Whilst it is said to have been mentioned in the 11th century and taken by Crusaders, many of the remains of Asenova Fortress today date to the 13th century when they were rebuilt under tsar Ivan Assen II. Having said this, the most intact aspect of Asenova Fortress is a 12th century church.
Nestled high on a rocky ridge on the left bank of the Asenitsa River in Bulgaria’s Rhodope Mountains, the fortress was built during the reign of Byzantine Emperor Justinian the Great in the 6th century and grew to prominence during the Middle Ages.
Its location features traces of Neolithic, Ancient Thracian, and Byzantine settlements. It was mentioned as Petrich (not to be confused with today’s town in Southwestern Bulgaria) in an 11th century statute of the nearby Bachkovo Monastery. Asen’s Fortress was conquered by crusaders from the Third Crusade.
It was renovated in 1231 AD during the reign of Bulgarian Tsar Ivan Asen II as a stronghold against the Crusanders’ Latin Empire (1204-1261). It is best known for the well preserved 12th-13th century Church of the Holy Mother of God, a two-storey cross-domed single-naved church with a wide narthex and a large rectangular tower, with 14th century murals.
Asenova Fortress was captured by Byzantium after Tsar Ivan Asen II‘s death, and regained by Bulgaria in 1344 under Tsar Ivan Alexander. It was conquered by the Ottomans Turks during their invasion of Bulgaria at the end of the 14th century even though the church remained in use during the following centuries.
The fortress fell into ruins after the Ottoman conquest in the 14th century, with only the Church of the Holy Mother of God surviving. One of the oldest remaining Eastern Orthodox churches, the two-story building features a large rectangular tower and mural paintings that date back to the 14th century.
Restoration work was carried out at the fortress in 1991.
The only preserved building is that of St Mary of Petrich Church which can be reached via a steep narrow path.
Asen’s Fortress is a major stop on the most popular religious and cultural routes through the Rhodope Mountains. The view from the top of the fortress is breathtaking.
Asen’s fortress is open for visits from Wednesday till Sunday. Guided tours in English are available for an extra cost.
Asen’s Fortress is located 20 kilometres south of Plovdiv and about three kilometres south of the village of Asenovgrad. Buses run half-hourly from Plovdiv’s Rodopi bus station to Assenovgrad. Trains also run between Plovdiv and Asenovgrad hourly. Visitors can then walk or take a taxi up to the fortress from Asenovgrad.
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Located in the northwest of the country, the Baba Vida Fortress was first built in the 10th century atop the ruins of the Roman watchtower of Bononia, itself built in the 1st century AD on the remains of a Thracian settlement.
As the central defensive mechanism of Vidin, the Baba Vida Fortress withstood various attacks and sieges – such as by the Byzantine forces of Basil II. Conversely, it has also been captured by different armies including the Hungarians and the Ottomans, the latter of whom used it as a munitions store and prison. In the 14th century, it also played the role of royal residence of Tsar Ivan Stratsimir.
Over the course of its existence, the Baba Vida Fortress been built and rebuilt on many occasions, with elements of its past visible throughout.
Today, this restored site and museum has a main courtyard surrounded by an inner and outer wall as well as four towers.
The name “Baba Vida” refers to a legend about three Bulgarian sister princesses, two of whom married rashly and wasted their inheritances while the third – Vida – remained single and built the castle.
The Baba Vida Fortress features as one of our top visitor attractions in Bulgaria.
The fortress is located on the Danube river in Vidin, a beautiful town in the northwest of the country, 200 km from Sofia. The site is situated at the northern end of the park lining the Danube. There are designative signs leading to the fortress. The nearest train station is Vidin which is a 20 minute walk away.
]]>Also known as Bachkovo Monastery of the Assumption of the Holy Virgin, the monastery was founded by statesman and military commander Prince Gregory Pakourianos, who set up a school for youth at the monastery.
During the Second Bulgarian Empire, the site was patronised by both Tsar Ivan Assen II and Tsar Ivan Alexander, whose portrait can be found in the ossuary.
Destroyed by the Ottomans in the 15th to 16th centuries, only the ossuary of Bachkovo Monastery of the original monastery still survives. The rest mostly dates from 1601 onwards, when reconstruction began. This includes the Church of the Assumption of the Holy Virgin. Other aspects, such as the Church of St Nicholas, were built in the 19th century.
Located 10km from Asenovgrad and 30 km from Plovdiv, the monastery is easily accessible and is therefore the second most visited monastery in the country. During the weekends and on big orthodox holidays, large groups of pilgrims and tourists visit the site both for its history as well as it scenery, being located in the heart of the Rhodope Mountains near the Valley of Chepelarska River.
Today, visitors come to Bachkovo Monastery to see its many works of art as well as to appreciate its history, which includes various cultural influences, among them Georgian and Byzantine. A particular highlight is the ‘Panorama’ mural, which dates to the mid 19th century and runs along the outside wall of the refectory. The biggest scenic mural on the Balkan peninsula, it provides a bird’s eye view of the monastery with all of its surrounding buildings at the time of painting.
Mass is served twice a day: at 7am and 5pm (6pm in the summer).
From the centre of Plovdiv, Bachkovo Monastery is reachable by car in 35 minutes via the Route 86 road. From the centre of Bachkovo, the site is reachable in 5 minutes by car via Route 86, or is a 20 minute walk by the same route.
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The Romans initially founded Belogradchik Fortress as a stronghold from the 1st to the 3rd centuries AD, building the highest part of the fortress known as the Citadel. The mission of the fortress was to control the road from the town of Ratsiaria. Over the centuries, Belogradchik Fortress has been used by a succession of different forces including the Byzantines.
