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Positioned within the east of the Balkan peninsula, on the Black Sea shore, Bulgaria was traditionally typically the place merchants and vacationers, armies, and adventurers entered or left Europe.
It’s the definition of a crossroads nation, a gathering place of East and West, North and South. In this publish, we’ll pay a digital go to to among the most stunning and historic castles in Bulgaria, remnants of a previous of alternating wars and peace.
Bulgaria can be one of many oldest inhabited international locations in Europe. That is the place the Persians conquered Thracians and, later, by the Romans, who the Byzantines subsequently defeated.
Slavs moved in from the northwest, whereas Bulgars invaded from the northeast. Wars had been fought between the Byzantines and the Bulgars. Even Mongols seized Bulgaria for some time.
Later nonetheless, this was a spot the place the Ottomans battled crusaders from Western Europe.
An extremely lengthy story brief, Bulgaria was the assembly place of many armies. It was a area the place battles had been received and misplaced, heroic deeds accomplished, large fortresses erected.
These days, you’ll be able to nonetheless discover this fascinating and eventful previous on the many spectacular Bulgaria castles dotted across the nation. These are one of the best ones.
Asen’s Fortress
Positioned within the Rhodope Mountains, lower than three kilometers from Asenovgrad, Asen’s Fortress is a powerful medieval citadel perched atop a cliff alongside the Asenitsa River. It’s a fantastically preserved fortress set in a beautiful panorama. Surrounded on three sides by sheer vertical drops, it’s solely accessible from one aspect, making it nearly impregnable.
Archaeological discoveries within the space date again to the Thracians, and there’s proof of habitation in Historical Roman instances. The fortress itself, nevertheless, dates from the Center Ages. Conquered by the Third Campaign armies, it underwent a big renovation within the 13th century.
Left to decay after the Ottoman conquest within the 14th century, the one full surviving constructing is the Church of the Holy Mom of God, courting from the 1100s and 1200s. The church continues to be used as a Bulgarian Orthodox church at present.
You possibly can be taught extra in regards to the space’s historical past on the historic museum in close by Asenovgrad.
Ovech Fortress
Located within the northeastern Bulgarian city of Provadia, Ovech Fortress goes by numerous names in several languages. It’s Provat in Byzantine Greek, Pravadi in Turkish, and Provanto in Italian.
Formed like a ship, perched atop a rocky outcrop simply east of the city, it dates from the 4th century and was constructed by the Byzantines. After it fell underneath Bulgarian management within the Center Ages, it performed a serious half within the First Bulgarian Empire.
Many components of this mighty stronghold are preserved, together with the bridge construction connecting the fortress itself and the Tabiite plateau, church ruins, the stone North Gate, marble columns, remnants of jail buildings, and turrets. It’s a well-liked vacationer attraction on this nook of Bulgaria.
Moreover, Provadia can be the situation of Solnitsata, controversially often known as the “oldest prehistoric city in Europe.”
Tsarevets
Dominating the Veliko Tarnovo townscape, Tsarevets Fortress is a mighty medieval stronghold. The hill on which it sits was settled within the 300’s. A Byzantine village courting from the late-5th century fashioned the muse of this 12th-century Bulgarian fortress.
Veliko Tarnovo was the capital of the Second Bulgarian Empire, which made Tsarevets probably the most vital castles in Bulgaria—if not a very powerful one. It was a powerful construction with huge dimensions. Boasting a roughly triangular form, it’s virtually accomplished surrounded by the Yantra River, making a triple U-turn right here.
As the previous seat of Bulgaria’s medieval tsars, this huge fortress is now one of many nation’s most treasured monuments. Its sheer measurement is proven within the variety of buildings it contained: over 400 residential homes, the royal palace, about 20 church buildings, 4 monasteries, and an execution rock.
Whenever you go to Tsarevets Fortress, be sure to stay round after darkish. In the night, the unbelievable Sound & Gentle Present takes place. By means of dramatic music, church bells, lasers, and psychedelic lights, it tells the story of the Ottoman conquest of Tarnovo.
