Madara is a village in Bulgaria, with only a bit more than a thousand inhabitants. You probably wonder why on Earth I am taking you there. I hope that this sign will serve as the best explanation.
The area of historical interest is not very large. By the way - have you noticed that the map says Magapa rather than Madara? Actually, this is because the word is written in the cyrilic alphabet which is used to write in Bulgarian, where "g" is read as "d" and "p" is read as "r".
We need to start by climbing a bit. Luckily the stairs are large and in good shape.
Finally, we reach our destination. Please pay your respect to the Madara Horse (or officially the Madara Rider), triumphing over a lion.
If you are not over impressed, maybe you need to realise that the Rider was carved in a cliff that is a hundred meters high. And that it was created at the beginning of the eighth (not eighteenth!) century. So no cranes, no drills, no dynamite at hand.
In large parts of Eastern Europe people were still living in small tribes deep in the woods. But the Bulgarians had already their own state ruled by Khans. On top of the cliff, they have built a fortress. Shall we go?
The cliff in which the Rider was carved is almost vertical.
Below, the land is flat. A perfect place to defend a fortress. And to show one's strength to potential invaders.
The stairs are getting more and more demanding. Be careful as we climb.
Finally, we reach the top.
The fortress has an excellent strategic position. The walls have been built of massive cut blocks. They are preserved at a height up to two meters.
Its shape is irregular and conforms to the feature of the area itself. It played an important role in defending the former Bulgarian capitals Pliska and Preslav.
So take a deep breath and feel for a moment as if you were the lord of the castle.
The area of historical interest is not very large. By the way - have you noticed that the map says Magapa rather than Madara? Actually, this is because the word is written in the cyrilic alphabet which is used to write in Bulgarian, where "g" is read as "d" and "p" is read as "r".
We need to start by climbing a bit. Luckily the stairs are large and in good shape.
Finally, we reach our destination. Please pay your respect to the Madara Horse (or officially the Madara Rider), triumphing over a lion.
If you are not over impressed, maybe you need to realise that the Rider was carved in a cliff that is a hundred meters high. And that it was created at the beginning of the eighth (not eighteenth!) century. So no cranes, no drills, no dynamite at hand.
In large parts of Eastern Europe people were still living in small tribes deep in the woods. But the Bulgarians had already their own state ruled by Khans. On top of the cliff, they have built a fortress. Shall we go?
The cliff in which the Rider was carved is almost vertical.
Below, the land is flat. A perfect place to defend a fortress. And to show one's strength to potential invaders.
The stairs are getting more and more demanding. Be careful as we climb.
Finally, we reach the top.
The fortress has an excellent strategic position. The walls have been built of massive cut blocks. They are preserved at a height up to two meters.
Its shape is irregular and conforms to the feature of the area itself. It played an important role in defending the former Bulgarian capitals Pliska and Preslav.
So take a deep breath and feel for a moment as if you were the lord of the castle.
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