Sostra was an ancient Roman fortress. Its remains now lay in the valley of the Osum River between the towns of Lovech and Troyan. Excavations were launched only few years ago and most of the developments that took place there are still veiled in mystery.

According to historians, Sostra was built as a fortification for the troops garrisoned to protect a very important road from the Danube to Philippopolis. The name Sostra probably has Greek origin and means connection. This name signifies the strategic positioning of the fortress.

A map from the 4th century features the fortification. The presence of troops provided safety that attracted people to settle there. Very soon, a craftsmen’s district appeared in the town. In the end of the 5th century, the fortress and the town were destroyed by the Huns.

Visitors today can see some of the remains. Others are still being explored. Many coins were found in the area, the oldest dating back to the Hellenic period. A bronze mask of a Thracian ruler was also discovered. The finding is unusual since most Thracian discoveries are concentrated in the southern part of Bulgaria.

The remains of an ancient castle can be seen near the little town of Provadia. The fortress carried the name Ovech.

According to historians, Ovech was part of a Byzantine defense system, hindering the invasion of northern tribes.

When it came under Bulgarian control, the fortress played key role in many battles during the First Bulgarian Kingdom.

Ovech is situated on a high, rocky hill. A narrow strip of land connects the stronghold with another hill, Tabiite. Legends tell how wheat and food were stored in the nearby caves to supply locals in case of a siege.

Byzantines, Ottomans and knights captured the fortress many times. King Ivan Alexander ordered the confinement of three prisoners in the fortress in 1366. The knights Amadeus of Savoy and the marshal of burgundy were two of them. They were captured by the Ovech army during the battle for Varna.

Small portion of the fortress walls have remained intact till present day. The remains are sufficient to draw a picture and imagine the castle’s dimensions. An 80 m deep well that supplied the fortress with water can be seen as well.

The archaeological reserve “Medieval town of Cherven” is situated near to the village of Cherven and is only 32 km in south of the city of Rousse, on the road to the town of Dve mogili. It is the largest medieval settlement with a fortress in the Polomie region.

The ancient town consisted of two parts- a citadel and a main town. The walls reach 3 of thickness. The architectural reserve includes the remains of the fortress, the bishop’s church and the boyar’s palace in the same town. Here are a big Medieval tower with 12 m of height, an underground tunnel- well, water- supplying the fortress in the time of siege, such as the remains of 13 churches.

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The Belogradchik Fortress (Bulgarian: Белоградчишка крепост, Belogradchiska krepost), also known as Kaleto (Калето, “the fortress” from Turkish kale), is an ancient fortress close to the northwestern Bulgarian town of Belogradchik and the town’s primary cultural and historical tourist attraction, drawing, together with the Belogradchik Rocks, the main flow of tourists into the region. It is one of the best-preserved strongholds in Bulgaria and a cultural monument of national importance.

The fortress’ walls are over 2 m thick in the foundation and reaching up to 12 m in height. Three separate fortified yards exist that are connected with each other through gates. The fortress has a total area of 10,210 m?. The Belogradchik Fortress was reconstructed to later become a proclaimed cultural monument. It is managed by the local historical museum authority.

The initial fortress was constructed during the time when the region was part of the Roman Empire. The rock formations in the area served as a natural protection, as fortified walls were practically only built from the northwest and southeast, with the yard being surrounded by rocks up to 70 metres high from the other sides.

Initially, the Belogradchik Fortress served for surveillance and not strictly defence. Bulgarian tsar of Vidin Ivan Stratsimir extended the old fortress in the 14th century, building fortified garrisons before the existing rock massifs. During Stratsimir’s rule, the Belogradchik Fortress became one of the most important strongholds in the region, second only to the tsar’s capital fortress of Vidin, Baba Vida.

During the Ottoman conquest of Bulgaria, the fortress was captured by the Ottomans in 1396. They were forced to further expand the stronghold due to the intensified hajduk and insurrectionary activity in the region.

Considerable changes to the fortress were made in the early 19th century. These changed were typical for the Ottoman castle architecture of the period, a full reorganization being carried out, as well as additional expansion. Typically European elements were added to the Belogradchik Fortress owing to the French and Italian engineers that participated in the expansion.

The stronghold had an important role in the Ottoman suppression of the Bulgarian Belogradchik Uprising of 1850. It was last used in warfare during the Serbo-Bulgarian War in 1885.

The first traces of settlement activity date from the 2nd-3rd centuries AD, when the Romans built the “Kaleto” fortress. In the times of the Ottoman invasion in the end of the 14th century most of the villages in the area were wiped out. The survivals sought for refuge in the less accessible vicinities.