Shumen Fortress

Shumen Fortress

Shumen Fortress (known in Shumen and the Old Town) is located in Shoumen plateau, about two kilometers from the town of Shumen. The location was settled more than 3000 years - archaeological research indicates that the area was inhabited as early as the XII century BC. The first people here are probably of Thracian tribe spats. Around 1200 BC they established the first poselenie strengthened, fortified wall surrounding equal access from the south and west lawn of the north and east remains rock crown reaching 10 meters. height. Thus Shumen Fortress is a contemporary of Troy Priamova (more exactly of Troy VIIb layer). Around V century BC and the second was built parallel to the wall it falls below the medieval city wall to the outside now.
In 15 AC Romans conquering current lands of the Danube plain and Shumen fortress became a Roman possession. It is possible that the name of the fortress at that time was Dausdava, but this suggestion remains unsubstantiated so far. The Romans built a new wall already welded by mortar and towers - rectangular and U-shaped. During the Roman period, the fortress was transformed into a well-governed small town, which lacks only the theater. About 250 years Goths destroy the fortress, but soon she recovered. In 395 years the Roman Empire was divided into Western and Eastern (Byzantium), all Bulgarian lands remain to Byzantium. Byzantines built a new wall has a pentagonal towers should not be vulnerable to fire with kamenometni machines. During the early Byzantine period Shumen Fortress already has the status of the city developed productive and commercial center, many coin finds evidence of trade of the inhabitants of the city with outlying parts of the empire. Invasion of the Bulgarians and huni in the second half of V - VII contributed to the decline of the ancient city. After the arrival of the Bulgarians in 680-681
Asparuhov on earth they built a fort of 300 meters. west of the sunken city in ruins. Rebuilding strong and make them into a military fortress (probably started in VIII century). Do not alter the structure of the walls, with the exception of the towers, they have triangular. In IX century Citadel fortress was built again becoming an important center where managers rezidirat city. Probably during this period appears the name of Shumen. Due to its proximity to the Bulgarian capital of Pliska and Veliki Preslav, the castle has played an important military role during the first Bulgarian state, but they concede a significant economic importance.
In 1001 Shumen fortress was conquered by the Byzantines, and in 30-or 40-years of XI century, was destroyed in pechenezhkite invasion, but later was reinstated.
At the end of the XII century, after the liberation uprising of Assen begins the period of the Second Bulgarian State, where Shumen becomes one of the most prosperous cities in Medieval Bulgaria. During this period, well developed agriculture, pottery (especially the production of scratch-ceramics), stonework, metal. In the management of Ivan Alexander had monetarnitsa here. Tsar Ivan Shishman visited fortress - evidence of its importance.
In 1388, during the campaign of the great Vizier Ali Pasha against northeastern Bulgaria, it was conquered by the Ottoman troops. In archaeological excavations have not found signs of destruction from this time on, the Ottoman layer lies close to that of the Second Bulgarian Kingdom, which suggests that the castle was passed into Ottoman hands without resistance.
End of the millenary history of the castle took place in 1444. During the second crusade it was conquered by the armies of King Vladislav III Yagelo after three-day siege and fierce resistance from the Ottoman garrison negolemiya. This led to its destruction and burning down, and then been abandoned forever.
Shumen Fortress is among the hundred national tourist site. Works year round, there are printing. It works and museum. Fortress is one of the most studied archaeological monuments in our country. Excavations were conducted in 1957-1987 years (most active during the years 1974-1981). They were discovered three walls - the Roman, early Byzantine (used later by the Bulgarians and osmantsi) and the Second Bulgarian State, with the characteristic towers for each period. Found remains of early Byzantine and bathroom waste channel, two pool, 12 churches (including the so-called "cult center" where four churches bases in one place) citadel. Among the findings deserve to be mentioned: Shoumen inscription of Tsar Ivan Shishman where he talks about the visit of the ruler in Shoumen (town name is written exactly that way) plate with an image of a man dancing (perhaps proto-Bulgarian shaman - the question remains unknown), the words of Acute ... bogoin (as Vera Antonova, this is the first Bulgarian Cyrillic lettering), scratch-ceramics; bunch of Trojan-type ceramics (proof that the fortress was Priamova contemporary of Troy); kolanni applications; liturgichni golden vessels, a large number of coins from all periods. The total area of the fortress is about 32 da, but significant proportion of the population lived outside the walls in podgradieto.
Fortress provides rich information about the military, cultural and economic life of its time.