Thracian fortress Gradishte

Overview

The Thracian fortress Gradishte is located in the area of ​​Gradishte, 3.5 km southwest of the village of Gela. It is located on a rocky hill with a northeast-southwest orientation, north of the peak Shilestata Chuka. The altitude of the Thracian fortress is about 1900 m above sea level. To this day, no other Thracian fortress is located, located so high - studied archaeologically. The builders of Gredishte used natural resources, providing difficult access and therefore easy defense of the fortress. The role of the eastern wall is played by the 150-200 meter rock abyss. The duration of the transition to the fortress "Gradishte" is about 3 hours in both directions, and the beginning of the route is from the parking lot in front of the hotel, and for the most part it is well marked. We start on the asphalt road to Mach. Trendafilovska and after a few turns enters the neighborhood, you pass a white newly built house (right). The road turns sharply left then right and reaches a fork with a sign indicating the direction of the fortress "Gradishte". The fortress wall is built on the northern, western and southern slopes of the hill. Its route horizontally covers the ridge, enclosing a terrain with an area of ​​about 3 decares. It has an approximately elliptical shape with a maximum length of 160 m and a maximum width of 45 m. In its area, the Thracian fortress "Gradishte" is the largest in the Rhodopes and is among the largest fortresses built in the highlands, similar to the Byzantine fortress of Turluk near Smolyan and the fortress of Povisd near the village of Podvis, municipality Smolyan.