Plovdiv municipal triangle of Plovdiv, including Maritsa municipality and Rodopi municipality. Population of Plovdiv: At the first census after the Liberation of Bulgaria in 1880 with 24,053 citizens, Plovdiv is the second largest city behind Ruse, which had 26,163 citizens then, and ahead of the capital Sofia, which had 20,501 citizens then. As of the 1887 census, Plovdiv was the largest city in the country for several years with 33,032 inhabitants compared to 30,428 for Sofia. According to the 1946 census, Plovdiv was the second largest city with 126,563 inhabitants compared to 487,000 for the capital. In its ethnic character Plovdiv
PFC Botev Plovdiv PFC Botev Plovdiv Professional Football Club Botev Plovdiv, commonly known as Botev Plovdiv ( ) or simply (within the city of Plovdiv itself) Botev, is the oldest continuously existing Bulgarian association football club. The club was established on 12 March 1912 by a group of students in Plovdiv. Its home ground, the Hristo Botev Stadium is located in the residential quarter of Kamenitza and is currently under reconstruction. Therefore, home matches are temporarily played at Botev 1912 Football Complex in Komatevo. The team currently competes in First League, the top division of the Bulgarian football league system. Named in honour