Castra ad Montanesium, Montana, Bulgaria

Castra ad Montanesium is a ruined Roman fortress in the town of Montana, Bulgaria. It was built as the town grew to greater importance as a Roman settlement. Near the entrance of fortress are the ruins of the basilica. The built tourist path passes along it and leads to the fortress walls, behind which there is another church, though it is smaller.

The fortress was constructed in the first century AD to give a defensive buff to the Roman town of Montanesium. During the reign of Constantine the Great (306-337) an early Christian basilica was constructed adjacent to the complex.

Between 440 and 490, the northwest of modern Bulgaria was devastated by the raids of the Huns, under Attila, and the Goths. Later raids by the Slavs and Avars between 500 and 560 resulted in the destruction of the fortress down to its foundations, along with most of Montanesium.

In the early 2010s, an initiative was undertaken to restore parts of the basilica and fortress, as a part of the second stage of the EU's Regional development program.

References:

Wikipedia

Address

Izvora 91, Montana, Bulgaria

See all sites in Montana

Details

Founded: 1st century AD
Category: Prehistoric and archaeological sites in Bulgaria

More Information

en.wikipedia.org

Rating

4.5/5 (based on Google user reviews)

Interesting Sites Nearby

Cherepish Monastery (46,9 km)
Klisurski Monastery (24,3 km)
Chiprovtsi Monastery (23,1 km)
Lopushna Monastery (16,4 km)
Ratiaria (52,6 km)
Mezdra Fortress (48,8 km)

User Reviews

Denny Markova (2 years ago)
This place is absolutely gorgeous! Walking around the ruins where people lived thousands years ago... The view from the top is perfect! The place is also well maintained. ?

Merallen ipiscua (3 years ago)
This park is near for everything like foods,clothing, shoes even it's close for the bus and train staion. Also you can find bank and atm's around. Suitable for kids to play and older people to walk and have their exercise under the trees around the big park with fish pond

Radka Antonova (4 years ago)
An interesting place where you can walk around walls, remembering great moments from the past.

Milen Mladenov (ReSco) (6 years ago)
Superb for walks at any time of the year

Venetsian Jakimov (7 years ago)
Not much left from the old roman fortress. It is in ruins.

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Photo from Flickr, copyright discopalace

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Sigmaringen Castle

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.

Castra ad Montanesium