Travel challenge #29: Hissar fortress

On the last wonderful day of the great summer trip in North Bulgaria, which I told you already, came the order of the last place I visited. After the cool walk through the Krushuna waterfalls, the tranquility that reigns in the Devetashka cave, I reached the fortress of Lovech.

How to get to Lovech Fortress?
The Lovech fortress is situated on the picturesque hill of Hissar over the town of Lovech, which is 150 km northeast of Sofia. Trying to follow the signs for the fortress, it turned out we had come to an old and forgotten road to the fortress, too inappropriate for a car. We asked some people about the fortress, and after heading for us, we walked along the winding paved road along a large hotel complex and Stratesh Park and a few minutes later we found ourselves in the spacious parking lot in front of the fortress that is part of the architectural and historical reserve of Varosha. We met him with the huge figure of Vasil Levski, looking out over the city.

The largest monument of Vasil Levski in Bulgaria
It turns out that this is the biggest monument of Levski in Bulgaria. Erected in 1965, it is one of the symbols of the town and has been part of Lovech's coat of arms for half a century. The figure of the Apostle (made of bronze) is 9 meters high and weighs more than 10 tonnes, standing on a 5-foot granite bench. So its total height is 14 meters. Under the massive figure is painted with brass:

"Vasil Levski (1837-1873). If I win, I win for a whole nation if I lose-lose only to me. "

A city bell, tells that before the monument was found, one hand of the Apostle pointed to the city. Trojans start hearing that the Apostle's unspoken words were "You betrayed me!" Worried by the rushing speech, the Huntsman for one night transformed the monument by lowering his hand to the body. Whether these are real facts or fictions, only the elderly inhabitants of the city can say. I find it interesting and I share it with you.

The Story of Lovech Fortress
I will begin my narrative from the fact that, as in most successful medieval towns, settlements and fortresses, as well as at Lovech fortress, the roots of inhabitation are searched in the most ancient times. The earliest adventures of life in these places are from the late Eneolithic. The following epoch-found traces of Thracian settlements-foundations of dwellings made of stone and clay, numerous fragmented gray Thracian ceramics.

The fortress dates back to the time of the Roman Empire when a Roman road station was operating on the territory of the town of Lovech. The fortress continued its existence in the period of V-VII century, and during the time of the Emperor Justinian I the Great the Fortress of Lovech was the fourth largest in the whole Moesia.

The fortress covered the upper two terraces on the hill, and at the foot of the river there were the residential quarters. From the south and west, the hill has almost vertical rocks and is only accessible from the east. To strengthen the defense of the fortress a stone fortress wall was built, following the relief of the terrain built directly on the rock. Thus, in an attack or siege, the foundations of the wall could not be undermined. The wall was 5-8 m high and 1.8 to 3.1 m thick.

The role of Lovech Fortress in the history of Medieval Bulgaria
In 1187, after a siege of several months by the forces of Emperor Isaac II Angel, the Bulgarians, led by the brothers Assen and Peter, won a victory. Then the Lovech Peace Treaty was signed, with which Byzantium officially recognized the independence of the Second Bulgarian Kingdom, restored after 167 years of Byzantine domination. The youngest of the Asenevci-Kaloyan brothers was sent to Constantinople as a guarantor for the execution of the peace treaty. The 40-year rule of Tsar Ivan Alexander (formerly the despot of Lovech) brings the greatest political and economic boom of the country at that time.

In XIII and XIV in Lovech is one of the largest and most prosperous fortress towns in the territory of Northern Bulgaria. Lovech is also one of the last cities that fell under Ottoman rule in 1446.

Lovech fortress today
A number of architectural and historical monuments are located in the area of the fortress. The remains of seven churches have been discovered. One of them - the largest one is the earliest V-VI century. It is the type of dome churches and has a very interesting plan. It is located at the highest point on the hill.

Much of the fortress has been restored and today is a favorite place for fishermen, as well as for the guests of the town. In the western part of the fortress, near the metropolitan church is built a large metal cross, visible from almost all points of the city. Attraction is also the special night lighting of the fortress. Upon the request of the guests of the city, as well as the national holidays, the audio-visual performances "Lovech - star city", "The story of its name" and "Lovech fortress tell" can be heard and monitored.

Here, on the territory of the fortress are found many jewelry, household objects, tools of labor, ceramics. Two finds containing silver coins featuring Ivan Alexander and his son Michael are extremely valuable. One find consists of 16 coins per pot and the other of 1430 coins in a pitcher.

The pleasantly built route inside the fortress allows young and old to walk around the fortress, to relax in the specially built places. From the fortress, incredible views of the Osam River, hidden between the hills of the Balkan, are revealed.

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