An exhibition in Tsar Simeon's Garden tells the story of the First Bulgarian Agricultural and Industrial Exhibition.

2022 marks the 130th anniversary of the First Bulgarian Agricultural and Industrial Exhibition. In connection with the jubilee anniversary, the Regional History Museum Plovdiv has prepared an exhibition of 20 panels, which will be located on the structures next to the "Demeter" fountain in the "Tsar Simeon" garden.

The official opening of the exhibition will take place on July 14, 2022 / Thursday / at 10.00 am. The exhibition will be opened by Dr. Stefan Shivachev - Director of Regional History Museum - Plovdiv, Eng. Alexander Durzhikov - Chairman of the Municipal Council and Plamen Panov - Deputy Mayor "Culture, Archeology and Tourism" will be present.

In 1891, the government of Stefan Stambolov decided to organize an exhibition, with which the Bulgarian people could show their traditional productions and hard work, and to attract the participation of the industrial countries, taking an example from their achievements. The idea to have the exhibition in Plovdiv belongs to Dr. Georgi Valkovich, a Bulgarian diplomatic representative in Constantinople. An exhibition with foreign participation is a step towards recognition of Prince Ferdinand by the Great Powers and the Ottoman Empire. In legal and diplomatic terms, Eastern Rumelia still exists with the ruler of the Bulgarian prince and the capital Plovdiv, which was then the largest city in Bulgaria with a population of over 35,000 people and preserved the revival traditions of an all-Bulgarian spiritual center. It is an economic center of the rich Thracian lowland, connected by rail to Sofia, Constantinople and Europe.

In the autumn of 1891, the real work began in Plovdiv. Under the guidance of the Swiss gardener Lucien Chevallas, the abandoned Turkish cemetery "Şehidlik" was transformed into a beautiful garden with a large lake and a cave with a waterfall in just half a year. The municipal government expropriates properties, removes old and disreputable buildings. The station was renovated, new pavement and street lighting were installed on the main city streets. Exhibition pavilions, two restaurants, machine sheds, fire and police buildings, a post office, and the Karastoyanovi brothers' photography studio were built on the site designated for the Exhibition.

On August 15, 1892, after the welcoming words of Prince Ferdinand, the First Bulgarian Exhibition was opened. It embodies the industriousness of the Bulgarian people and the striving for technical and cultural progress. Europe and the world are amazed, Bulgarians are proud, thousands of visitors from all over the country have the opportunity to see the numerous samples of goods on display, touch spectacular attractions and accumulate memories and impressions for a lifetime to tell their children and grandchildren. It is the first appearance and demonstration of the capabilities of European and American plows and seed drills, turbines for harnessing water power, hand and steam locomotive driven threshing machines, flax and hemp processing machinery, metal lathes and wine bottling and distilling machinery. cognac.

Until it closed on November 1, 1892, the exhibition was visited by 167,922 people - Bulgarians from Mysia, Thrace, Macedonia and foreigners. After the closure by decree of Prince Ferdinand, the exhibition garden was named "Tsar Simeon" and was gifted by the Bulgarian state to the people of Plovdiv with the one condition that they take care of it.

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