Lamartin House (Georgi Mavridi's House) in Old Plovdiv
- Stefan Ivanov
- Feb 13
- 14 min read
Cultural significance
Lamartin House is one of the most significant architectural and historical monuments in Bulgaria, located in the heart of the Architectural and Historical Reserve "Ancient Plovdiv".
It is known by two main names, reflecting its dual historical role:
The House of Georgi Mavridi, which pays homage to its original patron and owner
The Lamartine House (Lamartine House), commemorating the brief but extremely important visit of the French poet, writer and politician Alphonse de Lamartine.
Who is Alphonse de Prat de Lamartine?
Alphonse de Lamartine (1790–1869) is a key figure in French history – both the father of poetic romanticism and a leading politician during the turbulent year of 1848.
I am not only a poet, I am a man of action. I believe that ideas should become laws.
Poetic Triumph (1820–1830)
Lamartine became an overnight sensation with the publication of his Poetical Contemplations in 1820.
Innovation – he introduced melancholy, nature, and personal feelings as central themes, breaking with the cold classicism.
Inspiration – his love for Julie Charles (celebrated as Elvira in his masterpiece The Lake) marked his entire work.
Oh, time, stop your flight! And you, happy hours, stop your march! Let us enjoy the most wonderful moments of our lives!
Journey to the East (1832–1833)
After a personal tragedy, he embarked on a large-scale journey through the Balkans to the Middle East.
The Bulgarian Trace – in 1833 he stayed in Philibe (today's Plovdiv, in the Lamartine House later named after him). In his notes he deeply admired the Bulgarian people and even predicted their liberation.
Political rise and the memorable year 1848
Lamartine entered politics as a social Christian who did not belong to any party.
Supreme role – during the Revolution of 1848 he became the de facto head of the provisional government.
Historic gesture – he managed to convince the crowd to keep the tricolor flag of France instead of the red flag of the radicals, saving the country from complete anarchy.
Legacy
With the coming to power of Napoleon III, Lamartine's political career ended. He spent his last years in poverty, writing feverishly (historical works and memoirs) to pay off his huge debts.
Key contribution – he proved that a poet could also be a statesman, and literature – an instrument of humanism and freedom.
Lamartin House (Georgi Mavridi's House) in Old Plovdiv
The building was built around 1829 – 1830 by order of Georgi Mavridi, a wealthy local merchant of Greek origin. Located on the Dzambaz Tepe hill, in close proximity to the Ancient Theater, the house is a representative example of the architectural zenith of the Bulgarian Renaissance in Plovdiv. In this role, it existed for decades, symbolizing the economic power and cultural aspirations of the local elite.
The cultural significance of the site, however, was dramatically altered by an event that occurred in August 1833, when Lamartine stayed at the house for four days. This short duration of stay compared to the overall history of the house highlights the enormous symbolic weight that this architectural structure has acquired. The house serves as a unique center where local architectural excellence intersects with international literary and political history, documenting the emerging Bulgarian identity through the eyes of a prominent European statesman and writer.
The Connection Between Architecture and Literature
The phenomenon of the house being far more famous by the name of its guest than by that of its owner (George Mavridi) reveals a significant cultural preponderance of international recognition over local history of origin.
While Georgi Mavridi was the one who invested the capital and commissioned the construction of the architectural masterpiece, it was Lamartine who, through his writings, secured the building, and through it Plovdiv, a place in the European cultural and political discourse. This asymmetry in the name shows that the main function of the house in the modern era was to serve as a powerful symbol of Franco-Bulgarian cultural relations, before being a purely architectural monument. This site is a historical bridge through which the European community received some of the earliest, positive and politically charged testimonies about the Bulgarian people.
Architectural monument
Construction and owner
The figure of Mavridi is emblematic of the then society of Filibe (the name of Plovdiv at that time). During the first half of the 19th century, the city was a thriving commercial center within the Ottoman Empire, and the merchant class, often composed of wealthy Bulgarians, Greeks, and Armenians, accumulated considerable capital.
The construction of such an impressive symmetrical house demonstrates not only the financial capabilities, but also the cultural ambition of the owner to erect a home that would rival the best European examples.
Lamartine House is one of the largest symmetrical houses in the Old Town, and the fact that it was adapted to the extremely steep terrain of Dzhambaz Tepe is a true engineering achievement for its time.
Architectural style
The Mavridi House is designed in the so-called symmetrical style, which marks the peak of the development of Renaissance architecture in Plovdiv. This style is characterized by its layout around a central hall or hayet, from which four main rooms are symmetrically arranged. The building has been described as a large beige palace, often confused with the old Renaissance style, although a more accurate definition is Bulgarian Renaissance Baroque with neoclassical influences.
