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 can be defined as that of "Sportclub Plovdiv" (being the fan-based team), and of club of the railway workers (being the team funded by the union). In the spring of 1922 the sport club "Karadzha" is founded administratively by the consolidation of some casual football teams in one of the districts of the city of Plovdiv so that the players can compete in the Championship of Plovdiv. Two years later, in 1924, the sport club "Atletik" is formed in the same district of Plovdiv as Karadzha. On 26 July 1926 the two sport clubs from the same district, Karadzha and