Historic Landmark
Koychovo Kale Fortress

Fortress " Kale Koychovo " was built at the beginning of the Great Migration - V century and lasted only four or five centuries . Destroyed somewhere in the beginning of the XI century , during the wars of the Western Bulgarian State of Samuel and the Byzantine Empire during the reign of John Tsimishi and Basil II.

Stronghold is an area of ​​about 8 acres , is located 930 meters above sea level and is built on the eponymous peak " Koychov stone " , 7 km . northwest of the town Panagurishte. The remains of the castle were first discovered in 1993 , but systematic studies made ​​since 2009

" Koychovo Kale" was part of Srednogorian defense system. Guardhouse fortress guarded area and was located in the second most important military road to Byzantium at the time. First passed through the route Pazardzhik - Ichtiman - Vakarel for Sofia, and the second time is the one that passed through Sofia - Ovchite hulmove - Luda Yana - Vran kamuk - Smolska passage Sofia. Great advantage to the way it was, that he has provided through Etropol pass the link of Northern Bulgaria, Thrace. It is generally extremely important not only during this period , but later - during the Ottoman rule .

According to Georgi Abdulov , an archaeologist and director of the Museum of History in Panagjurishte , after studies in 2009 among the most valuable discovery is part of the fortress wall thickness up to 1.60 m height it is likely to be over 9 meters. At its western end is open postern (a small door ), which had a military nature . Openly and solid home with preserved basement covered with a clay floor. It was a second floor , but it was not maintained . As for the castle walls - they are made ​​with mortar , there was countervailing belts every 80-90 cm in height. Another feature of the fortress wall is that in certain sections of it to reach 20-30 meters in height . Archaeologists have discovered the inner arrows of studied area erected parallel walls . They were part of a secondary military installations , called palisades . Palisade are fortified balconies that reinforcement and extension ridge at the top of the city wall , which has walked the soldiers.

Studies show also that the northern part of the city wall was built on the ridge , and the barracks , economic and other outbuildings were located on the southern slopes .