Bulgaria · 4th century
Hisarlaka Fortress is an ancient and medieval fortress occupying a hill at 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) to the south-east of Kyustendil, in what is now Bulgaria. Originally constructed by the Romans around 400 AD, it was among the most important castles of the Bulgarian Empire in the Middle Ages before it was partially destroyed by the Ottomans in the 15th century.
Hisarlaka Fortress was the administrative and religious center of the region from the 5th to the 15th centuries. The expansive fortress was constructed over ten centuries by different rulers.
Text adapted from “Hisarlaka fortress” on Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Hisarlaka Fortress ranks #4,612 of 9,079 worldwide in the atlas's castle fame ranking, and #18 of the 26 mapped in Bulgaria. Founded c. 400, it is older than 97% of the atlas's dated landmarks — one of 14 atlas entries founded in the 4th century. Its Wikipedia articles were opened 1,135 times in the last 60 days, more than 54% of the atlas. The nearest day-trip guide is Sofia, 70 km away. See how Bulgaria compares in the castle statistics.
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