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Thracian Heritage in Bulgaria

Once upon a time the Thracians inhabited our lands. Years later their ancient and mysterious culture was revealed in its true magnificence. The Thracian gold treasures conquered the modern world and enabled a great civilization to take its deserving place into the history of mankind.

The treasures found provide extremely valuable information on the religious and political life of the Thracians. Along with the other objects produced by the Thracian toreutics, these collections are the only authentic monuments of the culture of this people believed until recently to have had no writing system, but whose heritage may prove to be of much greater weight than assumed to date.

The magic Thracian culture  combines the mysticism of Orphism, the vitality of wine and the immortality of the human soul.

It is the Valley of Roses in Bulgaria  where you can find  the richest landmarks of the ancient Thracian civilization. The valley between the Balkan Range and Sredna Gora Mountains is named also  the Valley of the Thracian Kings.

Here you will have chance to see cultural landmarks of global significance :The Kazanlak Thracian Tomb, included in UNESCO World Herritage; the temple  of Seuthes III (Goluyamata Kosmatka), the temples in  Ostrusha and Svetitsa Mounds, in Shushnamets and others dating from 5th – 4th century BC.

About ten years ago near Starossel village was discovered an enormous Thracian Temple attracting thousands of visitors.  The  phenomenal discovery has been made in summer 2000. A  grave of what is believed to be a Thracian ruler had been dated back to  the forth or fifth century BC. The two-chamber grave is approached by monumental stairs and a corridor. It is surrounded by a wall made out of some 4 000 stone blocks and was hidden under a 20-meter high mound of earth. Within, archeologists found magnificent trove of relics, including a large gold funerary wreath, other gold jewely bronze shields, helmets and swords, and two sets of silver decorations for horses. The grave and its surroundings are also thought to have been an important religious site for Thracians.

Other Thracian dome tombs are discovered in Strandzha Mountains.

Numerous Thracian sanctuaries are scattered in the Bulgarian mountains. The most stunning one is Perperikon – a great temple of Dioynysus.

The Thracians were advanced in metalworking and in horsemanship. They intermingled with the Greeks and gave them the Dionysian and Orphean cults, which later became so important in classical Greek literature.