Shumen (province)

Shumen (province)

The Shumen province has a massive hundred meter cliff where the only rock relief of its kind in Europe is carved. The **Madara Horseman** is a majestic eighth century carving that shows a rider triumphing over a lion. You can climb the steep stone stairs to reach the top of the plateau for a view that stretches across the entire Danubian plain. This area was a sacred site for the first Bulgarian kings and you can still feel the ancient power in the wind. It is a legendary stop that marks the very beginning of the nation. Drive a short distance to see the Monument to the **Founders of the Bulgarian State** which looms over the city of Shumen. This giant concrete structure is built in a sharp cubist style and features massive statues of kings and heroes. You can walk through the tall pillars and look at the colorful mosaics that tell the story of the empire. It is one of the most unique examples of modern architecture in the Balkans and looks like something from a science fiction movie. The scale of the monument is truly breathtaking when you stand at its feet. The journey continues to the ruins of **Pliska** which was the first capital of the country. You can drive right up to the Great Basilica which was once the largest Christian church in the region. The white stone arches have been partially rebuilt so you can see the massive size of the original structure. Walking through the open fields where the palace once stood gives you a sense of how vast the early kingdom was. This province is a deep dive into the royal roots of Bulgaria.

Shumen (province) highlights

Part of these road trips

Follow the routes that cross this destination

The Scenic Route
The Heritage Drive
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History of Shumen (province)

Shumen is the **Birthplace of Bulgaria**. The province holds the first two capitals of the Bulgarian state: **Pliska** and **Veliki Preslav**. Pliska was a massive fortress covering 23 square kilometers, featuring a stone palace with an underground heating system. Preslav was the center of the **Golden Age** of literature, where the Cyrillic alphabet was refined and spread throughout the Slavic world. The province most iconic site is the **Madara Horseman**, a 9th century rock relief carved 23 meters high on a limestone cliff. It is the only such monument in Europe and depicts a triumphant khan, a lion, and a dog, symbolizing the power of the early Bulgarian state. Above the city of Shumen sits the **Founders of the Bulgarian State Monument**, a brutalist masterpiece that uses 50,000 tons of concrete to depict the nation history. For travelers, the **Shumen Fortress** offers a walk through 3,000 years of history, from the Thracians to the Middle Ages. The **Tombul Mosque** in the city is the largest in Bulgaria and one of the most beautiful in the Balkans, with its intricate tulip style architecture. From the white ruins of the **Golden Church** in Preslav to the high plateau of the **Madara** cliffs, Shumen is a province where the foundations of the nation were literally laid in stone.
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