Tsarevets 🏰 Virtual Cache

Tsarevets Fortress

There is no doubt that the first place you should visit in Veliko Tarnovo is the Tsarevets fortress. It was one of the most important fortification of legendary Tarnovgrad – the capital of the Second Bulgarian state. This fortification stood unconquerable for centuries with its three rings of fortification walls and the man-made abyss just below the main entrance.

The ancient Thracians and the Roman treasures

Architectural and historical reserve "Tsarevets" is situated on a hill in the old town of Veliko Tarnovo. The earliest tracks of life on Tsarevets hill date back to the late halcolite era, some 4200 years BC. Later the hill was a home of Thracian tribes and settlements. Around 5th century AD was built an early Byzantine fortress - the Zikideva city was situated here - the largest of the Byzantine Empire cities in the province of Lower Moesia. It is believed that around that time the hill was inhabited by citizens of the nearby Nicopolis ad Istrum, once a large Roman city, which was in decay during that time. There are also legends, saying that the Romans moved the treasures of ancient Nicopolis to the Tsarevets hill and stored them in secret tunnels and labyrinths under the hill. When they were forced to surrender, they placed deadly mechanisms and poison in the galleries where the treasures were kept. This story is either completely true and the treasured were self-destructed, or is complete myth. In support of both theories, the mythical treasures have not been found so far.

Tsarevets and the Bulgarians

The first Bulgarian settlement was established around 8th century on the grounds of the old Byzantine fortress. The major development of the hill happened during the Second Bulgarian state (12 – 14 centiry) when Veliko Tarnovo (Tarnovgrad) became a capital of the state. Nowadays we enter the former capital through the same place as the glorious times, from the west.
"Tsarevets"- served as the Second Bulgarian Empire's (1185-1393) primary fortress - has three still preserved gates. The main one is at the hill westernmost part, King Asen gate (or "The Small gate") is at the northwest part and the Frankhisarska gate is to the southeast. The latter is guarded by a tower known as the "Baldwin Tower." Legends have it that in the epic Battle of Adrianople in 1205, King Kaloyan captured the Latin Emperor Baldwin I (Baldwin of Flanders). The emperor remained imprisoned in this tower until the end of his life.

If you look below your feet when you pass through the first gate, you will notice the man-made bridge, connecting two tall rocks. The rocks were once connected but the abyss was created artificially for security reasons.
After passing the first gate, to enter the fortress one should pass a few more consecutive gates (3 or 4), each one guarded by towers. Besides this main entrance, there were two more minor entrances to the fortress. One was on the northwestern wall and another one near the southeastern combat tower. While passing through the gates one by one, we imagine how actually anyone could fight this complicated guard.
Tsarevets was a densely inhabited area. The remains of medieval residential, religious and other structures can be seen on every step. There are tracks of about 470 residential buildings and it is thought that the hill was inhabited by around 3000 people in the 12 – 14 century. You can walk among the ruins for hours and try to imagine how medieval Bulgarians used to live.

The royal complex on Tsarevets

We would really like to imagine the castle of Bulgarian kings in its full glory. The royal complex underwent several renovations between 12 – 14 century. It covered an area of almost 3000 square metres and looked like a real medieval castle, surrounded by a fortification wall and combat towers. The complex included throne room and private chambers of the ruler with magnificent interior. A royal church was also in place. Indeed, the relics of Bulgarian saint – St. Petka, were buried in the royal church. Some of the Bulgarian kings who ruled during the 14th century were also buried there.
We sat on the place of the throne room and tried to imagine the once lavish establishment. There is almost nothing left from the marble decorations and frescoes on the walls. This is not a surprise – the royal complex suffered some of the most dramatic events in the Bulgarian history and was destroyed after the fall of the capital to Ottoman rule in 1393.

The siege of Tarnovo

At that time (1393) sultan of the Ottoman empire was Bayezid I. Bulgaria was divided into separate tsardoms and despotates – the Tsardom ov Vidin, Tsardom of Tarnovo and the Despotate of Dobruja. On the throne of the Tsardom of Tarnovo was Ivan Shishman. In the spring of 1393 Ottoman troops surrounded the capital of the Tsardom of Tarnovo – Tarnovo. At that time this was the best developed and fortified city, and strategically the most important. The Ottomans, led by Bayezid I, besieged the city from all sides.
During that time, Bulgarian ruler Ivan Shishman was in the well-fortified city of Nikopol, waiting for reinforcements from Sigismund of Luxembourg. The Bulgarian population was led by Patriarch Euthymius, the leader of the church. After three months of siege Tarnovo fell. According to the widely known version, the patriarch agreed to hand over the city to avoid famine and illnesses among the population and he managed to negotiate good conditions, but the Ottomans did not abide to them. There are also legends that the fortress fell after a betrayal from a foreigner within its walls.

Tarnovo fell of 17 July 1393. The Turks had no mercy – all the aristocrats and powerful people were murdered. All the churches were burned down and the patriarchal church was turned into mosque. The later canonized patriarch Euthymius of Tarnovo was sent in exile.

Tsarevets under Ottoman rule During the Ottoman rule times, Bulgarians were chased away from Tsarevets and Turks occupied the area within the fortification walls. Mosques were built and the hill became a Turkish neighbourhood. The opposite fortified hill – Trapezitsa, was abandoned in the following decades. Gradually, the city of Tarnovo started looking more like the way it looks today.

The Patriarchal Church “Ascension of Christ”

The most emblematic place on Tsarevets hill, just atop of the hill, is the Patriarchal church “Ascension of Christ”. Once the whole religious life of the state was governed from there. The patriarchal complex was another fortress itself, guarded by a tower and a fortification wall. Central part inside it was taken by the church “Ascension of Christ”. In the temple were kept the relics of St Michael Voin and some canonized saints – Bulgarian Patriarchs Joachim I, and Joachim Macarius III.
The church was restored in the 1980s during a major project for reconstruction of the old capital of Bulgaria. Nowadays the temple is with a museum statute and is not functioning as a church. The walls are not painted according to the canon. Instead, the decoration was made by artist Teofan Sokerov and recalls important scenes of the history of Bulgaria.

Tsarevgrad Turnov – Sound and Light

Nowadays, a spectacular audio-visual show "Sound and Light" recreates the glorious and tragic past of the country. Dramatic and inspiring music, combined with hundreds of colored lights, laser beams and the sound of church bells ringing, highlight important moments in the Second Bulgarian Kingdom’s history.

Logging requirements:

EN: In order to claim a find you will need to locate all four(4) of the following sites, and take a photo with them. The photo must include one of the following: yourself, a personal item, your gps, arm/leg( preferably attached to a body :) ), something creative and upload all of the four pictures with your log.

BG: Вашата задача е, да намерите долу показаните четири обекта и да се снимате заедно с тях. Не е задължително да снимате лицето си. Това което е необходимо е да добавите към снимката някаква лична вещ, гпс, ръка, крак(желателно е да са прикачени към тяло :)). Можете да направите знака на победата или пък сърце, използвайки части от тялото си. Предизвикателството тук е да намерите Всичките четири обекта без да имате координатите им. Задачата никак не е трудна. Успех :).