Kaleto fortress – town of Belogradchik

The Kaleto fortress is the most interesting and most significant historical monument in Belogradchik. It was built among the stone rocks when the Bulgarian state was founded, and when the Balkan peninsula was a part of the Roman empire. In its construction, Romans took advantage of the natural inaccessibility of the rocks, and built only two walls, the other two sides surrounding the fortress being two natural rock massifs. A dungeon, most probably built in a later period by the Bulgarians, has been completely preserved in the north-western part of the fortress. Later on, it was further fortified and expanded by the Turks. In 1850, the fotress played a negative role in the Belogradchik Revolt. After the rebels were crushed, some of the town’s most prominent men were taken out of the fortress through a tunnel and were beheaded. Nowadays, a monument in memory of those men has been built near the the place of the execution. The fortress was last used as a military base in the Serbo-Bulgarian war of 1885. Immediately after it was declared a cultural monument of national importance, it was restored and is currently adjusted for mass tourist visits.