Baba Vida Fortress
Additionally known as Babini Vidini Kulu, Baba Vida Fortress is an imposing fortress in Vidin, northwestern Bulgaria. Constructed on the Historical Roman fort of Bononia, it dates from the 10th century and is the topic of an area legend.
The story goes {that a} Bulgarian King who lived in Vidin had three daughters, Gamza, Kula, and Vida. Earlier than he died, he divided his realm into three areas, every given to a distinct daughter.
Vida was the one who obtained Vidin and the world northward to the Carpathian Mountains. Remaining single, she constructed this fortress by herself. Therefore, its identify is Baba Vida, which implies “Grandma Vida.”
Baba Vida Fortress was a serious defensive construction in many of the Center Ages, arguably probably the most extraordinary citadel in northwestern Bulgaria. For instance, it survived a Byzantine siege that lasted no fewer than eight months.
These days, this once-mighty stronghold is a well-liked vacationer attraction on this a part of Bulgaria. Guests can discover extra details about the world within the Historic Museum in Vidin.
Castra Martis
Named after Mars, the Roman god of conflict, Castra Martis was a fortified Roman garrison in Dacia—now the Province of Vidin in northwestern Bulgaria. The garrison grew right into a city known as Kula, which implies “tower” in Bulgarian.
Overlooking the Voynishka River, the primary a part of this citadel is believed to have been constructed by Emperor Diocletian, additionally identified for constructing Diocletian’s Palace in Cut up. It protected the important street between Bononia (now the city of Vidin) and Singidunum (now the Serbian capital of Belgrade).
These days, the ruins are the centerpiece of Castra Martis Historic Park, together with a museum housing numerous artifacts discovered throughout excavations.
Belogradchik Fortress
Arguably the only biggest of all castles in Bulgaria, Belogradchik Fortress, is a spectacular stronghold set amid a rare panorama. You’ll discover this one close to the city of Belogradchik on the northern slopes of the Balkan Mountains in northwestern Bulgaria. It’s the highest vacationer attraction within the space.
The first construction on this website dates again to Roman instances, constructed primarily for surveillance quite than protection. In the 14th century, Bulgarian tsar Vidin Ivan Stratsimir expanded the constructing, erecting fortified garrisons on the ft of the towering rock spires round it. It subsequently grew to become the second most vital citadel within the area, after Baba Vida, the tsar’s capital fortress (see above).
The Ottomans prolonged it even additional and made appreciable modifications to it.
Belogradchik Fortress is without doubt one of the most vital historic landmarks in Bulgaria and is open every day. Guests can discover the citadel and wander via the huge rock formations.
Mezek
In the village of Mezek, simply north of the border between Bulgaria and Greece and never too removed from Turkey, lies Mezek Fortress. Stated to be one of many best-preserved medieval castles in Bulgaria, it dates from the 11th century.
This imposing stone citadel is outstanding as a result of it had two strains of ornamental bricks on its exterior. It has 9 defensive towers, 5 of that are alongside the southern wall, the fortress’s most weak aspect.
Similar to a couple of different Bulgaria fortresses talked about on this record, it was conquered by the Ottomans and left to decay.
In 1927, it grew to become an official archaeological website and, in 1968, a cultural monument of nationwide significance in Bulgaria. Funding from the EU initiated a partial restoration undertaking, which ran from 2007 to 2013.
Fortifications Of Nessebar
Whereas this isn’t technically a citadel or fortress, the Historical Metropolis of Nessebar nonetheless deserves its place on this record of Bulgarian castles.
A UNESCO World Heritage Web site, the three,000-year-old metropolis of Nessebar originated as a Thracian settlement on the Black Beach. Later, it grew to become a Greek colony.
Quite a few ruins and historic buildings dot town at present, a lot of which date from the Hellenistic interval.
They embody a temple of Apollo, an agora, the Acropolis, and a well-preserved part of the Thracian fortifications. A newer constructing is the medieval Stara Mitropolia Basilica.
It’s the remaining fortified wall on the north aspect of the Nessebar peninsula that’s of most curiosity to individuals in search of one of the best castles in Bulgaria. It’s one of many oldest fortifications within the nation, one in all many sights in an interesting historic metropolis on the Black Seashore.
