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This is a partial list of fortifications in Bulgaria, including
castrum , ,
, , Kovachevsko kale is a late Roman fortress, whose ruins are located 6 km west of the town of Popovo, near the modern road Popovo - Byala. The ancient name of the settlement is unknown. The Czech archaeologist Karel Škorpil called it Kovachoveshko kale, after the name of the nearby village, Kovachevets. The fortress is located on a flat terrain, naturally protected by low-water rivers. It has a roughly triangular form. The defensive stone walls are fortified with 17 U-shaped towers. There are two gates, one to the west, to other one to the north-east. , ,
, -
, Krasen
castle , , , , Krasen or ''Krasen Kale'' is a fortress near the village of Bata in Pazardzhik Province. It is situated at around 3 km of the village and 6 km to the south of the municipal center Panagyurishte. The castle has been dated to the 10th century AD and is currently in ruins. The remains of the walls reach up to six meters. , , , - , Ktenia
castle , , , , Ktenia is a ruined Roman and medieval fortress, situated 2.1 km to the north of the village of
castle
A castle is a type of fortified structure built during the Middle Ages predominantly by the nobility or royalty and by military orders. Scholars debate the scope of the word ''castle'', but usually consider it to be the private fortified r ...
s, castra
In the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire, the Latin word ''castrum'', plural ''castra'', was a military-related term.
In Latin usage, the singular form ''castrum'' meant 'fort', while the plural form ''castra'' meant 'camp'. The singular and ...
, defensive wall
A defensive wall is a fortification usually used to protect a city, town or other settlement from potential aggressors. The walls can range from simple palisades or earthworks to extensive military fortifications with towers, bastions and gates ...
s, etc.
Partial list of fortifications in Bulgaria
}) was one of the Byzantine Empire's military fortresses built to defend Constantinople . The ruins of the fortress are located on Mount Hissarluka - 3.4 km south in a straight line from the center of the village Kipilovo, Sliven Province, Bulgaria., , , -bgcolor="#CFECEC" , - , Kovachevsko kalecastrum , ,
, , Kovachevsko kale is a late Roman fortress, whose ruins are located 6 km west of the town of Popovo, near the modern road Popovo - Byala. The ancient name of the settlement is unknown. The Czech archaeologist Karel Škorpil called it Kovachoveshko kale, after the name of the nearby village, Kovachevets. The fortress is located on a flat terrain, naturally protected by low-water rivers. It has a roughly triangular form. The defensive stone walls are fortified with 17 U-shaped towers. There are two gates, one to the west, to other one to the north-east. , ,
, -
, Krasen castle , , , , Krasen or ''Krasen Kale'' is a fortress near the village of Bata in Pazardzhik Province. It is situated at around 3 km of the village and 6 km to the south of the municipal center Panagyurishte. The castle has been dated to the 10th century AD and is currently in ruins. The remains of the walls reach up to six meters. , , , - , Ktenia
castle , , , , Ktenia is a ruined Roman and medieval fortress, situated 2.1 km to the north of the village of
Lozarevo
Lozarevo ( bg, Лозарево ) is a village in Sungurlare Municipality
Sungurlare Municipality ( bg, Община Сунгурларе, ) is a municipality in Burgas Province, Bulgaria. It includes the town of Sungurlare
Sungurlare ( bg, ...
, Burgas Province in south-eastern Bulgaria. In the Middle Ages, Ktenia often changed hands between Bulgaria and Byzantium
Byzantium () or Byzantion ( grc, Βυζάντιον) was an ancient Greek city in classical antiquity that became known as Constantinople in late antiquity and Istanbul today. The Greek name ''Byzantion'' and its Latinization ''Byzantium'' cont ...
. The ruins of the fortress lie north-east of the town of Sungurlare
Sungurlare ( bg, Сунгурларе, ) is a town in southeastern Bulgaria, part of Burgas Province. It is the administrative centre of Sungurlare municipality, which lies in the northwestern part of Burgas Province.
