Historic Landmark
Ustra Fortress

The tallest tower in the Eastern Rhodopes rises to 1,015 meters altitude. Built on a long and rocky peak , the unit captured with beautiful look, and once attained remains in the memory of the picturesque and the beautiful view that unfolds before our eyes.

Nowadays reaching the fortress goes nice and can be done in two ways. Shortly before Ustren a big brown signboard that leads to the hut " Ustra ." After 30 minutes walk you reach the hut , and then another 20 minutes you will feel Ustrenski relentless wind that blows the walls of Ustra . The second way is through the village of Lebed (located just after Ustren ) . Back plate will prompt you where to go and the path through the forest is marked. Another reason to choose this route is the ability to see mouflon , as it is there is a kennel . Again about an hour and you're at the castle.

According to eyewitnesses , when you see Ustra get to feel proud of Bulgarian history. It is true that Simeon I and Ivan Asen II conquered the fort during his reign , but in practice Ustra functioned primarily under the control of the Byzantines .

The study of the fortress in the years 1971-1973 , under the leadership of Prof. Stamen Mihaylov. Ustra was stretched about 1,300 square meters , the length of the city wall is 113 meters and the walls are rising in places to over 10 meters. Three -storey towers , contributing to the protection of the fortress - one of them was semicircular , the other two - rectangular. First floors were reservoirs . Its entrance is from the east and the southern and southeastern part of it were built 8 storey buildings .

The finds show that Ustra is built around the X century and intense life was in XIII-XIV centuries. Written evidence of the castle gives George Acropolit in his "Annals ."

Guardian of one of the important trade routes to the Byzantine capital Constantinople , the fortress reveals indescribable beauty of the Eastern Rhodopes . From there you can see Perelik , Mount Snow , Mount Chilyaka and Bezdyuven , Gyumyurdzhinska glacier with Mt Veykata and Yuchbunar . Visual connection there to the natural phenomenon " Broken Mountain " and the medieval fortress " Mal Asar " ( Treasure Fortress ) .