The house of Argir Hristov Kuyumdzhioglu, a merchant from Plovdiv, was built in 1847.
Kuyumdzhioglu was a prominent homespun trader who owned a company in Vienna.
The house was constructed by Hadzhi Georgi, from the Rhodopean village of Kosovo, and has been described as a prime example of Plovdiv's mid-19th century Baroque architecture.
The house has a symmetric facade; it is two stories tall on its west side and four stories tall on its east side, employing the natural denivelation.
The Kuyumdzhioglu House spreads over 570 square metres (6,100 sq ft).
It has 12 rooms and airy salons and 130 windows.
Both the house's interior and exterior decoration rely on sophisticated floral motives.
Each room has carved wood ceiling.
The house has an inner yard with a garden, a marble fountain and a well.
After the Liberation of Bulgaria from Ottoman rule in 1878, Argir Kuyumdzhioglu left Plovdiv to settle in Istanbul (Constantinople).
From 1898 to 1902, the house was used as a girls' boarding house.
Following that it was used by Garabet Karagyozyan's millinery factory, as a flour warehouse and as a vinegar factory.
In 1930, it was acquired by Hamburg-based, Greek tobacco merchant, Antonio Colaro.
Colaro intended to demolish the house and build a tobacco warehouse, but he was denied permission by the Plovdiv municipality.
The municipality bought the house in 1838, carried out renovations, and organized the ethnographic museum.
The house of Argir Hristov Kuyumdzhioglu, a merchant from Plovdiv, was built in 1847. Kuyumdzhioglu was a prominent homespun trader who owned a company in Vienna. The house was constructed by Hadzhi Georgi, from the Rhodopean village of Kosovo, and has been described as a prime example of Plovdiv's mid-19th century Baroque architecture. The house has a symmetric facade; it is two stories tall on its west side and four stories tall on its east side, employing the natural denivelation. The Kuyumdzhioglu House spreads over 570 square metres (6,100 sq ft). It has 12 rooms and airy salons and 130 windows. Both the house's interior and exterior decoration rely on sophisticated floral motives. Each room has carved wood ceiling. The house has an inner yard with a garden, a marble fountain and a well. After the Liberation of Bulgaria from Ottoman rule in 1878, Argir Kuyumdzhioglu left Plovdiv to settle in Istanbul (Constantinople). From 1898 to 1902, the house was used as a girls' boarding house. Following that it was used by Garabet Karagyozyan's millinery factory, as a flour warehouse and as a vinegar factory. In 1930, it was acquired by Hamburg-based, Greek tobacco merchant, Antonio Colaro. Colaro intended to demolish the house and build a tobacco warehouse, but he was denied permission by the Plovdiv municipality. The municipality bought the house in 1838, carried out renovations, and organized the ethnographic museum.
Old Town (Plovdiv)