Atanas Vasilev Krastev (17.09.1922 - 25.11.2003), whom all Plovdiv residents know as Nacho Kulturata. He was born on September 17, 1922 in the city of Asenovgrad. In 1954, he started working in the "Science, Art and Culture" department of the Plovdiv Municipality. The famous Plovdiv native is at the heart of the "Ancient Plovdiv" administration created in 1968. In the period between 1969 and 1986, when he was director of the administration, the most significant cultural monuments of national and local importance in Old Plovdiv were restored. Bases of the Union of Bulgarian Writers, Journalists and Teachers were erected. A museum of the artist Zlatyu Boyadzhiev and a memorial house-museum of the publisher Hristo G. Danov were created. Again on his initiative, since 1970, the annual National Autumn Exhibitions have been held in the Old Town. A collection of works of art was also created for the "Ancient Plovdiv" management. The house museum presents 30 portraits of Atanas Krastev, as well as an exhibition hall with paintings from his personal collection, including works by Zlatyu Boyadzhiev, Georgi Bozhilov-Slona, ​​Dimitar Kirov.

This us the oldest house in the city that now hosts a museum, built in late 18th century it still retains some of the features of medieval houses. It was the house of a former mayor of the city who was pivotal in Plovdiv maintaining its cultural legacy. The house hosts a permanent exhibition of 20th century Bulgarian painters (oldest painting is from 1940) and the yard hosts temporary exhibitions of contemporary artists. The lady who is the guide of the place is extra nice and speaks good English, she will explain things very well. Price of a ticket is 4 leva

To the spiteful woman who sprays poison at anyone who crosses the threshold of the gallery yard: Madam, both yard and house are public property! Let us not forget how plots and houses were given away to such as he from whom this place of livelihood was left to you! We don't have to pay you an entrance fee to see the COURTYARD, nor do we have to put up with your spite! If you don't like something - you can become a saleswoman in a hypermarket. Ten days will bear you...Sure...

An invisible connection with centuries-old history and contemporary art. You feel satisfied, calm and welcome😊

Pleasant, clean and filled with a lot of warmth and comfort! - visit the museum there is a lot to see and learn

The house is very beautiful with an interesting exhibition and history.

Loved it. Beautiful house. Lovely art. Wonderful little courtyard garden. Could have sat there for hours.

A House full of the character of it's late ocupant Nacho Kulturata, an iconic figure of Plovdiv. His collection of artwork is impressive and could be seen there. I could easily unpack suitcases and stay, such invitingly lovely the house is.

(Translated by Google) The old part of this city is beautiful. It is worth the drive to see this part of the city. The old part of this city is beautiful. It is worth walking to see this part of town. (Original) Stari deo ovog grada je prelep. Vredi pesanje se da bi se video ovaj deo grada. The old part of this city is beautiful. It is worth walking to see this part of town.

The exhibition outside looked interesting so we stopped. It was a commercial exhibition so we could not take photos. We could take photos of the house and permanent exhibition and that is what you see here.

2. PLOVDIV-ONLINE comments: 2. Now, what is Old Plovdiv, what a caricature, Chalga and Grill-Beer in "stables" ... his heart is breaking Daro (from Sydney, Australia - Theodore already of course) - Bozhidar pop Antov, "ANT'S" house on the top above Lamartine at number 23 of Knyaz Tseretelev - in front of the locked, barricaded one heavy gate with his name in bronze: "What did they take my grandfather's house for? They wiped out our kind, they moved us to the continents! They bloomed, hey, they tied, well we were a hospitable house! Damn HIM!" - and spat. So the parvenut where they whimper how they had touched the saint, the "Mayor" Nacho Culture (ZaKaPeChe and political commissar) let them come to their senses: Red Pony monument to ours expenses for THAT Criminal? Boulevard Atanas Krastev? Idolaters, yes you are push his icon into their home iconostasis and wipe their drool. After the changes, word seemed to have spread that Nacho Culture was ... suffering, you see. a victim of the communist regime. He was the first dissident (secretly). Well, not even that it's funny, it's embarrassing. Shame, at least a little dignity, how he could not find after riding the crest of the wave for decades! He was a law graduate, I found out somewhere that Nacho had a law degree education. Laugh. Everyone knew, and he also pretended that he could not do it without a higher education education Nacho commands the Chief Architects of Plovdiv, how he proudly rejects urban planning plan so that it does not get in the way. Not regular, not extramural, no RabFak (if you remember this concept) - no, nothing: Nacho did not know two words not only could he write competently, he could barely read! Nacho was without him all his life education, "native talent". Unless he has retired in his old age sopikyas to buy (as per Branislav Nusic) deed "Doctor Honoris Causa" from ANU (Asenovgrad New University or similar Alma Mater) for another framework of the wall. Mente inarticulate. And was he not fluent in languages, if that was the case talkative in the cosmopolitan Philibe? No. Even the Soviet language in which we all easily read copious, cheap literature, for Nacho Culture remained irresistible. He was drinking. Is it a slander that in that era substances other as there was no, the "April Generation" Plovdiv artists were all spirited, and that Nacho Culture was on top? That's how the alush-verisha used to go: I'm on you, you're on me - don't think that Nacho Culture has bought paintings. All of them are his "gifts" for his various "services" and for his friendship, which gradually became more and more valuable, all more valuable, increasingly multi-digit. To you, to you studio, to you, to you order contraction ... In America, it is very easy to thunder someone governor if he used the official car for something personal; but we have it here immunities are ours. Games. Scams and scams. A question of reduced difficulty for polymaths who insist on erecting altars: Does anyone know the name Lilia Botusharova? Yes, who remained an old maid decades that sacrificed guild welfare, clan and "deserving" titles to excavate and present to us the Ancient Theater? Despite well-wishers? How about a bronze plate for Lilia Botusharova, marble or tin - no one thought to illuminate? Not even a boulevard? Nacho's "culture" big hit was FURNISHING the buildings newly restored by NIPC with "authentic period furniture", for which he thought he was special. However, the truth is that the main merits in this difficult activity did not go to the Honored Worker of "Culture" , and to Mrs. Elena Uzunska - the most refined lady (and the first beauty, her eternal memory) of the City, before whom the doors of inaccessible notables opened not only in Eastern Rumelia, but also in Sofia, Svishtov, Kazanlak and everywhere. Where the parvenuts could not steam, even if they were stannymash. Her taste, competence and diplomacy led to the results. Let me mention here - without being able to remember the name, unfortunately - the master furniture restorer, a mustachioed, silent worker with golden hands in such a delicate craft. People overshadowed by the Chief King who towered, in fact, on their shoulders...

