Tsarevets - the home of the kings

The king’s palace and the Patriarchal complex were the most impressive ensembles on the hill. The Medieval Bulgarian rulers and their entourage resided at the palace. The complex was reconstructed several times in the period XII-XIV c. It was surrounded by high fortress wall with turrets. Richly decorated buildings were facing an inner yard. The throne room and king’s chambers had marvelous interior. The building of king’s administrators and a lot of service buildings were housed inside the complex. The relics of the most respected Bulgarian female saint – St. Paraskevi were laid down in the Court church dedicated to her.

The inaccessible hill of Tsarevets was the best place where the supreme power of the Bulgarian tsars could be established. The sophisticated fortress system ensured safety of the citizens. The main entrance of the fortress was the west one. It was fortified by four consecutive gates and turrets above them. There was a wooden draw-bridge in front of the first gate.