Asara

Overview

Asara Fortress is an early Byzantine fortress located north of the town of Nikolaevo, on a hill of the same name (Asara). The fortress had an excellent strategic location, and it had excellent visibility in all directions. Its main task was to guard the Hainboaz Pass.

The fortress has three rows of fortress walls, and the only other fortress in Bulgaria with three rows of walls is "Tsarevets". The walls were built during the late antiquity (V-VI century) by building an "opus implectum", with front limestone and sand blocks and with ceramic elements in the mortar joint.

Next to the fortress is the cave "Tsarska Dupka", which in the past served as a secret exit from the fortress. It led to the Radova River. There was once an early Byzantine settlement in the area between Asara Hill and the river.

Archaeological excavations in the region have revealed traces of stone buildings, medieval weapons, vessels and ornaments and ceramic elements from different eras - from the XII-IX century BC. (Early Iron Age), from the II-IV century, from the V-VI century, XI-XII century and XIII-XIV century. The foundations of a church were found on the eastern slope of Asara Hill.