Tsarevgrad Tarnov
Among the bulgarian medieval villages you could hardly find one with greater cultural, historical, political, economic, as well as military significance, as has the capital of the Second Bulgarian Kingdom – Tsarevgrad Tarnov, nowadays Veliko Tarnovo.
One of the main characteristics of medieval Turnovo is the way around that River Etar (present-day Yantra) curls. Thats how the territory on which the town is located was formed in a natural way in two “peninsulas”, which actually turns Tarnovo in a grouping of two fortified settlements – Tsarevets and Trapezitsa. Indeed, the definition as a “peninsula” of the Tsarevets hil is also not quite accurate. The southern land area, enclosed from the river Yantra, is more like a beginning from the west corridor. At its eastern edge, it divides in two sections – northern and southern. The northern one has a large area and that’s where Tsarevets is located. And the southern one has a smaller width and that’s where the district of the foreign traders was located.
Tsarevets was fortified extra strongly. At its highest point it is 234 m. From the rocky massif to the river Yantra descend almost unapproachable vertical rocks, 80-100 m high. The rock was followed by massive fortress wall, which forms an irregular triangle. Closed area is about 100 000 square meters The thickness of the wall is 2.40 – 3.40 m. Its height height used to reach up to 10 m. The wall was enhanced by counterforces and angular towers in points, best preserved of which is the so called Baldwin’s tower. It acquired its present form after the restoration, as a model of which served the tower in the Red fortress. Partially restored and are Northwest and southeastern fortress walls.
The fortress could be entered through three gates. The main, which rises to the rock ridge, connecting Tsarevets with the surrounding area, is threefold, each door is protected by fortification towers. Before the first is the so-called Sechena skala – slot in the rock ridge, above which there is pending drawbridge. Nowadays the first and the third door are restored.
In the northwestern part of the fortress wall is the so called Malka porta (small port), protected by covered tower, now restored. It is rocky slopes cut in massive way to the river Yantra where neighborhood in the city. The southeastern port used to connect Tsarevets with the district of foreign traders.
The king’s palace on the hill, which occupies an area of 6 000 square meters, represents citadel of the fortress. He is surrounded by fortress wall, with rectangular towers and well-protected entrances to the north and south. The Patriarshiya (the Patriarch’s church), which is in the highest part of Tsarevets, was also strengthened. In the fortress are also located the boyars’ residential complex.
The second hill – Trapezitsa, naturally protected from 4 sides by the meandring river Yantra and the high rocks, is also surrounded by fortress wall, which followed the rocky edges of the hill. There were 6 gates, protected by military towers. The main port is situated on the south side of the hill. Cut in trock is a road to the river Yantra and hence a bridge to the Saint Forty martyrs church, connecting Trapezitsa with Tsarevets hill.
The territory, enclosed between the two hills, known under the name New Town, was also built. It was protected by two fortified walls which go down from Tsarevets and Trapezitsa to the river.
In the former area of New Town are a significant part of the Turnovo cultural monuments. There is the Great Lavra monastery, churches “Saint 40 martyrs” , “St. Virgin”, “Saint George”, “Saint Peter and Pavel” and Shishmanova bathroom.
The district of foreign traders was protected by a fortress wall from the western side, which was most vulnerable. Here was the gate through which one could enter into the district, protected from the other three sides by the river Yantra. On Momina hill rises Devingrad fortress, where only drilling excavations have been carried out .
