Hisarya

Hisarya – Hissar – Diocletianopolis in Thracia was an ancient Thracian and Roman town in the region of Thrace, nowadays in southern Bulgaria, 40 km to the north of Plovdiv, at 170 km to the east of Sofia.

Archeological research shows that the present Hisarya was inhabited 6000 years BCE by the ancient tribe of Bessi which developed a Thracian settlement here. In the 1st century CE Thrace was conquered by the Roman Empire when a large Roman settlement appeared around the springs. The first documented name for the town during these times was Augusta after Emperor Augustus. In 293 CE the Roman Emperor Diocletian came here because of the healing mineral springs and the town was named after him — Diocletianopolis, when the settlement gained the status of a city. Between the 4th and the 6th century the Hisarya was the Episcopal seat, when a number of religious Christian buildings were erected – the remains of 10 basilicas with frescoes, marble floors, crypts, chapels, baptisteries, necropolises were discovered, as well as various ritual objects testify on the rich history of Hisarya. At the beginning of the 6th century the town was encircled by fortification walls. During the early Middle Ages, around the 9th century the present town – the SPA center of Hissar was founded.

“The Roman Baths of the Ancient town of Diocletianopolis /Municipality of Hisarya/ – the pearl of the archaeological reserve and the newest attraction in Hisarya. The Roman town of Diocletianopolis /now Hisarya/, founded by Emperor Diocletian in 293 AD, was the third largest town in the province of Thrace after Philippopolis /Plovdiv/ and Beroe /Stara Zagora/. The rich thermo-mineral deposit near the nowadays town of Hisarya has defined the healing and restorative nature of Diocletianopolis since ancient times. It was also the main reason for the town to develop and become the largest balneotherapy centre in the Eastern Balkan Roman provinces”. Source: https://outr.bulgariatravel.org/rose-valley/category/78/node/530

Hisarya – Hissar is a small resort town in central Bulgaria located in the Plovdiv province, at the elevation of 368 meters, in the outskirts of the Sredna Gora mountain range. Hisarya features a very mild climate and over two dozen mineral and curative springs, which are friquently visited by Bulgarian and foreign tourists. Hisarya has 22 hot water springs actively used since ancient times. Depending on the spring composition, the temperatures range from 44-55˚C. You can find public warm mineral water spouts where locals and visitors alike are lined up to enjoy the water and even take a bottle or two home with them. The chemical composition of the waters in Hisar are known to have various positive health effects. Along with the mild climate with lots of sunny days /280/, Hisarya has turned into one of the most well-known SPA & health resorts in Bulgaria and a very obvious option for international medical tourism. The mineral waters contain hydro-carbonate, sulphate, sodium, flourine, silicon, radon and hydro-sulphide. The waters of Hisarya – Hissar are suitable for drinking, inhalation and for external therapeutic usage. They provide relief for many medical disorders such as urological problems, gastrointestinal diseases, muscoloskeletal diseases, peripheral nervous system diseases, metabolic diseases and gynecological disorders. Additionally, many hotels in Hisarya offer SPA facilities such as sauna, steambaths, jacuzzi, indoor thermal pools, fitness rooms and SPA treatments such as massage, hydrotherapy, kinetotherapy, mineral water baths, mud applications etc.

The favourable climate and abundance of thermal springs were the reasons why people settled here since the antiquity. The first settlers were Thracians while later the Romans conquered these lands and transformed the town. Today, the archaeological remains of Hissar bear the unmistakable evidence of palaces, wide stone streets, marble baths, an amphitheater in circus style, and monumental fortification walls. The walls of Hissar have been preserved in some places up to 14 meters in height and the south gate rises to 13 meters.  The architecture and fortifying system of the Roman town of Diocletianopolis are among the most original and well preserved in Europe. A lot of buildings are concentrated in the central park of the modern town “Maiden’s tears”. Ruins from the Roman period are still well-preserved in the modern city of Hisarya. Wide streets, stunning courtyards, villas, marble baths, aquaducts, sewage systems and an amphitheater. The cherry on the top must be the impressive fortified wall encircling the town that is still quite well-preserved to this day. After the Christianity was accepted as an official religion in the Roman Empire in the first decades of the 4th century AD, Diocietianopolis became an important Christian center – a bishop’s seat. So far ten Early Christian basilicas dating from the period between the 4th and the 6th centuries have been excavated within and outside the Hisarya fortress walls. They are indicative for the characteristics of the Early Christian architecture development – earliest featuring either elongated or shortened naves with single porches and altars, and a huge semi-circular apse in the eastern side. This could be seen even today in the Early Christian churches, which are well preserved and exhibited. The remains of an unique by now two-aisled basilica have been discovered here. It had been built in the middle of the 5th century in the barrack complex of the ancient town. In the historical sources Diocletianopolis is mentioned as the third biggest town in the province of Thrace after Philippopol (Plovdiv) and Beroe (Stara Zagora).The modern name, Hissar, means fortress in Arabic. This name showed up in the 17th century when the Ottomans renamed the city and remains to this day.

