The Belogradchik Fortress Bulgaria

Located on the due north slopes of the Balkan Mountains , unopen to the northwestern Bulgarian town of Belogradchik , is the Belogradchik Fortress , besides known equally Kaleto Fortress. The fort is nestled on the base of operations of a spectacular stone formation belonging to the Belogradchik massif which consist of strangely shaped sandstone together with conglomerate stone formation that are idea to resemble shapes of people or objects. Some of the rocks hit upward to 200 meters inwards height. The ones serving equally the backdrop to the fort are seventy meters tall.

A fort existed hither since the Roman times. In the 1st to the third century AD , the Romans built roads across the novel provinces of the empire on the Balkan peninsula , equally good equally some fortresses to guard them. The mission of Belogradchik Fortress was to command the road. They built the highest business office of the fortress , known equally the Citadel , using the rocks equally natural protection. Fortified walls were built exclusively on the northwest together with southeast sides , amongst the remainder of the sides roughly the yard beingness surrounded past times rocks.

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Photo credit: Klearchos Kapoutsis/Flickr

Over the centuries , Belogradchik Fortress has been used past times a succession of unlike forces including the Byzantines. In the 14th century , the Bulgarian tsar of Vidin Ivan Stratsimir extended the onetime fortress , edifice fortified garrisons earlier the existing stone massifs. The fort became 1 of the close of import strongholds inwards the region. At the terminate of this century , Belogradchik Fortress was captured past times the Ottomans , who expanded it farther together with used it to suppress local uprisings.

Belogradchik Fortress continued to hold out used for armed services together with defensive purposes until the 19th century. In 1850 , Belogradchik Fortress played an of import role inwards the Ottoman suppression of the Belogradchik uprising , beingness the house where decapitation of captured activists were performed. The fort was concluding used inwards warfare during the Serbo-Bulgarian War inwards 1885.

The Belogradchik Fortress is at 1 time 1 of the best-preserved strongholds inwards Republic of Bulgaria , together with together amongst the Belogradchik Rocks , it is the town's main cultural together with historical tourist attraction.

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