Sungurlare lies in a valley ...
, in the Grebenets section of the Eastern Balkan Mountains
The Balkan mountain range (, , known locally also as Stara planina) is a mountain range in the eastern part of the Balkan Peninsula in Southeastern Europe. The range is conventionally taken to begin at the peak of Vrashka Chuka on the border betw ...
. In ancient and medieval times, it served as an important defensive position guarding the Karnobat Pass
Karnobat Pass (Karnobatski Prohod \kar-no-'bat-ski 'pro-hod\) is a 220 m wide and 720 m high pass in Levski Ridge in Tangra Mountains, Livingston Island in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica. It is bounded by Helmet Peak to the south and In ...
through the mountains. Neighbouring castles included Rusokastro
Rusokastro (from Greek Ρουσόκαστρο) is a village in Kameno Municipality, in Burgas Province, in southeastern Bulgaria.Aytos to the east. , ,
, -
,
castle , , , , Lardea or ''Lardeya'' is a ruined late Roman and medieval fortress, situated near the village of
castle , , , , The fortress of Lovech is a medieval stronghold that gained prominence during the Second Bulgarian Empire. After Byzantine unsuccessfully besieged Lovech in 1187 they were forced to recognize ''de facto'' the restoration of the Bulgarian state. It remained an important economic and commercial centre until the fall of Bulgaria under Ottoman rule in the early 15th century. , , , - ,
Lardea
Lardea or Lardeya ( bg, Лардея, gr, Λαρδέα) is a ruined late Roman and medieval fortress, situated near the village of Lozenets in Straldzha Municipality, Yambol Province, south-eastern Bulgaria. In the Middle Ages, Lardea often chang ...
castle , , , , Lardea or ''Lardeya'' is a ruined late Roman and medieval fortress, situated near the village of
Lozenets Lozenets ( bg, Лозенец, link=no; also ''Lozenec'' or ''Lozenetz'') may refer to:
* Lozenets, Burgas Province, a village in Bulgaria
* Lozenets, Dobrich Province, a village in Bulgaria
* Lozenets, Yambol Province, a village in Bulgaria
* Loze ...
, Yambol Province, in south-eastern Bulgaria. In the Middle Ages, Lardea often changed hands between the Bulgarian and the Byzantine Empires. , ,
, -
, Lovech fortress
Lovech Fortress is a medieval stronghold in Lovech, Bulgaria, that gained prominence during the Second Bulgarian Empire. After the Byzantine Empire unsuccessfully besieged Lovech in 1187, it was forced to recognize de facto the restoration of the ...
castle , , , , The fortress of Lovech is a medieval stronghold that gained prominence during the Second Bulgarian Empire. After Byzantine unsuccessfully besieged Lovech in 1187 they were forced to recognize ''de facto'' the restoration of the Bulgarian state. It remained an important economic and commercial centre until the fall of Bulgaria under Ottoman rule in the early 15th century. , , , - ,
Lyutitsa
Lyutitsa ( bg, Лютица) is one of the largest and best preserved castles in the easternmost part of the Eastern Rhodopes, located 3.5 hours' walk south-west of Ivaylovgrad, , , Lyutitsa is one of the largest and best preserved castles in the easternmost part of the Eastern Rhodopes, located 3.5 hours' walk south-west of Ivaylovgrad in southernmost Bulgaria. It is also known as the "Marble City" because its walls are made of white marble. The fortress occupies an area of and has 12 towers of which eight have been preserved. The walls are up to high. The ruins of two churches have been excavated as well as a necropolis with 15 graves. Among the numerous archaeological finds are rare coins, ceramics of Preslav, jewelry and tools. , ,
, -
, Markeli
fort , , , , Markeli was a medieval Byzantine and Bulgarian frontier stronghold, the ruins of which are located in Karnobat Municipality, Burgas Province in the south-east of the country. Dating to Late Antiquity, the castle lay some from the modern town of Karnobat. It was the site of two notable medieval battles between Byzantines and Bulgarians, the Battle of Marcellae of 756 and the Battle of Marcellae of 792. , , , - ,
castle , ,
