Mezek

Mezek is a small village in South Bulgaria. It is situated in East Rhodope Mountain, 2 km from the Greek border, 292 km south-east from Sofia, 74 km from Haskovo and 13 km west of Svilengrad.

Surroundings

• The Thracian tomb of Mezek is situated on 13 km west of Svilengrad and 74 km south-east of Haskovo. It is considered as the largest tomb and one of the most interesting and impressive dome tombs of a Mycenaean type in Thrace. It dates back from the 4th century B.C. numerous unique objects made of gold, bronze, iron, glass and ceramics have been discovered in the tomb. One of the most interesting treasures is the bronze statue of a wild boar from the middle of the second half of the 4th century B.C. According to the specialists, the tomb probably belonged to a local nobleman.

• The medieval fortress around the village of Mezek is one of the well-preserved fortresses in Bulgaria. The walls surround an area of about 6,5 decares, with the shape of an irregular rectangle. The defence of the fortress is strengthened by nine towers. The construction is attributed to the end of the 11th and the beginning of the 12th century, probably during the rule of Aleskey Comnin I. The fortification was used until the fall of the region under the Ottoman rule.