http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=otaFCSdPKMo

Khan Asparouh guards the road into Pliska. (Affectionately known to some tourists as King Pliska.)              

Pliska Ruins
Near to Varbyane is Pliska, the ancient first capital city of Bulgaria

please wait while loading

    Pliska, the first capital city of Bulgaria

  Two kilometres away from the town of Pliska are the remains of the imposing ancient capital of Pliska – the first capital of Dunabian Bulgarian, founded in 681 AD by Khan Asparouh.   It existed until 893 – 894 AD when the capital was moved to Preslav by Tsar Simeon I the Great.

   The old town consisted of three concentric fortifications. The “Exterior City” marked by a moat in the ground with a rampart enclosing a rectangular territory of 23 square km, which includes within it the modern town of Pliska.  Almost in the middle of the “Exterior City” is situated the interior fortress surrounding the “Interior City”. The fortress has a solid stone wall (2.5 m wide), made of huge slabs. At each corner there was a trapezium – a shaped tower, and on each of the four walls there are two five–sided towers and a gate. The main entrance is the East Gate.  The third inner defensive zone is a solid built brick wall surrounding the citadel situated in the centre of the “Interior City”. The Grand Palace is the best preserved building in the “Interior City”. The throne of the Khan’s Council was situated here. The size of the palace is 52m long x 26.5m wide.

    Khan Omurtag (814 – 831) turned Pliska into one of the biggest East– European centres in the early Middle Ages. The Small Palace occupies 568 square metres. It was the Khan's residence. Unlike the Grand Palace the Small Palace was more exquisite and richer. Pliska underwent not only great constructions but also a high degree of improvements, such as under floor heating installation, and windows with glass.   There is an archaeological museum near the excavation. Extensive digs in 2010 have revealed a skeleton, which can be seen in situ alongside the wall of the South-East tower, and a very large stone floored courtyard complex.

The skeleton.

 Working time: 08:30-19:0       Telephones  ++359 5323/22 71,

The Basilica at Pliska
Close to Pliska ruins, the ancient Christian Church

please wait while loading

please wait 30 seconds while loading and if you are not on Broadband it may take longer.

This is a mobile multiple image projector. If it does not work on your system, view by clicking on the thumbnails listed below.

      The Battle for Pliska
  Every year, on 26 July, at the archaeological site in Preslav (the second ancient Bulgarian Capital) there takes place a representation of the Battle of Pliska (the first ancient Bulgarian capital) when the Bulgarian Khan Krum defeated the Byzantine Emperor Nikephoros I who had laid siege to and burned Pliska.  Krum used the Emperor' skull as a drinking cup.

please wait while loading

 

    The Battle of Pliska was a series of battles between troops, gathered from all parts of the Byzantine Empire, led by the Emperor Nikephoros I, and those of Bulgaria, governed by Khan Krum.

   The Byzantines plundered and burned the ancient Bulgarian capital Pliska which gave time for the Bulgars to block passes in the Balkan Mountains that served as exits out of Bulgaria. The final battle took place on 26th July 811, in some of the passes in the eastern part of the Balkan, most probably the Varbitsa Pass. There, the Bulgars used the tactics of ambush and surprise at night to effectively trap and immobilize the Byzantine Army, thus annihilating almost the whole army, including the Emperor Nikephoros I.  After the battle, Khan Krum encased Nikephoros' skull in silver, and used it as a cup for wine-drinking. 

 

 A Silver Encased Human Skull Drinking Cup