Places of interest
Tsepina Fortress
The medieval fortress of Tsepina is situated 18 km east of Velingrad and 6 km northeast from the village of Dorkovo. It was constructed in a cone-shape atop of a peak with the same name at an altitude of 1,136 m. During the Middle Ages that was one of the most famous fortresses in the region. In the IXth century the fortress was adopted in Bulgarian territory and is taken by Byzantium in XIth century. Liberated again by the Bulgarian forces during the rule of Tsar Kaloyan who appointed Despot Alexius Slav as a governor of the Rhodope region. In 1206 Alexis Slav marries the daughter of the emperor of Constantinople Henry I de Hainaut. After Kaloyan's death in 1207 Slav practically became an independent local ruler. Between 1246 and 1254 Tsepina was occupied by the Nicaeans but was recovered by Tsar Michael II Asen. In 1373 the fortress was captured by the Ottoman Turks in the course of the Bulgarian-Ottoman Wars and destroyed. During the archaeological excavations here were found the remains of three churches, 4 water tanks (with depth of 10 m each), inner and outer fortress walls attracting many tourists. The outer walls are 3 m thick and are preserved up to 6 m height. Two marble reliefs were found in one of the churches with the faces of St. Peter and St. Paul and are now on display in the Hermitage museum at St. Petersburg in Russia.
The medieval fortress of Tsepina is situated 18 km east of Velingrad and 6 km northeast from the village of Dorkovo. It was constructed in a cone-shape atop of a peak with the same name at an altitude of 1,136 m. During the Middle Ages that was one of the most famous fortresses in the region. In the IXth century the fortress was adopted in Bulgarian territory and is taken by Byzantium in XIth century. Liberated again by the Bulgarian forces during the rule of Tsar Kaloyan who appointed Despot Alexius Slav as a governor of the Rhodope region. In 1206 Alexis Slav marries the daughter of the emperor of Constantinople Henry I de Hainaut. After Kaloyan's death in 1207 Slav practically became an independent local ruler. Between 1246 and 1254 Tsepina was occupied by the Nicaeans but was recovered by Tsar Michael II Asen. In 1373 the fortress was captured by the Ottoman Turks in the course of the Bulgarian-Ottoman Wars and destroyed. During the archaeological excavations here were found the remains of three churches, 4 water tanks (with depth of 10 m each), inner and outer fortress walls attracting many tourists. The outer walls are 3 m thick and are preserved up to 6 m height. Two marble reliefs were found in one of the churches with the faces of St. Peter and St. Paul and are now on display in the Hermitage museum at St. Petersburg in Russia.
