Thracian sanctuary Harman Kaya

The Thracian sanctuary Harman Kaya was built on a plateau, around natural small 7 m deep cave. It is situated in the Eastern parts of Rodopi Mountain, in the region of Momchilgrad town. The inner space of the sacred complex includes a rocky summit with the cave. You can enter the sanctuary through a crack in the rocks, later shaped as an entrance with gate. There are well outlined walls of rooms and small round and rectangular water reservoirs in the complex. The outer space of the sanctuary consists of two hewn into the rocks platforms. The first is with 10 m diameter, and the second one – 15 m. According to the archaeological and astronomical researches, these rocky platforms were used for measuring the annual cycle of the sun and for setting the summer and winter solstice. Literally, Harman Kaya means Flat rock. The studies show that the rocky sanctuary was created abour 2000 BC.