The house’s location on the Dzambaz Tepe hill was no accident, providing not only prestige but also remarkable views, which Lamartine later described as one of the best in the world. This architectural and economic location shows that Plovdiv was not an isolated provincial town, but an active participant in the wider Mediterranean trade and cultural networks. The merchant class demonstrated its cultural self-confidence and European exposure through this type of monumental yet functional residential architecture.
Interior and European imprint
During his stay in 1833, Lamartine was impressed, noting that the house was furnished in a European style. This detail is extremely important. It confirms that the symmetrical design, which itself was influenced by European architectural trends, was complemented by an interior that met Western aesthetic standards.
This desire for a European imprint signals the cultural aspirations of the Plovdiv merchant class — to embrace a modern, Western aesthetic while preserving key elements of the traditional Balkan dwelling. The house, therefore, is not just an architectural specimen, but an important economic and cultural marker of Plovdiv's status as a key commercial and cultural center in the early 19th century.
Lamartine and Philibet from 1833
Context of "Journey to the Orient"
Alphonse de Lamartine's visit to Philibet (Plovdiv) was part of his extensive journey to the Middle East, undertaken in the period from 1832 to 1833. Lamartine, already a famous French poet and statesman, undertook this journey, laden with personal grief, having lost his mother, and during the journey itself, his only daughter, Julia.
The journey was luxurious and high-profile, driven in part by the Orientalist drive to explore the Levant, Syria, Lebanon, and the Holy Land. Lamartine traveled with an impressive entourage, including five carriages, each with four horses, several mule drivers, and six horses loaded with luggage, kitchen supplies, and chests of books. On his return from the Orient, he passed through Bulgarian lands.
Lamartine's stay in Bulgarian lands in 1833 was not just a brief stopover, but a real discovery for him. At that time, Bulgarians were almost unknown to Western Europe, perceived simply as part of the population of the Ottoman Empire.
Lamartine's stay in Plovdiv in the summer of 1833 is one of the most curious moments in his biography. He arrived in the city not as a tourist, but as a man exhausted by the long journey and broken by the loss of his daughter.
Stay at the house of Georgi Mavridi
On August 2, 1833, Lamartine arrived in Philibe. Although the rumor of the arrival of a high-ranking foreigner spread quickly and the inhabitants crowded the streets to see him, the poet was largely unknown as such in this part of the Ottoman Empire, namely the territory of present-day Bulgaria. He introduced himself as Monsieur Chevalier de la Martine.
The local leader Georgi Mavridi, who owned the most representative house in the city, immediately invited the French guest to stay with him. Lamartine stayed at the Mavridi home for four days, receiving and returning visits. The poet was greatly impressed by both the architectural execution of the house and its garden, which provided one of the best views in the world.
An Act of Friendship
The key moment that cemented Lamartine's lasting bond with the Bulgarian people occurred shortly after his departure from Plovdiv on August 6. Near the village of Vetren, in the Pazardzhik region, Lamartine fell seriously ill with a dangerous fever and blood poisoning.
These people were honest, hardworking, and full of respect for their priests... They were fully worthy of being free.
Rather than abandoning him, the people of Vetren showed extraordinary care, collecting about 60 leeches from the nearby marshes along the Maritsa River to place on his chest and temples. More importantly, news of the Frenchman's grave condition reached back to Philippopolis, and Georgi Mavridi immediately took action. He set out for Vetren with a doctor and a bag full of medicines. Lamartine spent twenty days in a windowless village hut, living between life and death, and later described Mavridi's act as sincere friendship and concern.
The actions of Mavridi, a leading citizen of Philibe, have profound geopolitical significance. By providing immediate and life-saving assistance to a prominent French guest, the Plovdiv elite demonstrated a capacity for European behavior and extraordinary generosity. This ensured that Lamartine's published account, Voyage en Orient, would be overwhelmingly positive for the Bulgarian people, securing cultural and potentially political recognition from a major European power at a critical moment in the history of the Ottoman Empire.
I will share with you the main highlights of his impressions, described in his work "Journey to the East":
Admiration of the Bulgarian People
Lamartine is struck by the incredible hard work, dexterity, enterprise and inner dignity and strength of the Bulgarians. He is amazed by their economic enterprise and the quiet, unwavering confidence with which they preserve their traditions. The poet sees in the Bulgarians a people of skillful farmers who radiate health and calm power. Lamartine even predicts that it is precisely because of these qualities - hard work and moral strength - that the Bulgarians will sooner or later be free and will dominate the region.
