Asenovgrad

Asenovgrad (Асеновград) is a city of 50,000 in South-Central Bulgaria, under the slopes of the Rhodope Mountains, not far from Plovdiv, Bulgaria's second largest city. Asenovgrad claims the distinction of having the most churches per capita in the country, and it's locally famous for its Mavrud and Pamid red wines.

Understand

Courtyard of the Bachkovo Monastery, including the Church of the Dormition

Church of the Holy Mother of God, Asen's Fortress

Asenovgrad is about 170 km (110 mi) east of the capital Sofia, and about 20 km (12 mi) south-east of Plovdiv.

Since the middle ages the city used to be known as Stanimaka (Станимака), a Bulgarized form of the Greek Stenimachos (Στενήμαχος). Until the 1900s, about 50% of the population was Greek, but tensions between Bulgaria and Greece caused a slow exodus, which became a formal population exchange after World War I: most Greek families left, while the city absorbed an influx of Bulgarian refugees from Greece. Like many other places in the country the city was given a "more Bulgarian" name in the 1930s - in 1934, it became Asenovgrad ("Asen's city"), after the medieval czar Ivan Asen II of the Second Bulgarian Empire.

Get in

By bus

Buses go between depart from Plovdiv's "Rhodopi" bus station in the south of the city at least twice an hour normally, mostly on route to Smolyan or Kardzhali.

See

• History Museum
• Museum of Paleontology - has a complete skeleton of a Deinotherium giganteum, an extinct elephant-like mammal that was found nearby (replica, the original is in Sofia)

Asenovgrad's most notable sights are actually outside of the city:

• 1 Asen's Fortress (Asenova krepost, Асенова крепост) (about 2 km (1.2 mi) south of Asenovgrad, there's a paved road that splits off Road 86 at the south exit of Asenovgrad). M-Su 9:00-18:00. Ruins of a medieval fortress perched on a steep rocky ridge. An inscription carved into the rock testifies that the fortress was strengthened in 1231 by the Bulgarian ruler Ivan Asen II, hence the name. Like most Bulgarian fortresses, only very basic ruins remain, with some modern reconstructions. The site's centerpiece is a fortified church overlooking the precipice - it had survived mostly intact until 1928, when an earthquake collapsed its dome, necessitating reconstructions in later years. There's a parking lot and a tiny on-site museum. One of the 100 Tourist Sites of Bulgaria. Adults: 8 лв, students/retirees: 5 лв, various other discounts apply; lecture/guided tour in English: 30 лв. (updated Aug 2024)
• 2 Bachkovo Monastery of the Dormition of the Mother of God (Bachkovski manastir, Бачковски манастир) (by the village of Bachkovo, about 8 km (5.0 mi) south of Asenovgrad). The second largest functioning Eastern Orthodox monastery in Bulgaria after the Rila Monastery, in a picturesque spot among the mountains. Originally established in the 11th century, it has been sacked and rebuilt several times. The only original building to survive is the Ossuary; the monastery's Cathedral Church of the Dormition was built in 1604. Getting there is extremely easy, as buses on the route Plovdiv-Smolyan stop in both Asenovgrad and Bachkovo. Tell the driver you are going to the monastery (simply saying "Bachkovo Manastir" should do the trick) and he may drop you off right in front. (updated Aug 2024)

Eat

• 1 Vito Bar & Dinner, ul. Treti Mart 9, ☏ +359 88 950 4594. Restaurant situated next to a river. Offers lunch, dinner and brunch. Vegetarian options available. (updated Nov 2023)
• 2 Restaurant Salasha, Asen’s Fortress, ☏ +359 89 666 2557, restorantsalasha@abv.bg. M closed, Tu-Su 11ː00-1ː00. BBQ restaurant located close to the Arsen's Fortress. Offers a wide variety of meat, which is cooked on charcoal. (updated Nov 2023)

Sleep

• 1 Hotel Old Times, ul. Kiril i Medodii 16, ☏ +359 87 868 6876, reception@hoteloldtimes.com. Located in the old part of the town. It consists of two ancient buildings which are monuments of the Bulgarian culture. Restaurant and free WiFi available. 48 lv per night for a single room, 58 lv per night for a double room. (updated Nov 2023)

Go next

Routes through Asenovgrad

Plovdiv ← Plovdiv Airport ←	N  S	→ Pamporovo → Smolyan
END ←	W  E	→ Ends at (N/S)