I am in the national spa and resort village of Mineralni Bani, also known as Haskovo Mineral Baths.
North of the village, on a hill known today as the Holy Spirit, stands an old fortress, almost two thousand years old.
This is an ancient, late antique and medieval fortress "Toplitsa", also known as "Holy Spirit" and existed from the 2nd century to the 14th century. I am headed to it today.
This is a fortress that has experienced four construction periods - Roman, late Roman, early Byzantine and medieval.
During the archaeological excavations, 163 coins were found, of which 55 silver denarii from the end of the 2nd century and the first half of the 3rd century and three gold coins from the 6th century and the 11th century. Of the remaining coins, those from the second half of the 3rd century and from the 10th century to the 11th century predominate.
Over the centuries, the fortress has been built and rebuilt many times.
It survived the blows of the Gothic invasions and Byzantium, only to be completely deserted at the end of the 14th century, when the Balkan Peninsula fell under Ottoman rule.
Its study has established four main construction periods, spanning the time from the 2nd century to the 14th century.
During different eras, the defensive fortress walls were repaired on the old foundations, so the plan of the fortress was unchanged for about 1000 years.
The protective fortress walls, which follow the natural contours of the slope, are two meters thick and enclose an area of about five acres.
The building materials used were different: from the precisely carved squares of the Roman era from the 2nd century, through the quarried stone from the 3rd century - 4th century, applied in places together with rows of bricks, to the ordinary river stone from the 9th century - 11th century, bonded with white or red mortar.
The fortress has an irregular hexagonal shape.
The fortress's defenses were reinforced by four large rectangular defensive battle towers, rebuilt several times and finally converted into residences, located in four of its corners.
The fortress has one main entrance from the south and two small openings (portholes) on the western and eastern fortress defensive walls..
There was a reservoir near the western fortress defensive wall.
The feudal lord's residence stood in the southern part.
The platforms of the fortress walls were reached by massive staircases built into the southern and western fortress walls.
In the northern part were located the barracks for the soldiers guarding the fortress.
The storage rooms were located in the southern part.
On the inside of the fortress walls, a row of residential and commercial premises were built, in which a large number of objects were found: clay vessels, agricultural tools, coins, weapons and others from the late Roman era and the Bulgarian Middle Ages.
The collection of medieval agricultural tools is rich: sickles, scythes, ploughshares, adzes, diggers and others.
The quantity of ceramics discovered here – ancient and medieval – is extremely large – ordinary kitchen ceramics, large granaries, richly decorated early medieval pots and exquisite polychrome bowls, executed in the sgraffito technique.
When the fortress was destroyed in the 11th century, the settlement continued its life on the other side of the river - in the Toplica area, and the abandoned remains of the fortress walls and dwellings became a convenient place for a necropolis.
During the clearing of the graves, medieval jewelry from the 12th century was discovered.
The settlements in Toplica and Sveti Duh were large and the necropolis covered the slopes of the entire hill and today's park, and in the 14th century Sveti Duh Hill was repopulated, with dwellings fitting in between the old ruins.
These are the foundations of the old church "St. Spas".
Near the place where the old church "St. Spas" and the cemetery next to it once stood, today the new parkalis, bearing the name "St. Spirit", stands.
The old church was destroyed in 1965.
This is a small cross placed on the site of the old church to remind us of it even today.
How to get to the national spa and resort village of Mineralni Bani?
Mineralni Bani is located on the northern slopes of the Eastern Rhodopes, at the foot of the Mechkovets hill from the west, at an altitude of 280 meters above sea level.
The climate in the resort area is moderately continental with Mediterranean influence, and the area is characterized by a large number of sunny days per year, over 2100 sunny hours per year.
The municipality of Mineralni Bani is surrounded by beautiful forest vegetation, which endows it with crystal clear air and natural beauty.
The mineral water - the most valuable natural resource of the Municipality - is hyperthermal with a temperature of 57°C and is unique in its mineral composition.
Mineralni Bani is located:
216 kilometers (about 2 hours and 58 minutes by car) from the capital
68 kilometers (about 1 hour and 9 minutes by car) from the city of Plovdiv
335 kilometers (about 4 hours and 13 minutes by car) from the city of Varna
228 kilometers (about 2 hours and 24 minutes by car) from the city of Burgas
How to get to the Toplitsa fortress?
The starting point is the national spa and resort village of Mineralni Bani, also known as Haskovo Mineral Baths.
You can set the navigation to the following point and it will take you right under the fortress.
There is a small parking lot at this location where you can leave your car.
To the left of the white building starts a small and narrow path, paved with stone slabs, which will lead you to the fortress. On the building is a sign with the inscription "To the Holy Spirit Fortress" and two black arrows indicate the direction to the path.
In case you are a guest of the national spa and resort village of Mineralni Bani, also known as Haskovo Mineralni Bani, and you are walking around the sights of the resort, now I will tell you how to get to the fortress.
Your excellent landmark is the Church of St. George, built next to a large park. Cross the park to reach a bridge in its northern part.
Continue straight along the path.
The trail will take you along the slopes of the Holy Spirit hill, on which the "Toplitsa" fortress is built.
There are designated areas for relaxation and rest along the paths.
Convenient alleys have been built, so the fortress can also be accessed by mothers with small children in strollers.
These alleys will lead you to your desired destination.
And finally, my dear friends,
you shouldn't miss checking out
the special photo album with moments –
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