Bulgarian Archaeological Treasures

This collection highlights the architectural legacy of the Plovdiv region, spanning from Thracian antiquity to the Middle Ages. It features the remarkably preserved 2nd-century Roman theatre and stadium of Philippopolis, alongside the expansive Roman Forum. The list includes the medieval Asen's Fortress, the ruins of the 5th-century Red Church in Perushtitsa, and several significant Thracian burial mounds such as Zhaba Mogila. These sites demonstrate the layers of Roman, Byzantine, and Bulgarian history preserved throughout the Rhodope Mountains and the Thracian Plain.

Bulgarian Archaeological Treasures — Map

Edal Anton Lefterov / CC BY-SA 3.0

A

Roman amphitheatre

The Roman theatre of Philippopolis is one of the world's best-preserved ancient Roman theatres, located in the city center of modern…

Delyana / CC BY-SA 3.0

B

Plovdiv Roman Stadium

The Stadium of Philippopolis was the ancient Roman stadium of Philippopolis, built in the 2nd century AD, during the Roman imperial period.

Klearchos Kapoutsis / CC BY 2.0

C

Asen's Fortress

Asen's Fortress, identified by some researchers as Petrich, is a medieval fortress in the Bulgarian Rhodope Mountains, 2 to 3 kilometres…

D

Roman Forum

The administrative, commercial, and religious center of ancient Philippopolis, featuring the remains of a library, treasury, and an odeon.

E

Zhaba Mogila (ancient burial mound)

One of the largest Thracian burial mounds in Bulgaria, containing a tomb and a sanctuary dating to the 5th–4th century BC.

F

Lint

Ancient megalithic structure used for ritual wine production.

Hans Birger Nilsen / CC BY-SA 2.0

G

Anticen forum

Archaeological remains of the ancient city square of Philippopolis, including ruins of public buildings and a northern administrative complex.

Ismet Tisovski / Public domain

H

Tmrs

Ruins of a deserted 19th-century village in the Rhodope Mountains, formerly a regional administrative center.

Filipov Ivo / CC BY-SA 4.0

I

Sutgrad

Ancient and medieval fortification located on a rocky peak near the village of Sitovo.

Golev / CC-BY-SA-3.0

J

Sitovo inscription

The Sitovo inscription is an inscription in Bulgaria that has yet to be satisfactorily translated.

K

Cultural Center Trakart

Derived from the word Thrace which was a geographical region ruled by Romans. Nowadays, you can find numerous ancient artefacts here.

L

Anevsko kale

The Anevo Fortress or Kopsis is a medieval castle in central Bulgaria, the ruins of which are located some 3 kilometres from the village of…

M

Roman tomb

A 4th-century family tomb in Hisarya featuring a vaulted passage, colorful floor mosaics, and wall paintings.

N

Rimski termi

Well-preserved Roman baths of Diocletianopolis, built in the 2nd century and utilized for their curative mineral waters.

O

Roman amphitheatre

A small 4th-century Roman amphitheatre in Hisarya used for sports and animal combat.

P

The Red Church

A 5th-century early Christian basilica notable for its rare red brick architecture and fragments of original frescoes.

Q

Karafilovata mogila

Thracian burial mound located in the Thracian Plain.

R

Asenovata krepost

Medieval ruins of a defensive fortification overlooking the surrounding valley near Perushtitsa.

S

Ibramovska mogila

Thracian burial mound located near the Red Church.

T

Kalamica

Thracian burial mound.