Monument to Kocho Chestimenski
Plovdiv, “6-ti Septemvri” Blvd.
Viktor Todorov was commissioned in the 90s by an initiative committee to design and create a monument to Kocho Chestimenski. The small park on “6-ti Septemvri” Boulevard in Plovdiv, right across from the former “Kocho Chestimenski” cinema, was chosen as the location. The project has been approved by the authorities and the work on the monument began.
We see a plastic complex of several stone parallelepipeds, cut at an angle in their upper part. On the highest parallelepiped in a niche, the image of Kocho Chestimenski is depicted in relief, and on one of the side ones, the year of death and the text: “To Kocho” are inscribed. Behind the stone ensemble there is a metal structure recreating a church-like temple with a cross and a bell. The composition clearly symbolizes self-sacrifice for faith that Kocho embraced in the 19-th century. Kocho’s expression is deep and it’s a reference to the conscious decision and importance of his actions.
The ensemble is exhibited at the beginning of a small park area, but through its scale it gives its own life to the space and has a strong impactful presence. That is exactly why the whole place around the monument is called “Kocho Chestimenski Square”.
“Viktor then (for the opening of the monument to Kocho Chestimenski) brought the students from the school “Chernorizets Hrabar” and the whole street was full of people. They had stopped the traffic on “6-ti Septemvri” Boulevard and there were representatives of all institutions. It was really a very impressive opening.”
Interview with Kiril Hristozov, January 2023.
See all zoomable photos of the monument here:
