Asen's Fortress

Visit the medieval Asen’s Fortress and enjoy the wonderful views of the Rhodope Mountains. The Asen’s Fortress is located near the town of Asenovgrad, approximately 130 km from Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria, and 20 km from Plovdiv, the second-largest city and the cultural capital of Bulgaria. If you are staying in Pamporovo, one of the largest Bulgarian ski resorts, the distance to Asen's Fortress is approximately 60 kilometers.

If you travel from Sofia or Plovdiv on your journey to visit the Asen's Fortress, you will pass through the town of Asenovgrad. The town was previously named Stanimaka, however, the name was changed to Asenovgrad, named after tsar Ivan Asen II. Asenovgrad is well known for its distinctive grape variety, Mavrud, as well as the many shops selling and producing wedding dresses. Therefore, if you have a wedding coming up or want to try the local Mavrud of Asenovgrad, you can take a walk around town before or after visiting the Asen's Fortress. After you pass through Asenovgrad, you will see many signs that direct you toward Asen's fortress. The road to the fortress itself is steep and narrow, and has many curves. Therefore, you should drive slowly, as there are pedestrians and other cars too. When you reach the top and the end of the road, there is a parking area where you can leave your vehicle.

Regarding the Asen’s Fortress, it is elevated 279 meters above the sea level on the high rocks on the left bank of Asenitsa River. Archaeologists have found some evidence for the existence of the fortress dated to the time of the ancient Thracians, followed by the Ancient Romans and early Byzantine period. Nevertheless, according to archaeologists the Asen’s Fortress was strongly fortified and renovated in 1231 during the reign of the Bulgarian tsar Ivan Asen II. During 13th century, the Asen’s Fortress had a feudal castle with 30 rooms and walls of the outer zone 9 to 12 metres high, with 2.9 metres thickness. In addition, archaeologist found 3 water reservoirs from the same period.

Nowadays, the preserved walls of the outer zone are 3 meters high. However, the Church of the Holy Mother of God from the 12th-13th century is the most well-preserved and remarkable building of the Asen’s Fortress. The Church the Holy Mother of God is a two-storey cross-domed building with preserved mural paintings from the 14th century. The visit to Asen's Fortress will not just provide historical information concerning the fortress but also reward you with a delightful and refreshing experience of the Rhodope Mountains' magnificent views. After you finish your visit to Asen's Fortress, you can also visit Bachkovo Monastery, which is located in close proximity to Asen's Fortress.