1. PLOVDIV-ONLINE comments: 1. Legends like unplucked weeds grow and suffocate the truths. Which are truths they are both fragile and not objective: always stretchable in one way or another. Sometimes even pishman intellectuals get carried away in heart-rending tirades just like that, out of veal delight, everyone pretends to be interesting ("sympathetic", as the socialist realist poet used to say). Nacho being glorified with legends (fables) is no doubt in someone's interests. The rest of us have more important things to do than make up mythologies. But when he decided to erect a white marble monument (we read) in front of Balabanova house of Nacho Culture riding a Red Pony poking a spear Public Enemy - then even I cringe. Fifty years ago, Nacho - it's no secret - resigned from the army as a politician ZKPCH officer, came with the boots from Asenovgrad and began to wander around Plovdiv. ("Turn glasses and relationship and culture started to splash," Keratsa laughed with the first Nachov patron uncle Rusan Konstantinov in front of the September cinema we remember = hotel Molle de, c the Balkan diner in front of the Club of Cultural Workers). Without education, without upbringing, a healthy comrade, the people's power entrusted him - as he was not good at - to kill and hang. The April Plenum overthrew Chervenkov / Yugov and replaced Comrade Zhivkov, the "April Generation" of Plovdiv artists was hatched, in which a group of Nacho clung and formed its own niche, based on good whiskey initially, later - by nesting in Nedkovic - diversified with the best coffee machine in the City. Flirting - from him, yes - but there is also work to be done, for which they appointed arch. Petko Kekemanov and Giovanni Dimitrov, economist, specialist people to chase the tasks. Old Plovdiv had just received its first - and last - Town Planning Plan by arch. Mladen Panchev, head of the Plovdiv group at IPC-Sofia (professor, doctor at present; IPC was not yet National; the Old City was not yet declared an AIR Reserve; year 1967-8). However, the strategist Nacho feels how pleasant it is for the bosses from the capital ("Bitch! Oh!") making them nest for the weekend, tickling each according to rank; and decides to "Socialize". This word conceals the ugly practice of Alienation. Stealing. Emigration. Roots - out! We aliens understand the City better. Does anyone remember (?!?) how Nacho se placed the scarlet pony in the "House-Museum"? An old family used to live there natives from whom the People's Government "communities". The Gilfond then accommodated Political Commissar; and after years -hop, his comrade ... bought him off, "in good faith" you see, and at state prices naturally. In that era, too "ban" could be introduced for the population - buying and selling - both for courtiers such as Mityo Kirov could first be granted an atelier under Lamartine on Pulden St., then to sell him a quiet place for a house. State. Even we all were, yes, but some were more equal. The depopulation of Old Plovdiv (see booklet 5-6 of ARCHITECTURE magazine from 1975 year, etc.) became the main mission of Nacho, supported by the Dictatorship of The proletariat, despite objections from specialist sociologists and urban planners. "Creative base" became the key word for the deal: where our taxes go invest in a hollow shell with some sinecure official inside who care about the displaced shingles; and if he is disobedient (The Union of Scientists in Bulgaria) - we will criticize him foaming at the mouth ... Lace on the spaciousness, white jam on a spoon; Grandmothers dignified, stayed in gossip? Church parishioners to be baptized at the sight of the bell tower? Babies? A simple, living life like the tepetas have sustained for millennia? Kaldarum cocoons? Where have you been, the natives, when you have done this City - come on now, cush! "Ah, fly squadrons!" ... they you "Deserved Deacon": do you readers remember? how and who did we become "deserving", before whom were we deserving, before the people, or before the People's Power?