Plovdiv printing-press. The city's traditions as a literary centre are preserved by the first public library in Bulgaria, the Ivan Vazov National Library, the 19 "chitalishta" (cultural centres), and by numerous booksellers and publishers. The library was founded in 1879 and named after the famous Bulgarian writer and poet Ivan Vazov who worked in Plovdiv for five years creating some of his best works. Today the Ivan Vazov National Library is the second largest national library institution with more than 1.5 million books, owning rare Bulgarian and European publications. The city has traditions in iconography since the Middle Ages. During the
PFC Lokomotiv Plovdiv club of the railway workers in Plovdiv". The first years of the team are difficult as its performance does not bring about such glory as some of the other teams of the city like Sportclub or Botev Plovdiv. The club is accepted as a member of the national sport federation a whole three years after its creation. Nevertheless, in the early 1940s the team betters their performance and in 1944 wins the Championship of Plovdiv. In an economical aspect the railway club contributes heavily to the development of sports in the region of Plovdiv, making large inputs for the improvement