Tuida was an early Byzantine and medieval fortress, the remains of which are located on the hill of Hisarlaka in the northeastern part of Sliven, which offers a unique view of the 'Sinite kamani' and the city. It is part of the old mountain fortification system, which played an extremely important role in the defence of the Roman Empire, and later of the early Byzantine Empire, as well as the medieval Bulgarian state. Tuida Castle was originally built in the 4th century AD and was in use until the 13th century.
Sigmaringen Castle was first mentioned in the year 1077 in the chronicles of Petershausen monastery. The oldest parts of the castle are concealed beneath the alterations made during the 17th and the 19th centuries. The secret of the earliest settlement built on this defendable rock will never be fully revealed: large-scale excavation work would be necessary, which the extensive land development renders impossible. Judging from the many Roman remains unearthed in the area around Sigmaringen, the 12th century keep known as the 'Roman Tower' could be traced back to a Roman predecessor.
The castle remains that have been preserved (gate, great hall and keep) date back to the Staufer period around 1200. The castle remains were integrated into subsequent buildings. The foundations of the castle buildings are to a large extent identical to the surrounding castle wall.
These remains give us a good idea of how the castle might have looked during the 12th century.