WHERE IN BULGARIA ARE YOU?

WHERE IN BULGARIA ARE YOU?

Wed, 07/27/2022 - 15:53

In Western Bulgaria, not far from this country's only grove of California redwoods, there stands a medieval fort that locals like to go walking up to on weekends

where in bulgaria is this fortress
photography by Anthony Georgieff

Originally it was erected in Late Antiquity-Early Middle Ages, but was almost completely destroyed by the Ottomans in the 15th century. So, what it is that you see today?

The current construction has little if anything to do with the erstwhile fortification despite claims to the contrary. It was built from scratch in the 2010s using EU money meant to boost regional growth and sustainable development.

That fort is not alone. In fact, at least a dozen archaeological sites throughout Bulgaria were "rebuilt" to attract visitors. Using mainly EU funds and with little concern for historical fact these "new ruins" have destroyed what archaeologists had painstakingly researched and catalogued in the course of many years.

Issue 190

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