, , Matochina Fortress, also known as ''Bukelon'', lies on a plateau to the northeast of the village itself. The only well-preserved part of the castle today is the inner fortress with the keep, which is 18 metres in height and dates to the 12th–14th century. The keep is a three-storey tower with arrow loops on all sides. The third storey was reportedly used as a chapel for the defenders. The keep was constructed out of stone and bricks. A cross-shaped brick monogram to the side of the entrance indicates that the fortress may have been reconstructed by the Bulgarian Emperor
castle , ,
, , Mezek Fortress, in area, is among the best preserved Bulgarian medieval castles. It dates to the 11th century. Along with the Thracian tombs located nearby, it was studied by a team under archaeologist
castle , ,
, , Momina Kula is a Late Antiquity and medieval fortress, situated in the Momina Klisura Gorge along the river
castrum , , , , Montanesium is a Roman castrum founded in the 1st century AD, situated in the town of Montana. , , , -bgcolor="#CFECEC" , Nesebar fortifications , ,
, , The first fortifications of Nesebar, the ancient Messembria, were constructed in the 8th century BC. They were improved by the Ancient Greeks in the 5-4th century BC, and subsequently by the Byzantines in the 5th century AD. In the Middle Ages the city often changed hands between the Bulgarian and the Byzantine Empires and the fortifications were frequently reconstructed. The last reconstruction was in the 14th century by Emperor Ivan Alexander of Bulgaria. , ,
, -
, Ovech fortress
castle , , , , During the Middle Ages Ovech was a key centre of the
castle , , , , Peristera is a fortress dated from the Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages situated in the Rhodope Mountains near the town of
, , The fortifications of Plovdiv were centred on Nebet Tepe, one of the seven hills of the city. The earliest settlement is dated back to the 6th millennium BC but the remains of the fortifications are mainly from the Roman and medieval periods. Partially preserved remains of the defensive system are Hisar Kapia and the
castle , ,
, , The origin of the Shumen fortress can be traced to the early Iron Age and was later owned by the Thracians in the 5th century BC. From 2nd to 4th centuries AD, it was controlled by the Romans who built towers and walls, and it was refurbished by the Byzantines as a
castrum , ,
, , Sostra is an ancient Roman castrum situated near the village of Lomets in Lovech Province. It was constructed c. 147 AD by order of Emperor Antoninus Pius but was ravaged by the Goths in 249. Sostra was destroyed completely by the Huns in the 5th century AD. , ,
, -
,
fort , ,
, , Storgosia was a Roman road station located in the vicinity of modern
castle , ,
, , Tsarevets is a medieval stronghold located on a hill with the same name in Veliko Tarnovo in northern Bulgaria. Tsarevets is situated at an altitude of 206 m. It served as the
castle , ,
, , Tsepina was a castle and town in the western Rhodope Mountains, now in ruins. It is located at 6 km from the Dorkovo village in the north-eastern part of the Chepinska valley. Tsepina was built on a steep height at 1,136 metres above sea level. Its outer walls closed an area of 25 decares and was dominated by a citadel located at the top of the cliff. The foundations of three churches have been excavated as well as four large water storage tanks up to 10 m deep. , ,
, -
,
castle , ,
, , Urvich, also known as Kokalyane Urvich after the nearby village, is a medieval fortress in the territory of today's quarter Pancharevo of the capital Sofia. It is located on the right bank of Iskar River, on the hill of "Sredobardie", in the Lozen mountain, about 20 km from Sofia downtown on the road to Samokov. The fortress was constructed in the 13th century during the Second Bulgarian Empire. , ,
, -
,
fort , , , , Markeli was a medieval Byzantine and Bulgarian frontier stronghold, the ruins of which are located in Karnobat Municipality, Burgas Province in the south-east of the country. Dating to Late Antiquity, the castle lay some from the modern town of Karnobat. It was the site of two notable medieval battles between Byzantines and Bulgarians, the Battle of Marcellae of 756 and the Battle of Marcellae of 792. , , , - ,
Matochina
Matochina ( bg, Маточина, "lemon balm") is a small village in southeastern Bulgaria, part of Svilengrad municipality, Haskovo Province. Matochina lies in the southernmost ridges of the Sakar Mountain, from the municipal centre Svilengrad a ...