The 14th century saw the site fall under the remit of Tsar Ivan Sratsimir’s Vidin kingdom, during which time it was enlarged and strengthened. Nevertheless, at the end of this century, Belogradchik Fortress was captured by the Ottomans, a move which saw the site used to suppress local uprisings and protect this corner of the Ottoman Empire.
During the 19th century, Belogradchik Fortress continued to be used for military and defensive purposes. In 1850, Belogradchik Fortress played a sinister role in suppressing the Belogradchik uprising, it being the place where activists were decapitated. In 1885, the fortress was also used in the Serb-Bulgarian War.
Today, a monument stands in recognition of the Belogradchik Uprising where one of the leaders was beheaded within the outstandingly well-preserved remains of the fortress. Visitors can clearly see the openings for guns in the fortress walls. From the highest point of Belogradchik Fortress called ‘First Slab’, you get a beautiful view reaching across the mountains.
You can also grab an audio-guide from the ticket booth and follow the history of the site around as you wander. Be sure to bring comfortable shoes for walking across the rocky ground while exploring.
Belogradchik Fortress is best reached by car and is around a 3 hour drive from Bulgaria’s capital, Sofia. There is parking for only 2.5 Lev.
]]>The church complex was built over 3 distinct periods, beginning in the 10th century and finally finished during the mid-19th century. The 13th century frescoes themselves are considered to be an historical treasure and an excellent example of the artwork of the period.
Today, the Boyana Church is a UNESCO world heritage historical site and is open to the public, featuring as one of our top visitor attractions in Bulgaria.
The initial Boyana Church was built during the late 10th century as a private chapel which stood within the Boyana fortress in the shape of a cross.
Later, during the 12th century Second Bulgarian Empire period, the Boyana Church complex was expanded and the famous frescoes were added in 1259. These extraordinary frescoes, layered over earlier paintings depict the life of Saint Nicholas while including aspects of contemporary life, populated with over 240 figures.
Finally, in the mid-19th century, further work was undertaken using donations from the local community, leaving us with the Boyana Church as it is known today.
Today, the Boyana Church is under the protection of the National Historical Museum of Bulgaria, and is open to visitors every day from 9am to 6pm. Inside remain the centuries old frescoes of bright and rich colours depict 89 scenes full of vivid characters, including donors to the church and Venetian mariners.
In order to protect the paintings, access is limited to groups of 8 visitors and by 10-minute guided tour only. However, the nearby Boyana Church Museum contains further information on the history of the complex and visitors can buy a combined ticket to both sites.
Situated on the outside of the Bulgarian capital in the Boyana neighbourhood, Boyana Church is reached by public transport on bus 107 (running every 46 minutes) and bus 64 stops nearby. The National Historical Museum is a half hour walk from the church across the Boyana Residency park and garden.
]]>Chiprovtsi is a small town in northwestern Bulgaria, administratively part of Montana Province. It lies on the shores of the river Ogosta in the western Balkan Mountains, very close to the Bulgarian-Serbian border. A town of about 2,000 inhabitants, Chiprovtsi is the administrative centre of Chiprovtsi Municipality that also covers nine nearby villages. Chiprovtsi is thought to have been founded in the Late Middle Ages as a mining and metalsmithing centre.
The first building to be constructed on the site was probably built in the tenth century during the First Bulgarian Empire, when the area became increasingly Christianised. The Chiprovtsi Monastery has since served as a centre of learning and religious study and is still a functioning monastery today.
The history of the Chiprovtsi Monastery has often been turbulent. The holy site participated in the country’s struggle against Ottoman rule that culminated in 1688 with the Chiprovtsi Uprising, when the monastery was used as a refuge for the insurgents.
The monastery has been destroyed several times, with the worst destruction occurring after the failed Chiprovtsi Uprising. The monastery church was built at the end of the 18th century and beginning of the 19th century. It has a single nave and apse. The Saint Atanasiy Veliki Chapel, which was built in 1880, is located in one of the wings that house the monks.
The monastery complex consists of a church, monastic cloister, small cemetery and ossuary on the ground floor, a chapel on the second, tower-bell on the third floor. The complex is surrounded by a stone wall with three entrances.
Today, it is possible to visit the Chiprovtsi Monastery, though keep in mind that, as this is a working monastery, visiting times and access may be limited.
The monastery is situated at the foot of Yazova Mountain. It is roughly 7km northeast of Chiprovtsi village; take any bus between Montana and Chiprovtsi.
]]>Accounts differ as to the age of Djumaya Mosque. It is officially recorded as having been built in 1363-64 on the site of the Sveta Petka Tarnovska Cathedral Church after the conquest of Plovdiv by the Ottoman army. During the reign of Sultan Murad I in the 15th century the old building was demolished and replaced by the modern-day mosque. Djumaya Mosque is still active today.
The mosque is large, with nine domes and a vast prayer hall. There is a minaret at the northeast corner of the main façade. Interior wall paintings date back to the late 18th and early 19th centuries. The mosque is one of the busiest in the city, and is often frequented by visitors and worshippers alike.
While you’re in Plovdiv, make sure to take a look at the ancient Plovdiv Amphitheatre, Plovdiv Roman Stadium, and Plovdiv Roman Stadium. The Djumaya Mosque also features as one of our Top Ten Tourist Attractions in Bulgaria.
From the centre of Plovdiv, the mosque is a 9 minute drive via Ruski Blvd. and 6th of September Blvd. / Route 8602. Public transport stops at the north-east tunnel, from where the site is a 5 minute walk.
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