Guide to Pliska —
The Capital of the First Bulgarian Empire
Pliska is mysterious and full of stories. Like an old history book. It invites you to another world filled with war ghosts, architectural apogee, and cultural bloom. It’s soulful and immersive. It fills your mind with pictures of the long-lost past when you suddenly realize that the past is not lost. It’s right there and we can see it. We can feel the effects it’s had on our contemporary lives. The past lives within us.
Pliska is also quiet and welcoming. I visited it in April so I would imagine it’s more tourist-friendly then rather than in July or August when tourists, thirsty for history and culture, come in flocks. And crowds is all you can expect when visiting the first capital of Bulgaria.
My travel companions and I were lucky to have made this trip so early in the spring, because not only did we manage to catch the warm sunbeams, but we also enjoyed the solitude that the fortress could provide. It would most certainly lose its calming effect in the presence of a know-it-all tourist guide with a loudspeaker. No offense.
How to get to Pliska
It’s easy to get to Pliska if you own a car. It’s situated about 20 km northeast of Shumen Province, near the village of Kaspichan. It’s 74 km far from Varna so you can make the trip in less than an hour. You really don’t need a navigational system — the old-school road signs are a good enough GPS for getting to the town, but finding the Fortress could be a bit tricky. There’s a chance you might need to consult with friendly locals once you reach the town center.
You could save money on gas if you decide to take the train for the unbelievable price ticket of 2–3 leva (€1–1.50). The downside is that it’s really time-consuming. The trip from Varna to Pliska is approximately 3 hours, and from Sofia to Pliska — the excruciating 8 hours. The real inconvenience for travelers is caused by the lack of interurban transport between the Fortress and the Basilica. It isn’t a long way (about 3 km), but it’s still uncomfortably long walking distance.
Pliska National Historical Archeological Reserve
We reached the Pliska National Historical Archeological Reserve by car with the town center as our starting point. The Reserve is huge — the Outer town alone covers an area of 23.3 sq km. The trees had blossomed and the green-themed atmosphere of April was enough of an incentive for us to roam the ruins of this ancient place.
Pliska was founded as a settlement after the Bulgarians scored a great victory over the Byzantine Empire in 681. Khan Asparuh selected Pliska as the central residency for Bulgarian rulers thus marking the beginning of the first capital of the Bulgarian state for the next 200 years. It was erected at the place of a bivouac (a temporary camp without tents or cover, used especially by soldiers or mountaineers.), the center of which was gradually overbuilt by representative palaces. Now we can see only the first used bricks of these enormous ancient buildings. The capital’s defense system consists of three concentric fortifications: a moat in the ground with a rampart enclosing a rectangular territory of 23 square kilometers, a solid stone wall (2.5 m wide) and a brick wall, surrounding the citadel. Archeologists have discovered secret passages that the people could escape through during a siege.
The Citadel was a fortified residential palace of the Bulgarian ruler and his family. One of the most interesting things about it is that there are three arched passages of the underground tunnels leading southwards and northwards, outside the fortress in the brick wall.
In the Reserve, you can also see a large reservoir and a stone square with a wooden fence and a stand that covers an area of one acre. Architectural features of the site — dug and fenced — testify to its function — playing (sports) facility.
There is a museum in the Reserve if you need another peek into the lives of Pliska’s first residents, their culture and general lifestyle. There aren’t any additional entry fees.
Pliska National Historical Archeological Reserve is included in the 100 Tourist Sites of Bulgaria list.
The Great Basilica of Pliska
The Great Basilica complex is located 3 km of the Fortress’ main entrance, but we had to ask for directions due to the lack of signs. That seemed a little bizarre to us considering that both the Reserve and the Great Basilica complex are restoration sites and welcome many tourists annually. Nevertheless, it’s really not that hard to find. An interesting fact is that the path from the Fortress to the Great Basilica was used for ceremonial processions.
Visiting the Great Basilica is a must on your itinerary as a tourist because it was rated as one of the greatest cathedrals in early medieval Europe. The so-called Great Basilica, the Archbishop’s residency, the first Bulgarian monastery were all located on an area of more than 20 acres, surrounded and protected by a stone wall nearly 4 m high.
Unfortunately, there aren’t many restaurants in the area. That’s not counting a little local store with 3–4 tables upfront located after the Reserve’s entry barrier. Luckily, we could spot a couple of signs which pointed in the direction of some taverns in Shumen city. And so we drove.
All photos courtesy of Pamela Pankova