Dear friends of "Photo Moments", in this publication I have gathered for all of you in one place all the fortresses that I have personally visited, that have delighted me with the history that they jealously guard and that bear the special tag of "Photo Moments" - "RECOMMENDED"!
Dear friends, I invite you to an incomparable walk through the mysteries of the late antique Roman fortress and fortified settlement of Tsari Mali Grad.
Currently, the settlement has been wonderfully restored and anyone who wishes can visit it, take a walk along the ancient fortress walls and enjoy the fantastic panoramic views revealing from Verila Mountain towards the vast and wonderfully beautiful Samokov Valley, surrounded from the north by Plana Mountain and Vitosha Mountain.
You can learn more about the late antique Roman fortress and fortified settlement Tsari Mali Grad HERE.
The epoch-making Perperikon (Perperek) - an early historical, antique and medieval stone complex and sacred rock city in the Eastern Rhodopes, has been compared in its legend to Petra in Jordan, as well as Machu Picchu in Peru.
Embark on a journey to one of the most famous archaeological sites in Bulgaria, whose remarkable history can be traced back 8,000 years.
Learn more about Perperikon – the sacred rock city in the Eastern Rhodopes HERE.
I suggest you embark on another fascinating adventure together, which will take us to the wonderfully beautiful Rhodopes, enchanting every wanderer with their boundless charm. I will show you around the medieval fortress "Podvis" in the Gradishte area, located on a hill between the Smolyan villages of Gradat (to the north) and Podvis (to the south), better known today as the Momchilov Fortress.
And while we enjoy the epic and stunning 360-degree panoramas revealed by this old Bulgarian fortress, I will tell you about the Rhodope ruler Momchil Voivode - the last ruler of the fortress.
You can learn more about Momchil Fortress HERE.
The ancient fortress city of Diocletianopolis (also known as Diocletianopolis) was the pearl of balneotherapy in the Thrace province of the Roman Empire.
Thanks to its incredible hot healing mineral springs, Diocletianopolis became one of the largest resort SPA centers at that time of the Roman Empire and flourished economically. It was visited by Caesars and notable, prominent Romans. Currently, the fortress is one of the best preserved monuments of this type in Europe and is a major part of the national archaeological reserve "Diocletianopolis".
You will learn more about the defensive fortress wall of the ancient fortress city of Diocletianopolis HERE.
You will learn more about the main southern fortress gate of the ancient fortress city of Diocletianopolis HERE.
You will learn more about the Roman baths (thermal baths) of the ancient fortress city of Diocletianopolis HERE.
The history of the Thracian, ancient, late antique, medieval and Ottoman fortress "Petrich Kale", known today as Asen's Fortress, is incredible.
I will show you the fortress! I will take you through the ruins. I will reveal to you how I saw it on that late November warm autumn day, what I experienced entering the temple, how the wind greeted me by the blooming Bulgarian tricolor and what I felt, placing my hand on the stone inscription of Asenevtsi - there by the rocks, where in time the last great Rhodope guard towered with dignity.
You can learn more about Asenevtsi Fortress HERE.
Ancient, late antique and medieval fortress "Toplitsa" is an old fortress, almost two thousand years old, and is located in the Sveti Duh area above the national spa and resort village of Mineralni Bani (Haskovo Mineralni Bani).
This impressive Bulgarian fortress, also known as "Holy Spirit" and existing from the 2nd century to the 14th century, has experienced four construction periods - Roman, Late Roman, Early Byzantine and Medieval.
You can learn more about the "Toplitsa" fortress HERE.
The late antique and medieval fortress "Buzovo Kale" was built on the steep slopes of the northern elevation of Sarnena Sredna Gora above the village of Buzovgrad.
An interesting element in the construction of the defense of the fortress "Buzovo Kale" is the inclusion of large rock groups within the fortress walls, which in several places intersect the fortress lines. The rocks were used as buttresses to support the curtains and as a supporting element of the fortress towers.
You can learn more about the fortress "Buzovo Kale" HERE.
Bansko Kale (Gradishteto) is located above the village of Banya, Panagyurishte.
It was built during the early Byzantine period and is part of the Srednogorska defense system. The fortification covers an area of 8 acres and has well-preserved sectors of fortress walls and towers.
You can learn more about the Bansko Kale (Gradishteto) fortress HERE.
With incomparable pleasure I would like to present to you another more than impressive Bulgarian fortress that resisted the raids of the Ottoman conquerors at the end of the Second Bulgarian State - the "Bozhenishki Urvich" fortress, which preserves the rock inscription of the sevast Ognen.
