The small city of Pernik

One of the main objectives for this new year is to enjoy Bulgarian nature, culture, cities, and people as much as possible. This was the main impetus for this visit to the small town of Pernik. Seemingly nothing grand but what attracted me the most is the historical importance of this area. The most important attraction in this city is Krakra Fortress.

The medieval Krakra Fortress is situated on a relatively small rocky plateau at the southwestern part of the town of Pernik.

The preserved remains outline a polygonal fortress that is believed to have been built during the reign of Khan Omurtag (814-831). The wall of the fortress is 2 metres thick. It follows the natural curves of the plateau.

Archaeologists discovered remains which prove that a fortress stood on this spot as far back as the 6th – 5th century BC. However, its history is mainly related to the name of boyar Krakra of Pernik, a military leader who lived in the 10th – 11th centuries. He was a ruler of the fortress and the town of Pernik, and also of 35 more fortresses in the region at the beginning of the 11th century. The Fortress of Pernik put up stubborn resistance against the Byzantine conquerors, withstanding two sieges (in 1004 and 1016) and thus the medieval town of Pernik escaped demolition.

The fortress offers a view of Karvavoto Area. According to the legend, in 1016 Krakra resisted an 88-day siege, during which many Byzantines found their deaths. Their blood painted the land in the area red, thus giving its name.

In addition to the preserved foundations of dwellings, visitors can also see the foundations of three Christian churches: the ruler’s personal church, a big basilica with a nave and two aisles, and one of the oldest two-storey church-tombs in the Christian world. There, archaeologists also discovered a silver seal that belonged to Tsar Peter (927 – 969), the only royal silver seal from that period found so far. According to the legend, it was exactly in this place where Tsar Peter spent some time while on his way to meet Saint Ivan of Rila.

Always in these types of environments, I feel a different energy, I feel like I belong. I am fascinated by the idea of what life could be like in those countries. Who knows, maybe my soul has been an inhabitant of this land...