Tsari Mali Grad

Tsari Mali Grad stands on a hill above the village of Belchin south of Sofia, a fortified site occupied from the Thracian period, built up substantially in the fourth to sixth centuries as a late Roman fort and used again in the medieval period, with walls, towers, a church and cisterns. It was excavated from 2007 and then reconstructed and opened as a visitor site in 2014, with walls and a tower rebuilt to height, walkways, a museum building and a covered church. The reconstruction is extensive and clearly modern, which is a matter of opinion: it makes the plan legible for visitors and it means much of what stands is new. The hill gives a view over the Belchin valley toward Rila.

The main sights

• Rebuilt walls and tower - the fortification reconstructed to height.
• The covered church - the excavated church under a protective roof.
• Cisterns and interior buildings - the fabric inside the walls.
• The Rila view - the mountains from the hilltop.

When to go

April to October; winter opening is reduced. Two hours including the climb, which is on a stepped path. Weekends bring Sofia families. Mornings are quieter.

Practical notes

A large share of what stands is modern reconstruction rather than original fabric, and the distinction is not always clear on site. The climb is steep. Interpretation is mainly in Bulgarian. It is aimed partly at families.

Nearby

Samokov and Borovets are east; Sofia lies north.

Key facts