Perperikon

Perperikon was an important Thracian holy sanctuary which became a Roman town around the 1st century BC, and was later the site of a medieval fortress. Inhabited since 5000 BC, Perperikon became home to the Temple of Dionysus, legendary for being the place of great prophecies. One of the most famous of these involved Alexander the Great, who was told that he would conquer the world in 334 BC, prior to his invasion of Persia.

In a later continuation of the theme, Gaius Octavius – father of the Emperor Augustus – is also said to have consulted the oracle in 59 BC, and was told his son would rule the world. Whilst it was the Thracians who built the sanctuary, it was preserved and expanded under the Romans, who developed Perperikon into a larger settlement with an acropolis and a giant multi-storey palace. The remains of these structures have been excavated and can still be explored today.

Today visitors can wander through historic Perperikon, set on a high rocky hill overlooking beautiful countryside. Its fascinating ancient ruins may be explored, which include the remains of important public buildings, houses, stairways, altars, tombs and walls. It is advised you hire a guide to interpret them, as there are no information boards explaining what each ruin is. As the largest megalith archaeological site in the Balkans, Perperikon is an excellent place to explore the area’s ancient past and visit a fascinating ruined city once revered as sacred. Perperikon features as one of list most beautiful historical sites in Bulgaria.