castle , ,
, , Matochina Fortress, also known as ''Bukelon'', lies on a plateau to the northeast of the village itself. The only well-preserved part of the castle today is the inner fortress with the keep, which is 18 metres in height and dates to the 12th–14th century. The keep is a three-storey tower with arrow loops on all sides. The third storey was reportedly used as a chapel for the defenders. The keep was constructed out of stone and bricks. A cross-shaped brick monogram to the side of the entrance indicates that the fortress may have been reconstructed by the Bulgarian Emperor Michael Shishman
Michael Asen III ( bg, Михаил Асен III, ''Mihail Asen III'', commonly called Michael Shishman (Михаил Шишман, ''Mihail Šišman'')), ruled as tsar of Bulgaria from 1323 to 1330. The exact year of his birth is unknown but it w ...
(r. 1323–1330). , ,
, -bgcolor="#CFECEC"
, Mezek castle , ,
, , Mezek Fortress, in area, is among the best preserved Bulgarian medieval castles. It dates to the 11th century. Along with the Thracian tombs located nearby, it was studied by a team under archaeologist Bogdan Filov
Bogdan Dimitrov Filov ( bg, Богдан Димитров Филов; 10 April 1883 – 1 February 1945) was a Bulgarian archaeologist, art historian and politician. He was prime minister of Bulgaria during World War II. During his tenure, Bulga ...
in 1931–1932. The castle has nine towers, five of which lie at the vulnerable south wall. The fortress was built out of stone, with two decorative lines of bricks on the outside. It suffered some destruction around 1900, when stones from the fortress were used for the construction of Ottoman barracks in Svilengrad
Svilengrad ( bg, Свиленград; el, Σβίλενγκραντ; ota, Cisr-i Mustafapaşa) is a town in Haskovo Province, south-central Bulgaria, situated at the border of Bulgaria, Turkey and Greece. It is the administrative centre of the h ...
. , ,
, -
, Momina Kula castle , ,
, , Momina Kula is a Late Antiquity and medieval fortress, situated in the Momina Klisura Gorge along the river Mesta
The ''Mesta'' () was a powerful association protecting livestock owners and their animals in the Crown of Castile that was incorporated in the 13th century and was dissolved in 1836. Although best known for its organisation of the annual migrat ...
near the village of Kremen in Blagoevgrad Province
Blagoevgrad Province ( bg, област Благоевград, ''oblast Blagoevgrad'' or Благоевградска област, ''Blagoevgradska oblast''), also known as Pirin Macedonia or Bulgarian Macedonia ( bg, Пиринска Маке ...
. It is situated on a peak with vertical cliffs to the north, east and south. The only access is to the west where the walls are preserved at their entire length at the height of 5 m. To the east are located the remains of a quadrangular tower. , ,
, -
, Montanesium castrum , , , , Montanesium is a Roman castrum founded in the 1st century AD, situated in the town of Montana. , , , -bgcolor="#CFECEC" , Nesebar fortifications , ,
, , The first fortifications of Nesebar, the ancient Messembria, were constructed in the 8th century BC. They were improved by the Ancient Greeks in the 5-4th century BC, and subsequently by the Byzantines in the 5th century AD. In the Middle Ages the city often changed hands between the Bulgarian and the Byzantine Empires and the fortifications were frequently reconstructed. The last reconstruction was in the 14th century by Emperor Ivan Alexander of Bulgaria. , ,
, -
, Ovech fortress castle , , , , During the Middle Ages Ovech was a key centre of the
First Bulgarian Empire
The First Bulgarian Empire ( cu, блъгарьско цѣсарьствиѥ, blagarysko tsesarystviye; bg, Първо българско царство) was a medieval Bulgar- Slavic and later Bulgarian state that existed in Southeastern Europ ...
