Anevsko kale

Anevsko Kale still stands today above the town of Sopot. It is one of the best-preserved fortresses of the Second Bulgarian Kingdom. A little-known fact is that it actually was Bulgarian capital. This happened under the rule of the local dignitaries Smilets, Voysil and Radoslav. They ruled the region during the fragmentation of the country into small independent areas in the 13th century.  Smilets, one of the brothers was even the king of Bulgaria for six years – between 1292 and 1298.

You have to work hard to reach it today. The road up to Anevsko Kale starts at a spacious lawn reached by asphalt road. At the beginning of the path, you will see the ruins of a church from the 13th or 14th century. Then you have to cross a small river. The road continues straight up. The trail is not well marked so tourists often themselves create an upward track. The remains of the fortress are visible all the way and you can use them to help you navigate direction.

It takes about two hours of climbing to get to the top. You should wear comfortable shoes and gear, as the track is not the easiest.  The preserved walls of the fortress now reach 12-14 meters in height. The suburbs and citadel of Anevsko Kale were part of the medieval city Kopsis, the forerunner of today’s Sopot. In the fortress, there has been monastery complex and the monastery was built on the ruins of even older one – from the fifth century. It is assumed that the fortress was built in the early 12th century and was abandoned after Bulgaria had fallen under the Ottoman yoke. The main entrance of the fortress was from the south. The castle was built on three levels and only the citadel was fortified. There is a ladder that leads you close to the half-ruined tower.