SAMURAI FORTRESS (КРЕПОСТ КРЕПОСТ)

One of the most visited sites in south-western Bulgaria. Located 16 km south-west of Petritch, it is accessible by bus and well worth a visit. You'll discover a commemorative fortress and a page of Bulgarian history. At the beginning of the ^11th century, King Samouil organized a defense system at the Klyoutch Pass, between the Belassitsa and Ograjden mountains, to protect himself from invading Byzantine armies. It was here, in the summer of 1014, after the defeat at the battle of Stroumitsa, that the Bulgarians were taken by surprise by the Byzantines who had circled the Belassitsa mountain. 14,000 Bulgarian prisoners were condemned to go blind, with the exception of one man in 100 who was to serve as a guide to their place of enslavement with Tsar Samouil in Ohrid (now in Northern Macedonia). These atrocities were carried out under the orders of the Byzantine emperor Basil, the victor of the battle. King Samouil died on October 6, 1014, and the Byzantine emperor earned the nickname Basil Bulgaroctone, "Bulgar killer"! Four years after this decisive battle, Bulgaria fell under Byzantine rule, which lasted for almost two centuries. The majestic bronze statue of Tsar Samouil evokes this period: the sovereign falls to his knees, bent over in grief. Relief sculptures of blinded soldiers can be seen on both sides of the large stone panels. A visit that should be combined with that of the Petritch History Museum.