with an important monastery at the modern village of Ravna and a major scriptorium of the Preslav Literary School. During the Uprising of Ivaylo the rebel leader and subsequently emperor of Bulgaria Ivaylo defeated a 10,000-strong Byzantine army near the city in 1279. During the Second Bulgarian Empire Ovech was the seat of a metropolitan in the 14th century. Ovech was captured by the Ottomans in 1388 after a long siege. , ,
, -
, Peristera fortress castle , , , , Peristera is a fortress dated from the Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages situated in the Rhodope Mountains near the town of
Peshtera
Peshtera ( bg, Пещера , sometimes transliterated as ''Peštera''; rup, Peshtera) is a town in the Rhodope Mountains, southern Bulgaria. It is located in Pazardzhik Province near the towns of Batak and Bratsigovo. The town is the third ...
in Pazardzhik Province. Peristera had three lines of defensive walls and six towers. It was destroyed by the Ottoman invaders in the 14th century. , ,
, -
, Plovdiv
Plovdiv ( bg, Пловдив, ), is the second-largest city in Bulgaria, standing on the banks of the Maritsa river in the historical region of Thrace. It has a population of 346,893 and 675,000 in the greater metropolitan area. Plovdiv is the c ...
fortifications , , , , The fortifications of Plovdiv were centred on Nebet Tepe, one of the seven hills of the city. The earliest settlement is dated back to the 6th millennium BC but the remains of the fortifications are mainly from the Roman and medieval periods. Partially preserved remains of the defensive system are Hisar Kapia and the Eastern gate of Philippopolis
The Eastern gate of Philippopolis is one of the three entrances of the ancient city that have been discovered in Plovdiv. The gate was built on the main road to Byzantium and the Bosphorus. Initially constructed in the 2nd century AD during th ...
. , ,
, -bgcolor="#CFECEC"
, Shumen fortress
''Shumenska krepost''
, location = Shumеn, Bulgaria
, image =
, caption = The main tower of the Shumen fortress
, map_type = Bulgaria
, coordinates =
, map_size = 250
, type ...
castle , ,
, , The origin of the Shumen fortress can be traced to the early Iron Age and was later owned by the Thracians in the 5th century BC. From 2nd to 4th centuries AD, it was controlled by the Romans who built towers and walls, and it was refurbished by the Byzantines as a garrison
A garrison (from the French ''garnison'', itself from the verb ''garnir'', "to equip") is any body of troops stationed in a particular location, originally to guard it. The term now often applies to certain facilities that constitute a mil ...
town. Shumen thrived in the Middle Ages as an important stronghold of the Bulgarian Empire. In 1444 it was destroyed by the Ottomans after their victory in the Battle of Varna over a Christian army under Władysław III of Poland. The fortress remained deserted ever since. , ,
, -
, Sostra castrum , ,
, , Sostra is an ancient Roman castrum situated near the village of Lomets in Lovech Province. It was constructed c. 147 AD by order of Emperor Antoninus Pius but was ravaged by the Goths in 249. Sostra was destroyed completely by the Huns in the 5th century AD. , ,
, -
, Storgosia
Storgosia was a Roman road station and later a fortress, located in the modern Kaylaka Park in the vicinity of modern Pleven (North-central Bulgaria).
It accommodated detachments of Legio I ''Italicas Novae (modern Svishtov) garrison. The s ...
fort , ,
, , Storgosia was a Roman road station located in the vicinity of modern Pleven
Pleven ( bg, Плèвен ) is the seventh most populous city in Bulgaria. Located in the northern part of the country, it is the administrative centre of Pleven Province, as well as of the subordinate Pleven municipality. It is the biggest ...
