Tsarevets Fortress: The City of the Tsars

Welcome to Postcards, we're in Veliko Tarnovo, the old capital of Bulgaria and home to a real national treasure, Tsarevets Fortress. Perched on steep cliffs above the meandering Yantra River, the City of the Tsars, as it's known here, was the former seat of the medieval Bulgarian kings. It boasts an impressive collection of fortification walls, watchtowers, dungeons, a royal palace, 400 dwellings and 18 churches, attracting thousands of tourists every year. Tsarevets is also a powerful symbol of Bulgarian pride. For all Bulgarians, to come here once in a lifetime is to make a journey, a kind of pilgrimage. It always evokes the memories of our glorious past, when Bulgaria had access to three seas. That was during the 12th, 13th, 14th centuries, when Bulgaria was a great political force, competing with the Roman Empire, with Byzantium. Throughout the ages, the occupants of the place have left their original mark on the architecture. Up until today, like this painting from the mid-80s, that tells a complex and fascinating history of the fortress. One can easily spend hours exploring the site, set in peaceful and luscious surroundings. And when you're done exploring this magical place, just a few kilometers away is the protected village of Arbanasi, with its unique mix of Balkan and Ottoman architecture.