‘The Ancient Thracian Cromlech (Stone Circle) in the town of Staro Zhelezare is an Ancient Thracian megalithic observatory located 12 km away from the southern Bulgarian town of Hisarya, and 10 km southeast of the Thracian cult temple at Starosel. The Ancient Thracian cromlech in the town of Staro Zhelezare consists of 24 erect megalithic slabs (of which 2 are missing) of various sizes arranged in a proper circle. They are believed to have been used by the Odrysians (Odrysae), the most powerful Thracian tribe which created the Odrysian Kingdom. The stone circle was covered buried under a man-made mound known today as Cholakova Mogila by the Thracians after they stopped using it. The mound itself is 45 meters in diameter, and the stone circle measures 6 meters in diameter.

The Staro Zhelezare Cromlech (Stone Circle) was discovered in 2001 by the late Bulgarian archaeologist Georgi Kitov. Fragments of ceramic vessels found after digging up the mound above the cromlech were dated to the beginning of the 5th century BC, while the cromlech (stone circle) itself is dated to the 6th century BC. It is the only cromlech (stone circle) of its kind found in the northern part of today’s historical and geographic region of Thrace (Trakiya) known as Upper Thrace. Similar stone circles have been found in the very south of Bulgaria – in the Eastern Rhodope Mountains and in the Strandzha Mountain. Archaeological and astronomical research indicates that the cromlech (stone circle) near Staro Zhelezare was used by the Ancient Thracians as an astronomical observatory to measure the year cycle, equinoxes, and solstices which played an essential role in the rituals and economics in the Thracian calendar. The different phases of the Sun God were followed by the Thracian priests while the regular Thracians provided sacrifice gifts. Cromlech (from Welsh) is a term describing prehistoric and ancient megalithic structures. In English, it usually stands for dolmens, prehistoric single-chamber stone tombs. However, in some other European languages, including Bulgarian, French, Spanish, or Italian, cromlech stands for prehistoric megalithic structures known more commonly known in English as stone circles. Source: Kristin Bugda – The Thracian Chronicles and ancient World http://archaeologyinbulgaria.com/…/thracian-cromlech…/

Thanks to its location in central-southern Bulgaria, Hisarya benefits from a mild and pleasant climate with an average of 280 sun days a year. Visitors must visit the fortified Roman wall, the Roman baths, the central parks, the early Christian basilicas, the Roman tomb and many more interesting things to see. Visitors are warmly recommended to take a walk around the town and maybe outside of town to witness the amazing nature of this region. Mountains, small villages, churches, sheep, goats, horses, meadows, fields…there is no shortage of exciting things to discover in rural Bulgaria. Hisarya’s numerous parks and gardens full of venerable trees and thousands of plants and flowers invite to long and relaxing strolls. Its region is famous for the tasteful grapes and wines – a culinary invitation wanting to be enjoyed with all senses. Almost every hotel in Hisar have a few bicycles available for rent at the reception. There is a very nice bicycle lane that follows the ancient Roman fortification. The Sredna Gora region is actually quite famous for horseback riding due to the terrain. Hisarya has a few riding centres and any hotel will be able to help you make a reservation for horseback riding.

Not exactly in Hisarya but a short drive away, you will find excellent wineries that invite you to taste their wines, dine in their restaurants, walk around the property and learn about wine-making. Hisarya is situated in the wine region known as the Rose Valley wine region. In close proximity to Hisarya, visitors will find the Starosel Wine & SPA complex – a winery, hotel, restaurant and SPA all-in-one. Starosel Winery is the perfect excursion from Hisarya. Another famous winery located very close by is Chateau Copsa – a winery with excellent wines and a fantastic restaurant, boldly experimenting with the local grape variety of Red Misket /Misket Cherven/, which is well-known from time immemorial as the pearl of the region and features pinkish-red to violet color and provides excellent dry wine.  There are regular buses from Plovdiv South Bus Station, which take you to Hisarya in about an hour. There is also a bus from Sofia to Hisarya, and the bus ride takes approximately 3 hours.

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