, north-central Bulgaria. It accommodated detachments of Legio I ''Italica'''s Novae (modern Svishtov
Svishtov ( bg, Свищов ) is a town in northern Bulgaria, located in Veliko Tarnovo Province on the right bank of the Danube river opposite the Romanian town of Zimnicea. It is the administrative centre of the homonymous Svishtov Municipalit ...
) garrison. The station grew to become a fortress in Late Antiquity due to Gothic
Gothic or Gothics may refer to:
People and languages
*Goths or Gothic people, the ethnonym of a group of East Germanic tribes
**Gothic language, an extinct East Germanic language spoken by the Goths
**Crimean Gothic, the Gothic language spoken b ...
and other Barbarian
A barbarian (or savage) is someone who is perceived to be either Civilization, uncivilized or primitive. The designation is usually applied as a generalization based on a popular stereotype; barbarians can be members of any nation judged by som ...
raids after 238. The fortress existed until the end of the 6th century, when the settlement of the Slavs
Slavs are the largest European ethnolinguistic group. They speak the various Slavic languages, belonging to the larger Balto-Slavic branch of the Indo-European languages. Slavs are geographically distributed throughout northern Eurasia, main ...
apparently led to its abandonment. , ,
, -bgcolor="#CFECEC"
, Tsarevets castle , ,
, , Tsarevets is a medieval stronghold located on a hill with the same name in Veliko Tarnovo in northern Bulgaria. Tsarevets is situated at an altitude of 206 m. It served as the Second Bulgarian Empire
The Second Bulgarian Empire (; ) was a medieval Bulgarians, Bulgarian state that existed between 1185 and 1396. A successor to the First Bulgarian Empire, it reached the peak of its power under Tsars Kaloyan of Bulgaria, Kaloyan and Ivan Asen II ...
's primary fortress and strongest bulwark from 1185 to 1393, housing the imperial and the patriarchal palaces, and is nowadays a popular tourist attraction. , ,
, -
, Tsepina castle , ,
, , Tsepina was a castle and town in the western Rhodope Mountains, now in ruins. It is located at 6 km from the Dorkovo village in the north-eastern part of the Chepinska valley. Tsepina was built on a steep height at 1,136 metres above sea level. Its outer walls closed an area of 25 decares and was dominated by a citadel located at the top of the cliff. The foundations of three churches have been excavated as well as four large water storage tanks up to 10 m deep. , ,
, -
, Urvich
Urvich (also known as Kokalyane Urvich because nearest village - Kokalyane) is a medieval fortress in the territory of today's quarter Pancharevo, heir to the village of Glavishevo. It is located on the right riverside of Iskar River, in the hill ...
castle , ,
, , Urvich, also known as Kokalyane Urvich after the nearby village, is a medieval fortress in the territory of today's quarter Pancharevo of the capital Sofia. It is located on the right bank of Iskar River, on the hill of "Sredobardie", in the Lozen mountain, about 20 km from Sofia downtown on the road to Samokov. The fortress was constructed in the 13th century during the Second Bulgarian Empire. , ,
, -
, Ustra
Ustra ( bg, Устра) is a fortress in the eastern Rhodope Mountains in southern Bulgaria. Its ruins lie southwest of the village of Ustren situated on a hill at approximately above sea level.Ustren
Ustren ( bg, Устрен) is a village in the Kardzhali Province, southern Bulgaria. it had 296 inhabitants. The population is 100% Turkish. The Turkish name for the village is Ustra.
The village is situated in a mountainous area in the easter ...
situated on a hill at approximately above sea level. The fortress was built in the 10th century AD to protect an important trade route. It was taken by the armies of Simeon the Great (r. 893-927), but after his death, it was among the lands given back to Byzantium
Byzantium () or Byzantion ( grc, Βυζάντιον) was an ancient Greek city in classical antiquity that became known as Constantinople in late antiquity and Istanbul today. The Greek name ''Byzantion'' and its Latinization ''Byzantium'' cont ...
in return for recognition of the imperial title of the Bulgarian rulers. Between the 12th and 14th centuries, it frequently changed hands between the two empires, but the Byzantines held it most of the time. , ,
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