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 prestigious tournaments. By 1944 the team is the biggest in the region of Plovdiv in terms of members, and has a dedicated following with its fans setting records for the period in attendance of football matches. In the mid-1930s the labour union of the railway workers and sailors establishes several cultural and sporting organisations across the country. The railway workers established their sports club in Plovdiv as well, since the city is one of the major travel centres in the country. On 13 June 1935 the club "ZSK Plovdiv" was founded, abbreviated from "Zheleznicharski Sporten Klub Plovdiv" meaning "the sporting