He describes them as:
Tireless and hardworking farmers - Lamartine saw a people who cultivate their land extremely diligently. Instead of deserted lands, he describes tidy gardens, well-kept herds and clean homes. For him, the Bulgarians were the hardest working people in the empire.
Calm, balanced, honest and dignified without aggression – Lamartine observes that the Bulgarians are not belligerent or noisy, but possess a pure inner resilience. They radiate health, morality and confidence that do not come from weapons, but from a healthy family and a connection to the land.
Modest and filled with a deep respect for Christianity and the priests – this description is crucial, as it places the Bulgarian nation in a favorable light before a Western audience, countering any Ottoman or external narratives of backwardness.
The contrast – he compares them to other peoples in the empire, emphasizing that the Bulgarians advanced through work, not through politics or conquest. Unlike other peoples in the empire, he sees the Bulgarians as dignified farmers.
Europeans in spirit – he emphasizes that their culture and way of life are much closer to European than to Asian.
Of greatest political significance, however, are his comments on governance. Lamartine writes that the country in which the Bulgarians live would soon become a delightful garden if the blind and stupid oppression, not of the government, but of the administration, allowed them to cultivate it with a little more security.
The Bulgarians are fully ripe for their freedom... This is a people who possess all the virtues of the farmer and all the hopes of a young people.
Political prophecy
The most important thing in his notes is his political insight. He foresees that Ottoman rule is coming to an end and that the Bulgarians will play a key role in the future of the Balkans.
This statement is multifaceted and extremely progressive. Lamartine purposefully separates the Ottoman government (the central authority of the Sultan) from the corrupt administration (the local pashas and officials). In doing so, he directs his criticism at the economic oppressors who hindered the hardworking Bulgarian peasants. This represents one of the earliest attempts by a high-ranking Western politician to secure support for reforms or autonomy for the benefit of the Bulgarian population, using the description of the architectural and cultural exchange in Plovdiv as a starting point.
This critique, published years before the April Uprising, transformed the travelogue into a political document that became an important instrument for the Bulgarian Renaissance and for the European understanding of the Bulgarian case.
Why is this important today?
Lamartine was one of the first influencers of the 19th century to put the Bulgarian Question on the map of major European politics. His texts helped the French intelligentsia to see the Balkans not as a wild province, but as a land with an ancient past and a bright future.
Although Lamartine was still only a poet at the time, his words carried the weight of a diplomatic report. He was the first major European intellectual to clearly distinguish the Bulgarians as a distinct people with their own destiny, distinct from that of the Greeks and Serbs.
Lamartine became so attached to this place that later, when he became the Minister of Foreign Affairs of France, he continued to follow the fate of the Christian peoples of the Balkans with particular attention.
"Journey to the East" (Voyage en Orient)
In his notes, published later, he described Plovdiv as one of the most beautifully situated cities he had seen. He noticed that a new class of educated and alert people was emerging in Plovdiv.
Plovdiv is one of the most beautiful cities in the Turkish Empire... Its population is divided into two nations: Bulgarians and Turks. It is the Bulgarians who breathe life into trade and industry.
The legacy of "Journey to the Orient"
Lamartine as a chronicler of the Bulgarian Renaissance
In 1835, Lamartine published his Voyage en Orient, a detailed description of his journey. Although he is known as a master of French poetic forms, for this work he focused on prose, which suggests the political and descriptive importance he attached to it. The book provides one of the earliest and most authoritative international voices validating the emerging Bulgarian identity in European circles.
Although Lamartine was also an orientalist, using Levantine themes and materials to create exotic landscapes, his observations of Bulgaria go beyond mere exoticization. They become serious socio-political commentary.
Status of the site and its place in "Old Plovdiv"
Part of the Reserve
The Lamartine House, due to its architectural value and its historical function, is an integral part of the "Old Plovdiv" Architectural and Historical Reserve. This status designates it as a Monument of Culture under national cultural heritage laws. This legal status imposes strict standards for preservation and restoration, which limit the possibilities for modifications and ensure long-term protection of the facade and structure.
The exterior of the house is well maintained, and its facade emphasizes its attractiveness. A commemorative plaque is also placed on the building, commemorating Lamartine's visit.
Accessibility
Despite its high official status and its worldwide fame associated with Alphonse de Lamartine, there is a significant discrepancy between the symbolic significance of the house and its functional accessibility to the general public.
Although some sources today designate it as a historical museum, in reality the house is closed to visitors. It is often used as a creative base for the Union of Bulgarian Writers, which explains why it does not operate as a standard museum.
