Tsari Mali Grad

 In Southwestern Bulgaria, 60 km from Sofia, in the direction to municipality of Samokov, is the village of Belchin. There, on the hill of St. Spas are the restored remains of a Roman fortress build it after the III century AD. After the archeological excavations in the region from 2006 to 2010 under the program for restoration of national-cultural monuments, the fortress - "Tsari Mali Grad" was reconstructed together with the church - "St. Petka" and the church - "Ascension of Christ". The proximity of the village to the capital Sofia makes it a perfect day trip. 

 After the historical research and archaeological discoveries was found that the region was inhabit even since the iron ages. Through the time of the ancient thracian the hill was а part of the sacred places and places of worship in the area from the living there tribes. There were found a lot of the authentic finds objects such as pottery, burial plates, weapons, tools, as well as many jewelry and statuettes of various ancient deities in which people believed in the region, as well as in all of Thrace.

 In 98 to 112 AD, by order of Emperor Trajan, a small Roman garrison was stationed on the hill, before his war with the Dacians to protect the shortest mountain roads to Serdica modern days - Sofia, during his war with the Dacians served as assisting the city and its advancing troops in Dacia with provisions, and maintaining peace in the area. The fortress was then built of mounds of earth, stakes, a wooden wall and several residential buildings over the former Thracian temple.

 In the IV century AD, after a probable Gothic invasion, the fortress was burnt down, which led to its complete renovation by Emperor Valent in 367 - 369 during the First Gothic War. The fortress was built anew, this time not as a Roman camp, but as a point of defense of an important place for the empire - with stone walls, several towers, storage, residential buildings, stables, etc. Emperor Valent reached a truce with the Gothic leaders, allowing them to settle in the province of Moesia. But in the next Gothic war, 372 - 378, when the Goths revolted again and invaded Thrace, the emperor himself fell at the Battle of Adrianople in 378 AD.

 Archaeological excavations show that the fortress served its function in late antiquity, during the reign of Emperor Justinian the Great it was repaired again, and under his successor Justin II (565 - 574 AD) a gate and two towers were added to the north wall. The total size of the fortress was nine acres, but it continued to exist only three years after the end of the reign of Emperor Justin II in 578 AD. Evidence of the periods from the Roman and late ancient - Byzantine, as well as from the ancient - Thracian period can be seen in the museum of  Tsari Mali Grad, exhibited a large number of discovered coins such as gold Justinian coin, late antique Christian weapons and many arrows from Goths, Huns, Bulgarians and Greco-Imperials, also parts of armor, helmets and protectors.

 During the Middle Ages, a church was built in the yard of the former fortress and again over the site of the ancient Thracian temple, which church continued its existence after the fall of the Bulgarian kingdom under Ottoman rule. In 1469, at the request of Bulgarian monks, Sultan Mehmed allowed the relics of Saint Ivan Rilski to be moved from Tarnovo to the Rila Monastery. During their journey the monks loaded with relics stopped in the church "Ascension of Christ" on the hill of St. Spas. In fact, this is the last relocation of the relics of Saint Ivan Rilski, from then until now his relics can be seen in Rila Monastery.