The Madara Horseman

The Madara Horseman – one of its kind in Europe! Located about 20km away from Shumen, it has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979 and in 2010 was declared a global Bulgarian symbol.

When you arrive at the site, there is a main entrance from where you can buy your ticket. Two routes leave from there. One is steeper (stone stairs) and leads you directly to the horseman. The second is more gentle (circular paths) and will take you through the whole park to see all the natural wonders nestled in the Madara Rocks.

Let’s start with the Madara Rider:

It was carved in the 8th century into a 100-meter tall cliff. The Madara Horseman is a figure of a horseman riding his horse and has the following measures: height – 3,10m , wight – 2.60m. The images are life-size, which makes them even more imposing. The rider has long hair down to his shoulders, his robe is billowing from the waist down, belted. Wide trousers and pointed-toe shoes stand out as the rider’s foot steps on a stirrup. In his left hand he holds the horse’s reins, and with his right he has impaled a lion. The lion (the strongest animal) is believed to symbolise the broken enemy. Behind the rider runs a dog, man’s best friend, and above him flies an eagle.

The Madara Horseman in a peculiar phenomenon and a symbol of the power of the First Bulgarian State. The details are amazing and the fact when it was carved makes it even more impressive. It is mostly associated with Khan Tervel and there are inscriptions in Greek around it, concerning cultural and historical events between Bulgaria and Byzantium. The inscriptions mention the khans Tervel, Kormisosh, Justinian and Omurtagh, which gives further information about the period of its appearance.

We continue with the caves:

The Big Cave or also called the “Cave of the Nymphs” is characterized by the water that runs down its walls in tiny drops. Thanks to this, there are also many creeping plants and mosses inside. The atmosphere is somewhat mystical and magical – a real fairy tale. In complete contrast is the small cave, which is dark, dry and without any vegetation. As you walk towards them, you will also pass by the “slit” that cuts through the 100 meter cliff from the base to the top and is believed to have been a pathway of connection between the fortress and the cave. In addition, there is a small rock chapel in the park – “St. Pantaleimon”, where visitors will see numerous icons and lit candles.

After exploring the foot of the Madara Rocks, be sure to climb the ridge. The way there is via a stone staircase consisting of 386 steps. The climb is not easy and takes about 15 minutes depending on your walking pace, but once you get to the top, you will see that the effort was worth it. The views are majestic, the horizon has no end, and the feeling is inspiring. There is also an ancient fortress on the ridge named “Matorra”. Its shape is that of an irregular triangle, since the fourth “wall” is the cliff. Inside there are remains of a church, a barracks and other buildings. It is believed that “Matora” played an important strategic role in the defence of the capitals of Pliska and Preslav, as it was captured by the Ottomans in 1388 and was never rebuilt.

Additional information:

– Opening hours:  8h30 – 20h00 (April – October) 8h30 – 17h00 (November – March)

– No days off

– Entrance fee: 5 BGN

– Guided tour: 10 BGN.

– Location: https://maps.app.goo.gl/hkL8wC6hdpJr62AJ8