]

Lotus Hall (Home of the Newborn, 1970/73, part of the Home of the Newlywed, 1962). The original interior has been demolished in 2018 during the reconversion of the hall as “Cave of the dinosaurs” (2021), connected to the adjacent Natural History Museum.
Hr. G. Danov St. (former Gen. Vladimir Zaimov), in Dondukov Garden

[# LFP23_17]

Former Cinema Kosmos (previously, Komsomol - Communist Youth), 1964. Foreground: ruins of dismantled shops, built in the 1990s as a result of the “restitution” (de-nationalisation) of the public square in front of the cinema.
Gladstone St. (former Sasho Dimitrov)

[# LFP23_28]

Remains of the entrance of Bling Club (2018, closed in 2019; previously “Vogue Music Club”, ca. 2014-17, “Brilliantine Discobar” since 2007), in the former Youth Palace (1977).
Avksentii Veleshki St. (former Nikola Y. Vaptsarov)

[# LFP24_01]

“American Corner”, cultural-information centre of the US State Department, 2014. Built over a dried-up water basin in the Ivan Vazov National Library, 1974.
Corner of Ivan Vazov & Avksentii Veleshki (former Nikola Y. Vaptsarov) Streets

[# LFP30_17]

Bridge of the International Fair, 1960; “The best mayonnaise” advert.
Corner of Tsar Boris III – “The Unifier” (former Georgi Dimitrov) & Maritsa (former Lenin) Boulevards

[# LFP01_33]

Jewellery workshop, probably 1990s, in a housing co-op from the middle of the communist period (ca. 1960).
Corner of Opalchenska & Sv. Kliment Streets

[# LFP34_28]

Bistro “Great”, 1990/2000s.
Yordan Gavazov St.

[# LFP01_10]

Shop roller shutter, installed ca. 2013-14.
Sophroniy Vrachanski St.

[# LFP34_17]

Housing from the late communist period, customised balconies.
Corner of Bd. Peshtersko Shose (former Kishinev) & Lyubotran St.

[# LFP34_30]

Coffee vending machine, installed in 2022/23.
Corner of Yordan Gavazov & Seres Streets

[# LFP36_25]

Beauty parlour, 2012 (initially fashion boutique).
Dimcho Debelyanov St.

[# LFP28_25]

International Asset Bank (probably 2000s); residential tower block from the late communist period (end of 1980s).
Knyaginya [Princess] Maria Luiza Bd. (former Liliana Dimitrova)

[# LFP27_30]

Gaming club “Las Vegas” (probably 2000s, redesigned ca. 2020); housing from the late communist period.
Gladstone St. (former Sasho Dimitrov), opposite Cinema Kosmos

[# LFP34_07]

Gaming club “Central” (probably ca. 2010, redesigned in the late 2010s); housing from the late communist period (1980s).
Corner of Bd. Peshtersko Shose (former Kishinev) & Vladivostok St.

[# LFP31_13]

Casino Ritz, “largest 5-star casino in Bulgaria”, 2008 - redecoration of the former RUM Neva
[regional department store], 1982).
Vasil Levski St.

[# LFP30_23]

Extensions to Hotel Maritza, 1968, built for the 9th World Festival of Youth and Students. Privatised in 1996 by the offshore-controlled hotel empire “Victoria Group”, property of a top-level oligarch and leader in the tourist business in Bulgaria. Construction of the extensions started in the early 2000s with the demolition of an exotic garden, partially completed then abandoned since the mid-2010s. For sale since 2022, the owners being prosecuted since 2018 for tax evasion and money laundering.
Corner of Tsar Boris III – “The Unifier” (former Georgi Dimitrov) & Ibar St.

[# LFP23_24]

Statue of Philip II of Macedon (2004, built with Greek funding and after long controversies, next to Djumaya Mosque, and relocated in 2012)
Corner of Filip Makedonski & Avksentii Veleshki (former Nikola Y. Vaptsarov) Streets

[# LFP36_34]

Kamenitza Office Park, 2023 (under construction). On the site of Kamenitza Brewery (1883-2015, first in Bulgaria, chimney preserved), itself built over Plovdiv’s “eighth hill” of the same name (demolished in 1882 and used as construction material for the brewery).
B/w Bd. Iztochen (former Dimitar Blagoev) & Ilarion Makariopolski, Anton Tayner Streets

[# LFP23_15]

Mall “Markovo Tepe”, 2016, built on the site of the demolished eponymous hill.
Corner of Gladstone (former Sasho Dimitrov) St. & Bd. Ruski (former Hitler).

[# LFP25_01]

“Magic Bet Club”. Ruins of the abandoned and demolished Freight railway station (ca. 1920s, previously late 19th century plant nursery). Site of the future 4th shopping mall in Plovdiv , “Promenad? Plovdiv” by a South African investment fund, one of the largest in the Balkans.
Corner of Hristo Botev & Naicho Tzanov Boulevards

[# LFP31_18]

“Ponte” business centre, 2023 (under construction), next to Pedestrian Bridge (officially “Saedinenie”, 1986, covered and built up with shops after its commercial concession in 2001).
Seen from Bd. Maritsa North (former Lenin)