Momchilgrad municipality released unique footage a few days ago which went viral on social media. The video, shot using a drone, offers a bird’s eye view of the mysterious medieval fortress Asara in the region of the village of Ralitsa in the Rhodopes.
The remains of the fortress date back to the 11th-12th century. They rise on top of a prehistoric rock sanctuary and a crypt. A trapezoidal sacrificial altar has been hacked out on the fortress site. The ruins of two large towers are still visible that were once connected by a passage hacked out into the rock. In one of the towers there are traces of a residential area and a chapel. Archaeologists discovered precious medallions made of bone that were once elements of a gold-inlaid icon.
Video:
Studies have shown that some of the first attempts at ore-mining in the Balkan peninsula took place right here, in the Eastern Rhodopes. Ore-mining galleries like the ones found at the foot of Asara peak have been discovered in the vicinity of the village of Zvezdel nearby. The peak, where the fortress remains are scattered, commands a breathtaking view of the Eastern Rhodopes and the highest peak in this part of the mountain – Stramni Rid peak (960 m.)
Not far from Asara fortress, Boyalak waterfall rises to a height of some 25 m. The bizarre-looking rocks formed after the waterfall are also well worth seeing.
The Asar fortress in Momchilgrad municipality is not the only fortress of that name in Bulgaria. The word “asar” comes from the Arabic-Turkic “hisar”, “hisarlak” meaning fortress, fortification, pile of stones. That is why there are many fortresses in the Bulgarian lands bearing such names.
More:
Video: Tencho Petkov Photography
Editing by Veneta Nikolova
Translated and posted by Milena Daynova
There are three special days on the calendar of the Bulgarian Orthodox church, on which believers pray to God and give alms to honour the memory of their dear departed. The three All Souls’ Days always fall on the Saturdays before Meat..
One frosty November morning in 1917, as World War I was raging, a Zeppelin L 59 took off from the air base near Yambol bound for Tanzania. The purpose of the flight was to deliver ammunition and materials to the German military units in a remote..
October 27 marks the 165th anniversary of the birth of Academician Aleksandar Teodorov-Balan, who was the first theorist of the Bulgarian literary language, phonetics and grammar. He was born was born in 1859 in the village of Kubey, Bessarabia...
On November 24, the Bulgarian Orthodox Church honors St. Catherine (Sveta Ekaterina in Bulgarian) , who was one of the most educated women of her time...
On November 25, the Bulgarian Orthodox Church honours the memory of St. Clement of Ohrid – a distinguished archbishop, teacher and scholar. He was among..
Mostly Cloudy
Partly Cloudy