Pliska - The First Bulgarian capital
The town used to be the main political, military, economic and cultural centre from the foundation of the Bulgarian State in 681 till 893. Pliska is also among the most impressive monuments of Medieval European town-planning. Situated at a crossroad amidst a vast plain of rolling hills, the first capital of the Bulgarian State was protected with strong fortress walls. The location of the city was not left to the blind chance. Being a people of the steppes, the ancient Bulgarians preferred level terrains to put up their camps and settlements. The defense fortifications comprised three rings.
The outermost was a deep and wide moat, the middle one - a rampart whose thick stone walls once rose up to 12 metres in some places, and the innermost - a fortress built up of clay bricks.
Researchers have found three stages in the development of the ancient Bulgarian capital.
Khan Kroum's Palace was built on an area of 500 square metres and is a remarkable architectural monument of the first stage.
There were secret passages and tunnels for the inhabitants to leave the town in case of emergency. The Palace had its own big water reservoir and baths modern for that time.
The second stage marked the peak of town design and construction. That was the time when Khan Omourtag ruled. Dating back to that period are the fortress walls, the so-called Small Palace with houses for the members of the royal family, the new baths with an intricate heating system, two pagan shrines and the richly decorated Throne Hall.
The third construction stage includes early Christian buildings of worship with impressive size. The most impressive architectural monument of that time is the Grand Basilica. With its 2920 square metres it was the largest Christian church on the Balkan Peninsula for its time. The imposing three-nave basilica was 100 metres long and 30 metres wide. It was in the centre of a monastery complex of sophisticated architecture.
Pliska is the town where the Christian faith was adopted as an official religion of the Bulgarian people in the 9th century. In the year 886 Prince Boris I received here the disciples of the creators of the Slav Alphabet the brothers Cyril and Methodius.