Conclusion
The house of Georgi Mavridi, known as the Lamartine House, is a key symbol of Bulgarian European aspirations during the Renaissance. This building is not just an architectural monument, it is a material witness to the powerful and culturally and politically significant manifestation of hospitality, which shaped one of the most important European narratives for Bulgaria in the 19th century.
Lamartin House is a national monument that stands as undeniable evidence of the cultural achievements of the Bulgarians during the Bulgarian National Revival and their ability to integrate into European cultural and political networks.
In 1927, Lamartin House was declared a national monument.
In 1995 and 2018, Georgi Mavridi's (Lamartin's) House was declared an architectural, construction, artistic and historical monument of culture with the category of national significance.
How to get to the city of Plovdiv?
Plovdiv is located:
161 kilometers (about 2 hours and 6 minutes by car) from the capital
376 kilometers (about 4 hours and 14 minutes by car) from the city of Varna
254 kilometers (about 2 hours and 24 minutes by car) from the city of Burgas
How to get to Lamartin House?
Lamartin House is located at 19 Knyaz Tseretelev Street.
Lamartine House is located in the heart of the Architectural and Historical Reserve "Ancient Plovdiv".
What to visit in Plovdiv?
Imagine a city that has seen thousands of golden sunrises and fiery sunsets, which has been a constant witness to the triumphant rise and inevitable and tragic fall of empires, and which today stands confidently, unwaveringly and majestically, telling its thousand-year history!
Добре дошли в Пловдив – един от най-древните градове в Европа!
Пловдив е една от най-добрите Европейски туристически дестинации!
Пловдив е една от най-добрите дестинации за културен туризъм в Европа!
Сърцати пътешественици, пригответе се!
Ще поемем към едно необикновено място, където историята не е просто поредица от дати, а протегнеш ли ръка, ще я докоснеш!
Място, което е толкова старо, че се е родило преди легендите, и толкова красиво, че ще открадне съня ви!
Когато стъпите върху изгладения калдъръм на тесните криволичещи улички на Стария град, няма как да не усетите тихия и древен полъх на миналото!
Всеки камък тук, всяка къща с резбовани фасади, всяка скрита алея носи отпечатъка на траки, римляни, византийци, българи и османци.
Пловдив не е просто поредната туристическа дестинация!
Пловдив е преживяване като никое друго!
Пловдив е място, където може да изпиете сутрешното си кафе на площад, по който някога са марширували римски легиони!
Античният римски стадион, където ехото от хиляди възгласи още отеква в мрамора и времето спира, за да ни разкаже за величието на древния Филипопол.
Пловдив е място, където може да се изгубите сред Античния театър, който е бил сцена за гладиаторски битки и драматични пиеси!
Пловдив е място, където може да се възхитите на пурпурния залез от Небет тепе – хълмът, където всичко е започнало преди хилядолетия!
Ще разгледаме внушителната и мълчалива порта Хисар капия – харизматичната врата към сърцето на Пловдив, пазеща хилядолетни истории, и негов ярък и разпознаваем символ.
В Пловдив ще преминем през Археологически комплекс Източна порта на Филипопол – най-важната и най-използваната порта на античния град, тъй като през нея се е осъществявала основната връзка между него и Византион (бъдещия Константинопол).
Пловдив е място, където ви очаква музеен комплекс "Епископската базилика на Филипопол" – монументален катедрален храм, който с внушителността на размерите си и с великолепието на интериора си е съперничел на най-големите светилища в Източната Римска империя!
Тук старателно и внимателно е подредено огромно платно, изтъкано от милиони цветни тесери – безкраен килим от неизразимо красиви мозайки!
Но не спирайте дотук! Само на няколко минути път се намира "Малката базилика на Филипопол", която е идеалното допълнение към пътешествието ви из Античен Пловдив. Нейните тайни си струват всяка минута!
И за да завършите пътешествието си в античния лукс, продължете към късноантична сграда "Ейрене" (Ирини). Разположена насред днешния подлез "Археологически", тя е била една от най-богатите на мозайки частни резиденции в Източните Балкани. Потопете се в разкоша на римския Филипопол!
Пригответе сетивата си за празник – за аромата на смокини и старо дърво, за шепота на вековните камъни, за ярките цветове на Възрожденските къщи и за ритмичния пулс на един град, който живее в хармония между древността и модерното съвремие!
Пловдив едновременно ще ви омагьоса, ще ви развълнува, ще ви вдъхнови и ще ви накара да се влюбите!
Are you ready to immerse yourself in this fabulous reality?
And finally, my dear friends,
you should not miss to check out
the special photo album with moments –
discovered, experienced, filmed and shared with you!
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