Surrounding areas of Shoumen

Some 15 km east of Shoumen is the unique Madara Historical-Archaeological Reserve consisting of several sights of exceptional value. First of all, this is the rock bas-relief of the Madara Knight representing a horseman with a sceptre in the right hand and a shepherd’s crook in the left; a lion, a dog and a snake are depicted under the horse. It was considered a symbol of the victorious march of Bulgarian rulers at the dawn of the Bulgarian state. The latest approach to the inscription is based on the Persian (East Indo-European) heritage. The horseman is the Earth correspondence of the Sun, the dog – of the Moon, the lion refers to the Lion constellation with the Regul main star. The computer analysis based on the latest software related to astronomy implies that the position of the Sun, the Moon and the Regul star as is on the bas-relief, has happened in 165AD (the year of the Snake). This year amazingly coincides with the year considered a beginning of Bulgarian statehood, as specified in the Name List of Bulgarian Khans, a written monument of the 8th century. These lead to the conclusion that Bulgarians have Indo-European roots and culture and are a highly civilized state-founding people. This unique monument of worldwide importance is under the protection of UNESCO. At the bottom of the steep cliffs near the relief are the remains of buildings of various epochs - palaces, an ancient Bulgarian pagan sanctuary of 9th century, churches and monasteries of 11th-14th centuries.

A flight of 386 steps in the rock lead to the Madara Plateau and the Madara Fortress - the remains of the Bulgarian fortress called Matora existed till 1386. At the south-west mouth of the Plateau is the Roman Villa - the remains of a Roman mansion (living and farm houses). The whole of Madara region is known as “the Bulgarian Troy”. A tourist village sprang up in the immediate vicinity of the rocks; there is a rich archaeological museum, a hotel, a camping site and Madara Knight Chalet (80 beds in two-, three-, four-, five-bed rooms, tel.: 261 through the operator of Madara village.)

One and a half kilometre away from the Madara Rocks and the tourist village is the village of Madara itself with a railway station on the Sofia-Varna line and a regular bus line to Shou­men. Eight kilometres south-west of Shoumen is the village of Osmar famous for its renowned red wine called Osmarski Pelin (Osmar’s Wormwood), which has as an ingredient the bitter herb of wormwood. There is regular bus transport.

The Kabiyuk studfarm is several kilometres north of the town. It is situated in a beautiful park with own race-course and ride hall (70 m long, 24 m wide). You can find here the unique horse museum, the summer residence of Prince Alexander Batenberg (a museum at present), a chapel with valuable icons. An excellent place for rest and horse riding practice. Regular bus transport available.