Interesting facts about the fortress

The name comes from the legends told during the Bulgarian Revival period – the king’s residence is called Tsarevets. During the Second Bulgarian Kingdom the town was called Tsarevgrad Tarnov or the town of Tarnov, unlike the town of Trapezitsa, Devin town, Nov grad, which were also part of the capital, but separately fortified.

Tsarevets is located on an extremely picturesque rocky hill, surrounded by the winding river Yantra at its foot. The high rock crown is fortified with towers and fortress walls with a thickness of 2.5 – 3.5 m.

The fortress is entered through three entrances. The fortress walls surround an area of ​​120 decares, where today the remains of the densely built medieval city are completely excavated. There are separate neighborhoods with their churches, large and probably rich at the time homes, between which meander narrow streets. Shops and workshops have been studied on the ground floors of some houses.

The dominant position of Tsarevets Hill and its natural inaccessibility have predetermined the choice here to be the center of supreme government. A complex fortification system ensured the safety of the inhabitants of the fortress. The main entrance to the interior is from the west. It is protected by four consecutive gates and towers above them. There was a drawbridge in front of the first gate. Near the innermost gate are the barracks of the guards. 

The Patriarchate – the “mother of all Bulgarian churches” administers and manages church life. The patriarchal complex, surrounded by a fortress wall and towers, occupies an area of ​​2,413 square meters. It housed the library, the scriptorium, the patriarch’s living and office quarters, and the monks’ cells. The Patriarchal Church of the Ascension with a bell tower is located in the middle of the courtyard. It kept the relics of St. Michael the Warrior and the canonized Bulgarian patriarchs Joachim I, Macarius and Joachim III.

The rest of the fortress is densely built up. Archaeological excavations have uncovered the foundations of 470 residential buildings, an architectural complex inhabited by a high-ranking Bulgarian aristocrat, an inn. During the capital period, 23 temples and 4 city monasteries functioned in the fortress. Their facades were made in the typical for the era picturesque style, and their interior was covered with magnificent frescoes. Today you can see the completely restored patriarchal church “Ascension”. The frescoes inside are the work of the artist Teofan Sokerov. Large-scale compositions present personalities and the most important moments of our medieval history.

Sound and light

The most incredible spectacle you can come across when visiting the Tsarevets fortress is “Sound and Light”. This show reveals the history of the fortress without words and is a unique experience that you should definitely try! 

More to see nearby

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