Chertigrad fortress

Chertigrad is a fortress in Sofia district, Etropole municipality. Archaeologists have declared it a historic ruin. This Thracian fortress was built probably in the IV-III century BC. Located in altitude 1284 meters above sea level in the western part of Central Stara Planina. It is located on a characteristic ""outgrowth"" of the watershed ridge separating the Stara Reka and Cherni Vit river basins. Thus, the fortress is separated from the ridge by a narrow isthmus, on which the wall was built, the remains of which are up to 2.5 m high. On the other sides, rocks up to 100 m high descend to the Cherni Vit River valley. Vasil Mikov comes the fortress's name (from Old Bulgarian) - ""a fortress that only the devils can take."" Judging by the finds, the fortress probably functioned until the VI century. In the eastern part of Chertigrad, there is a sanctuary dedicated to the cult of the Sun - a site with a small niche in the rock, where the first rays of the sun fall. Excavations were made in the fortress by a team led by Prof. Velizar Velkov.