Pliska

Pliska was founded around 681 as the capital of the first Bulgarian state and held that role for two centuries, and its scale is the striking thing: an outer earth rampart enclosing about twenty-three square kilometres, with an inner stone-walled town of half a square kilometre inside it holding the palace, a throne hall, a bath, water systems and, after the conversion in the 860s, the Great Basilica, which was among the largest churches in Europe when it was built. The site was abandoned when the capital moved to Preslav. What is visible is foundations, wall stretches, the reconstructed eastern gate and the basilica plan, spread over open ground with a museum at the entrance.

What you actually see

• A twenty-three-square-kilometre enclosure - the scale of the outer rampart.
• The Great Basilica - among the largest churches in Europe when built.
• Palace and throne hall foundations - the inner town plan.
• The reconstructed eastern gate - the rebuilt entrance to the inner walls.

When to go

April to October. Two hours. There is no shade on the open site and summer is hot. Mornings are better. It combines with Veliki Preslav and Madara on one circuit.

Honest expectations

Everything is at foundation level and the scale is hard to grasp on the ground. There is no shade. Interpretation is limited in English. The museum is small. Distances between the parts of the site require walking or driving.

Nearby

Madara Rider is south; Veliki Preslav lies south-west.