The fortress was built on the northern slope of the Lakavishki ridge at an altitude of 750 meters above sea level as a separate unit of the Stara Planina fortification system and with the main task of deterring the raids of the barbarian tribes south of the Danube River.
This Bulgarian fortress was intended not only to control passes and roads, but in case of military danger it sheltered the surrounding population behind its strong and impregnable walls.
In 1918, a terrible storm raged in the region. A mighty and centuries-old sycamore tree could not withstand the strong gusts of the fierce winds and fell to the ground. It turns out that the roots of the tree kept a secret that remained hidden for five centuries.
You can learn more about the "Bozhenishki Urvich" fortress HERE.
Once upon a time there was a fortress that no one had ever managed to capture in battle. This was the "Tsepina" fortress. It was the home of Despot Alexiy Slav. It rose on a peak in the Batashka Mountain and from its walls such a view of the surroundings was revealed that would leave a person breathless.
Tsepina Fortress rises high on a hill in the Western Rhodopes, about four kilometers after the village of Dorkovo, Rakitovo Municipality - on the conical peak Tsepina, which is 1136 meters high. The peak is surrounded by the Metoshkoto Dere on the east, Kostin Dol on the west, and Karkeriiskoto Dere on the north.
You can learn more about Tsepina Fortress HERE.
Elenska Basilica is part of the fortified Elenska Monastery-Fortress "St. Iliya" near Pirdop.
The fortified monastery complex includes an impressive early Christian basilica and fortress. It consists of a temple, monastery buildings and surrounding fortress walls, flanked by quadrangular towers at each corner.
You can learn more about the Basilica of St. Helena HERE.
I present to you Agathopolis – the fortress city of love and happiness.
For centuries, Agatopolis was the largest and richest city on the Strandzha coast. Medieval Agatopolis was located on today's Ahtopol Peninsula - parts of the city's fortress wall block the narrow isthmus of the short land protruding into the sea, no more than 300 meters long and 150 meters wide.
You can learn more about Agatopolis HERE.
I present to you an ancient fortress on Cape St. Atanas near the town of Byala.
Today, everyone can walk past the ancient wineries, see the beautiful vineyards painted on the huge banners, visualizing in an attractive way what this region looked like thousands of years ago.
You can learn more about the ancient fortress HERE.
I invite you to walk together through the ruins of the late antique fortress "Stenos" at the "Trajan's Gates" pass. The fortress resembles an irregular rectangle measuring 90 meters by 36 meters. It was built on a rock massif, without being dug into the ground.
The "Stenos" fortress in the Trajan's Gate pass, called by the Romans and Thracians Suki, was part of a huge fortification system, including an ancient fortress wall with a massive and majestic triumphal arch (gate) Trajan's Gate and several fortifications located on Mount Eledzhik and Dolna Vasilitsa.
You can learn more about the ancient fortress HERE.
Once upon a time in Roman times, when one of the main roads connecting the Upper Thracian Plain with the Aegean Sea passed near the late antique and medieval fortress "Peristera", an impressive fortress city was built here. This is the first period of the history of the fortress and covers the time from the 2nd century to the beginning of the 3rd century.
The fortress is impressive and represents a massive fortification with three belts of fortress walls and six defensive towers located on the innermost fortress wall.
Peristera Fortress occupies the entire Sveta Petka hill and has a clearly defined citadel, inner city and suburb, spread over an area of about 15 acres. The fortress walls of the citadel and the inner city have currently been clarified and partially restored.
You can learn more about Peristera Fortress HERE.
You should not miss visiting the ancient and medieval Kaliakra Fortress, part of the Kaliakra Archaeological Reserve, located on Cape Kaliakra, which is a charming, rocky, elongated and narrow cape on the Bulgarian northern Black Sea coast in the southeasternmost part of the Dobrudja Plateau.
An interesting landmark from the time of the Thracians is the erected ancient fortress wall. It consisted of two parts and protected the settlement that existed here from enemy raids.
You can learn more about the ancient fortress HERE.
Let's climb together the peak of Sveti Spas, on which during late antiquity and the Middle Ages the largest settlement in the region flourished - the fortress town of Levke, whose name in translation from ancient Greek means white, located on an area of 80 acres above the early Christian basilica "St. Spas", known as the Belovo Basilica.
Here and there at the top there are still partially preserved walls of buildings, and rows of narrow corridors outline a path among once ancient houses, ancient rooms and ancient streets. The large semicircular cistern (water reservoir) of the fortress has remained almost intact and is now full of water.
You can learn more about the ancient fortress HERE.
I hope that the 17 fortresses in Bulgaria recommended by "Photo Moments" have delighted you with their history!
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