Cherven
The Fortress of Cherven is a set of ruins in northeastern Bulgaria, situated close to a village bearing the identical identify. Though the village’s historical past goes again greater than 2,000 years, the fortress dates from the Center Ages.
It boosted significance when it grew to become the seat of the Bulgarian Orthodox Bishopric of Cherven in 1235. Shortly after, Mongol Golden Horde raids broken the construction. Byzantine forces efficiently besieged it within the late-13th century.
Nonetheless, its heyday was nonetheless to come back, and within the 14th century, it consisted of a fortified interior city and an elaborate defensive system. It grew to become often known as a hub of expertise, dwelling to expert goldsmiths, ironworkers, and artists.
Presently, the stays of medieval Cherven provide a vital perception into Bulgarian tradition within the Center Ages. A well-liked vacationer vacation spot, excavations embody 13 church buildings, a feudal palace, workshops, streets, homes. Its essential landmark is a fantastically preserved three-story-tall tower from the 1300s.
Shumen Fortress
One in every of Bulgaria’s most vital architectural landmarks, Shumen Fortress, lies about three kilometers from the city heart of modern-day Shumen. Overlooking the city and surrounding panorama, it is a spectacularly restored citadel, its renovation accomplished in 2015.
Now a part of the Shumen Plateau Nature Park, the fortress is without doubt one of the oldest castles in Bulgaria. Shumen Fortress has historic hyperlinks to a close-by Iron Age village, a website later captured by the Thracians within the 5th century BC.
The Romans fortified it and constructed partitions and towers, and the Byzantines made it a garrison city. In the Center Ages, the fortress skilled its heyday as a Bulgarian Empire stronghold.
Destroyed by the Ottomans in 1444, it was unused for a number of centuries till a restoration undertaking commenced in 2012. Now, Shumen Fortress comprises the outlines of this once-vast defensive construction, restored partitions and towers, and strolling paths.
Lyutitsa
Though most of it’s now in ruins, some components overgrown by vegetation, Lyutitsa Fortress continues to be thought of one of many best-preserved castles in Bulgaria. It lies 5 kilometers from Ivaylovgrad within the Jap Rhodope Mountains.
Also referred to as the “Marble Metropolis” for its white marble partitions, Lyutitsa occupies a 26,000-square-meter space and used to have 12 defensive towers, eight of which stay. The fortress’s partitions are about 600 meters lengthy and as much as 10 meters tall.
It’s a major archaeological website, and findings embody cash, pottery, instruments, jewellery, and day-to-day artifacts. You possibly can see a lot of these gadgets at Ivaylovgrad’s Municipal Museum of Historical past. Amongst a number of buildings which have been found are a necropolis with 15 graves, two ruined church buildings, the donjon, and the citadel.
Fort Of Ravadinovo
Whereas all different Bulgaria castles above had been strongholds and fortresses, the Fort of Ravadinovo has a completely completely different goal. This spectacular citadel, solely a few kilometers from Sozopol, is without doubt one of the most extraordinary castles in Europe. Due to its ornate steeples and towers, intricate structure, and decorations, it’s been in comparison with well-known castles like Neuschwanstein Fort.
When imagining a fairy story citadel, you’ll doubtless take into consideration a constructing that appears like Ravadinovo Fort. What’s so outstanding about this specific citadel in Bulgaria is that it’s not previous in any respect. Also referred to as “In Love With the Wind” citadel, it was in-built simply 20 years by just one man.
Despite the fact that, and possibly even as a result of it is a constructing ensuing from one man’s dream, a spot the place black swans swim in a fantastic lake, with gardens stuffed with flowers, it’s a unbelievable vacation spot, one of many biggest vacationer sights in Bulgaria. Some guests will fall head over heels in love with this citadel, whereas others would possibly assume it’s a bit kitschy and misplaced. Both means, you received’t know till you go to it your self, which you’re undoubtedly inspired to do.
Did we miss a citadel in Bulgaria that needs to be on the record? If that’s the case, please tell us beneath, and we’ll gladly add it.
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