Asen's Fortress


The panoramic views from Asen's Fortress, which squats precariously on the edge of a cliff 19km southeast of Plovdiv, will make your stomach flutter. Early incarnations of the structure were bulked up by Thracians in the 5th century BC. Over the centuries, Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman rulers admired its impenetrable position so much that they continued to build and rebuild, adding chapels and thickening its walls to a battering-ram-proof 3m. It's signposted ('Asenova Krepost') off route 86.

Buses run half-hourly from Plovdiv's Rodopi bus station to Assenovgrad (2 lv, 30 minutes); from here, hail a taxi to the fortress. Taxis from Plovdiv will charge about 40 lv for a return trip to the fortress.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby attractions

1. Bachkovo Monastery

3.31 MILES

About 30km south of Plovdiv stands the magnificent Bachkovo Monastery, founded in 1083. Most of the complex dates from the 17th century onwards, with the…

2. Roman Forum

12.4 MILES

Just down the steps at the overpass near pl Tsentralen, ruins of the Roman Forum are still being excavated; peer over the fence along the road.

3. Tsar Simeon Garden

12.52 MILES

Plovdiv's prettiest place to stroll, Tsar Simeon Garden was sculpted by Swiss architect Lucien Chevalas in 1892; he's now lovingly referred to as the …

4. Roman Odeon

12.54 MILES

Constructed at the end of the 1st century AD, the Odeon was once the seat of the city council. It now hosts occasional performances in its small,…

5. Cultural Center Thrakart

12.61 MILES

Visible through floor-to-ceiling windows in the Tsar Obedinitel underpass, Cultural Center Thrakart contains extensive Roman floor mosaics and various…

6. Sveta Marina Church

12.71 MILES

A little-visited 16th-century gem, Sveta Marina Church has suberb Old Testament murals on its outer walls, depicting scenes from Adam, Eve and a…

7. Lamartine House

12.72 MILES

This beige mansion built in 1830 has a special place in Plovdiv hearts as the location where French poet Alphonse de Lamartine stayed in 1833, along the…

8. Roman Amphitheatre

12.74 MILES

Plovdiv’s magnificent 2nd-century AD amphitheatre, built during the reign of Emperor Trajan, was uncovered during a freak landslide in 1972. It once held…