Ancient Theatre of Philippopolis: Plovdiv Roman Theatre Guide
The Ancient Theatre of Philippopolis is a fantastic place to visit in Plovdiv. I enjoyed learning about the site’s history and admiring the grand building. At the Plovdiv Roman Theatre, you can also watch some performing arts.
The Plovdiv Roman Theatre is one of the best-preserved ancient theatres in the world. Combined with visiting the Roman Theatre, you can also see many other Roman attractions in Plovdiv. This includes the Bishop’s Basilica of Philippopolis, the Roman forum and even the remains of an aqueduct.
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Visit the Ancient Theatre of Philippopolis
You can pay at a kiosk at the top of the amphitheatre. Once you enter, it’s steep inside, but rewarding to climb down the steps and sit and admire the views.
The site is open daily from 9 am and closes at 5:30 pm during the winter months or 6:30 pm in the summer months. Apparently, students and retired people can enter for free on the first Thursday of the month.
You can also visit the site as part of a tour. You can find options for this on the Viator website.
History of Plovdiv Roman Theatre
The Ancient Theatre of Philippopolis is one of the best-preserved ancient amphitheatres in the world. The ancient theatre was one of the main public buildings of the old city of Philippopolis. It was built in the 1st century AD during the reign of Emperor Domitian and remained in use until the 5th century.
They dated the theatre because of an inscription found under the statue of Titus Flavius Cotis. Titus Flavius Cotis was the first person in charge of Philippopolis. He was an aristocrat and heir of the Thracian Royal Dynasty.
Archaeologists discovered the site during archaeological excavations carried out between 1968 and 1979. It was restored in the 1980s into the monument visitors see today. Finally, in 1995, the Ancient Theatre of Philippopolis was designated a monument of national importance.
Features of Plovdiv Roman Theatre
The key elements of the theatre are the cavea, orchestra, and stage building. The venue could hold 6000 people.
The open auditorium, or theatron, has 28 concentric rows of marble seats accessible via stairs. Access to the building is through three entrances with arched passages. You pass through one of these when entering from the ticket office above the site. At the north entrance of the theatre, there was a lodge with seats for prominent people.
The orchestra has the shape of a horseshoe. The stage is impressive and makes the backdrop for the theatre. It is a three-storey structure that’s decorated with porticoes and statues.
Photos of Plovdiv Roman Theatre
I took these photographs during a visit when the theatre was pleasantly quiet. Lucky for me, the amphitheatre was quiet during my visit inside. I also visited the area to see the Roman site from outside.
There is a balcony above the theatre which is an ideal spot to watch the sun setting in Plovdiv.
Standing on the main stage at the site opened up some wonderful views of the site. You can imagine what it was like when the crowds were here.
The viewpoint above was a favourite dog walk while I was in the city. As a bonus, the nearby cafe with views had dog-friendly outside seating.
Refreshments Near the Roman Theatre
Near the entrance there is a cafe with seats overlooking the site, Cafe Arena. Café Arena was a great place for beers and to enjoy the views of the Roman site. It is open from 8 am until 8 pm daily and gets a thumbs up from me. There are also some restaurants in Plovdiv within walking distance of the site.