Bargala

Bargala was a late Roman and early Byzantine town northeast of Štip, occupied from around the fourth century and abandoned after earthquake and invasion in the sixth. Excavation has uncovered the fortified gate and walls, an episcopal basilica with mosaic and marble flooring, a bath complex, a wine press and streets. It was a bishopric, and the scale of the basilica reflects that. The site sits in open country with no modern building over it.

Background

Bargala lies 15.5 kilometres east of Štip in Karbinci Municipality, in a river valley low on the northern slope of Plačkovica Mountain. Its name is of Thracian origin. It was a town of the Roman province of Macedonia Secunda and a religious and cultural centre for the middle Bregalnica region. An inscription records that the city gate was built in 371/372 AD. During the 4th and 5th centuries a bishop sat here, with a group of basilicas at the heart of the town and four further basilicas beyond the wall. Coins from the 580s give an approximate date for its abandonment. Digging began in 1966 and exposed a trapezoidal fortified site with ruins of seven towers and two gates.

Source: Wikipedia, "Bargala"

What you'll find

• The episcopal basilica - the large church with its mosaic and marble floors.
• The fortified gate - the main entrance and walls of the town.
• The bath complex - the Roman baths excavated within the walls.
• The open setting - a town site with no modern building on top of it.

When to go

April to October is the season. Summer is hot with little shade. The site may be unstaffed and the gate closed.

Practical notes

The site is often unstaffed and access can be uncertain. Interpretation is limited. There is no shade and no facilities.

Nearby

Stip is southwest, and Vinica is northeast.

Key facts