(copy) The Ancient Wonders of Bulgaria

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The Boyana church is located in the "Boyana" district of the capital. It is famous for its frescoes from the 13th century. In addition to religious scenes, they depict the families of the Bulgarian king and the local ruler.

The Asenov fortress is perched on a hill with sheer cliffs, 2 km from Asenovgrad. It existed during the time of the Thracians. It bears the name of Ivan Asen II, who fortified it to guard the road from the White Sea.

<ul><li>Hisar</li><li>Tsarevets fortress</li><li>The Rila Monastery</li><li>Asen's fortress</li><li>Boyanska church </li><li>Perperikon</li><li>Nessebar </li><li>The ancient theater in Plovdiv</li><li>Baba Vida fortress</li><li>Krasen Fortress</li></ul>

Hisaria is one of the best preserved Roman fortresses in Europe. It stands 44 km north of the regional center Plovdiv. The city defense wall is over two kilometers long, has 4 gates and 44 towers.

It was built in the 4th century and the settlement, which is famous for its mineral springs, was called Diocletianopolis - after the then emperor. Then 3 marble baths, an amphitheater, 10 churches, villas for the aristocrats were built here.

Perperikon is an ancient stone city, inhabited since the 6th millennium BC. until its destruction by the Ottoman Turks in the 14th century. It is located 15 km from Kardzhali. 

Large-scale archaeological&nbsp;excavations in recent years prove that it was one of the most important fortresses of the ancient Thracian tribe of Besi, of the Romans and Byzantines who ruled our lands, as well as of the Bulgarian kings during the Middle Ages.

The ancient theater in Plovdiv

The ancient theater in Plovdiv was built at the end of the 1st century by the Romans, who then ruled our lands. This is proven by an inscription recently discovered by archaeologists.

In addition to being a theater, it was also used for meetings of the National Assembly of the province of Thrace. It accommodated over 5,000 people. It existed until the end of the IV century, when it was burned down. Part of the stage and 20 rows of amphitheater marble seats have been preserved.

About 2.5 km south of Strelcha, in the area of Galata, is the so-called Strelchansko Kale. This is a fortress located on the right bank of the Strelchanska Luda Yana at the beginning of its narrow gorge, formed by the crossing of the mid-mountain elevation between the Mechit and Okopana peaks. 

It is a fortress with double walls, preserved now at a height of 3-4 meters and a thickness of up to 2 meters, located on an area of 22 acres. The fortress dates back to the 9th-10th centuries. It also existed in the 11th-14th centuries until it fell under Turkish rule

The Rila Monastery is located in the heart of Rila at 1147m. altitude. It looks like a fortress - it has high strong walls and the spacious courtyard is entered through two heavy gates.

The monastery was founded in the 10th century. by the Bulgarian saint Ivan Rilski and soon after it became a spiritual fortress of the people. During the Renaissance, the central church and the convent were built, and talented painters painted their walls.

Tsarevets fortress was built on one of the hills in Veliko Tarnovo - at the time when the city was the capital of our country.

The steep cliffs above the Yantra River are surrounded by thick stone walls. The fortification was entered through three entrances protected by towers and drawbridges. 21 churches, boyar castles, rich trading houses decorated the city. Behind a second fortress wall stood the palace of the Bulgarian kings.

indiana jones mexico GIF by Feliks Tomasz Konczakowski

THE ANCIENT WONDERS OF BULGARIA

The Baba Vida fortress stands on the banks of the Danube River in the town of Vidin. It was built in the 10th century on the foundations of an ancient Roman fortification. 

It is surrounded by a moat and two walls, the inner one being more high. It has a total of 11 towers. In the 14th century, the Bulgarian king Ivan Sratsimir completed the construction and made it his royal castle. After the capture of the city by the Purts, Baba Vida was used as a defensive fortification, warehouse and prison.

Nessebar is 35 km from the regional center of Burgas. The old part of the town was settled 3000 years ago. It is located on a peninsula attached to the mainland by a narrow isthmus.

After the Thracians came here Greek colonists, then the Romans. During the Middle Ages, the settlement passed here B into Byzantine hands, but none of the Bulgarian settlers destroyed what had been built by the previous inhabitants.

The Ancient Wonders of Bulgaria is an e-book created by 9-graders, who want to make tourists familiar with the most famous historic sites in Bulgaria. They are located in different parts of the country. So whether you are in the east or west, north or south, you may get closer to our past and learn a little bit more about Bulgarians and our origin. Enjoy reading! Polina &amp; Pepa

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