Dating to the 12th century, this strategic fortress is one of two highly fortified hills (Trapezitza being the other) that protected Bulgarian rulers living on the site in the tsar’s palace. Explore the historical monument and enjoy the city views from the front steps.

Tsarevets Museum is located on Tsarevets Hill, which has been settled since time immemorial due to its strategic location. Thracians and Romans has used the location for defensive reasons, however, Byzantines built the first fortress here between the 5th and 7th centuries AD.

The fortress was rebuilt and fortified by the Slavs and Bulgars between the 8th and 10th centuries, and again by the Byzantines in the early 12th century. When Tarnovgrad became the Second Bulgarian Empire’s capital, the fortress was truly magnificent, but with the Turkish invasion in 1393, it was sacked and destroyed.

Explore the monument at your own pace
Enjoy spectacular views of the city from the front steps
Learn about the history of the fortress with reading material

Note this tour does not include entrance tickets to the attraction/museum
You will need to arrange your own transportation to/from the activity location(s)
Self-guided tour includes reading material (via PDF) available in English, Bulgarian, Romanian, French, German, Polish, Chinese, Japanese, Italian, Greek, Spanish or Turkish
Please contact the tour operator to request your preferred language. You will find their information on the voucher after booking
The reading material (PDF) will be sent to your email address
This reading material will be a customized PDF in your selected language and will include instructions on how to arrive to the starting location, travel tips and detailed explanations about the sights you will visit
Unfortunately, the grounds are not wheelchair acccessible
Children must be accompanied by an adult