Zhitnitsa, Plovdiv Province Zhitnitsa, Plovdiv Province Zhitnitsa (, "granary") is a village in central southern Bulgaria, part of Kaloyanovo Municipality, Plovdiv Province. Zhitnitsa is mostly inhabited by Roman Catholic Bulgarians, descendants of medieval Paulicians. It lies north of Plovdiv, Bulgaria's second city, and from the municipal centre Kaloyanovo. Zhitnitsa was founded no later than 1646, during the Ottoman rule of Bulgaria, as a Turkish-owned farm. The farm was manned and worked by Bulgarian Paulicians from Sopot and Kalabrovo, who settled in the vicinity and established the village. According to an 18th-century report by papal missionary Nikola Radovani, the village had 54 houses inhabited
History of Plovdiv tradition. The name "Plovdiv" first appeared around that time and is derived from the city's Thracian name "Pulpudeva" (assumed to be a translation of Philippopolis, from Pulpu = Philippou and deva = city), which was rendered by the Slavs first as "Pəldin" ("Пълдин") or "Pləvdin". Under the rule of the Ottoman Empire, Plovdiv was a focal point for the Bulgarian national movement. During that period Plovdiv was an economic center along with Constantinople, Odrin and Thessaloniki. Due to trade, the emerging Bulgarian bourgeoisie became significant in the society. Trading with Russia and Europe these people experienced political and cultural influences.